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Dana Gumb of the DEP told the community board last year flooding has been eliminated and credited Iannece with starting the ball rolling on the project. Phase 1 included adding new storm drain lines in the affected community along 56th Avenue and 217th to 220th streets.
Prior to the work, during a heavy rainstorm water would rush into houses and residents were afraid to leave their cars in the street. The flooding was exacerbated by overdevelopment in an area where the terrain was not suitable for such density and from the paving over of parking lots at Queensborough Community College and nearby schools.
Reached last week, Gumb pointed out there are still some runoff problems at QCC’s parking lot, track and tennis courts, causing water to pour into the Oakland ravine. The Bayside college is working with the two city agencies to come up with funding to help remediate the problem.
But, overall, residents are happy with the results. “Neighbors are so thankful that this issue has been addressed,” Iannece said.
Phase 2, which is nearly complete, moved the project to Douglaston, along Northern Boulevard, where weirs were installed to hold and divert stormwater until it can be pumped to the Talman Island Treatment Plant. Any overflow will go directly into Alley Creek.
The weirs will be able to retain up to 3 million gallons of floodwater. The underground weirs are located in an old dumping ground opposite Alley Pond Environmental Center.
According to DEP officials, work is also continuing to upgrade the pumping station next to APEC. That is expected to be completed by September 2010. In addition, planting has already begun over the weirs, which will create up to four acres of undeveloped park land. Work will continue there through next spring.
Walter Mugdan of Douglaston, an environmentalist and president of the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee, is very enthusiastic about the project. “The third phase will help restore the shore around Oakland Lake, which is very desirable,” Mugdan said. “It will include improving the water quality and habitat and ultimately the entire bay.”
Phase 3 work is expected to get under way in about a month. Debris will be removed from the lake, the slopes stabilized and invasive plants removed and replaced by native vegetation. Three pathways will be restored .
Work is expected to take four to six months, followed by the plantings starting next year. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 1 and one-half years.
Daniel Egers, head of Friends of Oakland Lake, is happy with the planned improvements, but would like to see more done. “Progress has been made, but money is an issue,” Egers said. “I hope additional work can be done in the future.”
He would like to see planking installed, like a boardwalk around the lake. The cost is estimated at $1.2 million and would cover seven-tenths of a mile.
Gumb indicated there are underground streams that percolate out causing the pathways to flood. One suggestion is to reveal the stream, add a bridge and additional planking but at this point there is no money to do it.
