Thinking Big: How a Small Town Achieves Large-Scale, Long-Lasting Mitigation

Whitestown, New York, is no stranger to flooding. Since the 1950s, flooding has been common. The source of the flooding is Sauquoit Creek, which flows north before ending at the Mohawk River just outside of the town. As the town grew over the decades, homes, commerce and industry were built alongside the waterways. As a result, the creek was engineered and straightened in areas, and infrastructure was built to meet the needs of new residents. The region grew, but the many culverts, bridges and channels that move water did not.

Over time, the small floods became more frequent. These were only warning signs. In the 2010s, flood after flood pushed the area’s infrastructure beyond its limits.

Whitestown is a small community with limited local resources. It was clear that it would benefit from partnering during the mitigation planning process. The town had previously participated in the Oneida County Hazard Mitigation Plan and proposed actions to address known flooding issues. More information was needed to address the root causes of flooding. It was now time to take the mitigation plan and put it into action.

In early 2016, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was looking to partner with a community for flood mitigation. When the department reached out to Whitestown, it was immediately clear that this was a perfect match. The town set to work with the project team, which included subject matter experts. The ask was straightforward but large. As Town Supervisor Shaun Kaleta said, “Put the blinders on and tell us what we need to effectively mitigate flooding to the greatest extent possible.”

In late 2016, the Sauquoit Creek Channel and Floodplain Restoration Program was developed. Its aim was to provide a comprehensive range of actions and plan how to carry out these projects. The program features five key parts that work together to alleviate flooding:

• Mitigation: The program includes the construction of floodplain benches, stream channel widening, and streambank stabilization. With more water stored in the channel and its floodplain, less water will rise up to flood local homes and businesses during storms.
• Infrastructure Improvements: Much of the area’s infrastructure was older and could not handle the creek’s flow during heavy storms. To make matters worse, ice jams would form in the winter, causing water to back up. The program calls for new culverts to be added in some areas, and to upsize existing others. This allows water to flow through the area more efficiently than before.
• Adaptation: Many property owners have not yet been able to recover and repair their flood-damaged homes and businesses after recent storms. The program plans to buy out up to 200 of the area’s most at-risk properties. Then, the vacant land will be converted to greenspace to reduce the risk to property in the future.
• Floodplain Management: Historically, homes and businesses have been constructed along the creek. Development upstream from the area has caused stormwater to run off from the land more rapidly into the creek. Updated regulations, over and above what is currently required, will strictly manage development in flood zones and require building and construction practices to limit runoff.
• Debris Management: Strong storms contribute to flooding in more than one way. Not only do they pour water over an area, but they pick up debris from the banks of the creek as well. This debris gets washed downstream where it can be caught on culverts and bridges, causing water to back up and flood nearby areas. The plan calls for a routine maintenance program to manage, collect, and clear debris on a regular basis.

The plan could not have come at a better time. Just months after it was finished, a major flood hit the town on July 1, 2017. The plan was ready to go, and soon after, federal, state and private partners pitched in to provide funding and resources to get the project started. Whitestown broke ground on the first project: floodplain benches at Dunham Manor Park. These benches are terraced land that stores water until water levels return to normal. The benches were finished in 2019, and not a moment too soon.

In late October of that year, 4-6 inches of rain fell over the Mohawk Valley. The flooding was catastrophic. While the original flood benches performed well, there was still damage downstream in neighboring Whitesboro. It was clear that more had to be done.

In the wake of the storm, local officials held public meetings. Their goal was to give the public a place to provide feedback. The response from the public was strong: residents and community stakeholders alike called for more action. One of the largest concerns was that residents could not afford to move out of repeatedly flooded areas without buyouts. In the end, the sessions were a success. Members of the public were able to contribute, and local officials had a better sense of what would come next. Afterward, a resident approached Kristin Campbell, a planner with Oneida County, and said, “Thank you for listening.”

The meetings led to a breakthrough in the relationship with the public. The town worked with residents to build a survey on the biggest concerns. The residents then used this survey to collect feedback. This gave them ownership of the program and made them part of the solution.

Everything was now in place to carry out the full plan. Local leaders worked with state and federal officials to come up with the funding for the next phases. This would eventually include more flood benches, expanded culverts, and the long-awaited home buyouts. Funding quickly added up to $55 million, far beyond what was expected. Since starting in 2019, Whitestown has successfully completed construction on the first two mitigation projects, with two more planned.

Nature-based designs were used throughout the area. Native plants help stabilize the streambank and control erosion. These plants also serve as habitat space for local wildlife and improve water quality. A new nature trail is planned for inclusion in a later project to give Whitestown residents and visitors the chance to interact with the improved environment.

In 2022, residents celebrated the news that the town secured a $40 million commitment from the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service to fund the buyout of flood-damaged properties that were devastated during the 2019 Halloween storm.

According to the Fifth National Climate Assessment, the Northeast United States has experienced a 60% increase in severe precipitation events across all four seasons since 1958. Whitestown, like many other communities in the region, receives more rainfall now than ever before.

Whitestown regularly maintains their part of the Oneida County Hazard Mitigation Plan. In the 2023 update, the plan celebrated the program’s success; actions that had been proposed were now complete. Future phases of the program are still highlighted as a high priority. Town Supervisor Kaleta is proud of and grateful for the program’s success so far. Kaleta continues to keep future phases a local priority: “We still have a lot of work to do, but the start of every project is one step closer to doing everything we can to become more resilient to severe weather events, reduce flooding and minimize future loss.”

Each piece works together to help mitigate the root causes of flooding and provide long-lasting results. This program’s past and future success is possible because of the dedicated teamwork between the many planning partners involved. The program is now one of the largest nature-based flood mitigation efforts in the state.

Whitestown’s Sauquoit Creek Channel and Floodplain Restoration Program is a model for communities across the country. Supervisor Kaleta presented at the Mohawk River Watershed Coalition for other officials who would like to carry out similar projects.

Kaleta summarized the purpose of the project: “This has always been about helping people and making things better.”

1. Holistic planning yields long-lasting results. Each part of the Sauquoit Creek Channel and Floodplain Restoration Program was carefully planned to play a role in addressing the root causes of flood risks in the community. The plan also focuses on forward-looking plans to prevent issues from getting worse in the future.
2. Multi-agency teamwork drives successful action. Whitestown sought and secured funding from a wide range of local, state and federal sources. This let the town achieve much more than what it could have done on its resources alone.

• Hazard Mitigation Plan | Oneida County Soil & Water Conservation District
• New York Department of Transportation Announces New Flood Mitigation Project to Protect Mohawk Valley Residents and Businesses
• Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda

FEMA requires an approved hazard mitigation plan for some kinds of non-emergency disaster funding. To learn more about creating a plan and funding eligible projects, review the Mitigation Planning and Grants information on FEMA.gov.