Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v07n01)
Canal project update - Veolia meeting
by Alan Hague
posted: Jan. 08, 2010
Veolia held a meeting before Thanksgiving to update residents on the latest plans to make proactive repairs to the central canal to reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic failure of Indianapolis Water's main water supply. The canal project's objectives are to maintain the structural integrity of the canal between College Avenue and Capital Avenue. This is to be accomplished by reducing the erosion of the canal banks, filling in voids caused by burrowing animals, removing debris, dead trees and overgrowth with roots in the slope walls, installing geo-textile fabric and rip-rap stone to canal slope, while preserving natural habitat for wildlife nesting. Several meetings have been held to explain the proposal and to take public input.
Lou Ann Baker, Vice President of Communications & Community Relations at Veolia, announced that the input from previous meetings have led to changes in the canal project. JFNew, the firm contracted to install the plantings along the canal banks, has worked with Dr. Travis Ryan at Butler to modify the project to minimize the impact on the turtles that live along the canal. Dr. Ryan is director of UTERP (Urban Turtle Ecology Research Project) and has studied the canal turtles for the last eight years. The new plan takes turtle nesting areas into consideration and provides turtle beaches and basking areas.
Diagram showing repair of section damaged by tree roots.
Another change in the project is to minimize the height of the erosion control rip-rap stone that is visible above the canal waterline. The cross-section diagrams indicate Class II Rip-Rap, which according to specifications found on the web is - a limestone product, tan to light gray in color and is a jagged edged rock. This product is used for shoreline erosion, drainage in ditches, and culverts. Size ranges from 8 to 12 inches.
A lengthy question and answer period followed the meeting. One attendee asked who would provide maintenance on the canal plantings. Veolia responded that the maintenance is complicated by the Indy Parks Towpath that runs along the canal. Veolia is working with the parks department to develop a plan to provide short-term maintenance to help the establishment of plantings in the banks and long-term maintenance to keep unwanted plants from taking root.
Surveying of the canal is continuing. Prep work for the project is to begin in February. The stabilization project is expected to occur in March and April.
alan@broadripplegazette.com