Progress Update: Period December 21, 2020 – January 15, 2021

From December 21, 2020 to January 15, 2021 the Gowanus Canal Superfund Project Team (GCSPT) continued removing debris and sediment from the canal by dredging. Dredged material is loaded from smaller “mini” barges that can navigate the narrow canal to the transloading area at Huntington Street. The dredged material is then dewatered and transloaded to larger barges and shipped across New York Harbor to the dredged material processing facility in New Jersey.

A total of 6,295 cubic yards of material were dredged between December 21 and January 15th. As of January 15, 15,415 cubic yards of material and debris have been dredged from Remedial Treatment Area (RTA) 1.

On December 23, dredging between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge commenced. Due to the high volume of project related maritime traffic, the Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Friday to accommodate active construction. During this timeframe, Carroll Street will remain closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Bond Street and Nevins Street until further notice.

In addition to the ongoing dredging work, GCSPT also began staging materials and fabricating templates for upcoming pipe pile bulkhead installation operations. These preparatory operations involve driving steel piles (similar to steel beams) into the canal bed at multiple locations in order to support steel templates utilized as a guide for pipe pile installation. Ultimately, the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge will have pipe pile walls installed as bulkheads to support the bridge abutments during future phases of dredging. Pipe piles will also be installed at Turning Basin 1 (TB1) to create a bulkhead wall to support fill materials on the upland side of the canal. Installation of the steel piles at the bridges and TB1 is expected to begin in late January.

Photos of construction activities are provided on pages 1 and 2 of this progress update.

12.23.20 Dredging activities between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge

12.29.20 Dredging activities  between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge

12.30.20 Transloading operations and steel piles to be utilized in pipe pile templates

1.4.21 Continued deployment of the turbidity curtain south of 3rd Street

1.4.21 Continued dredging activities between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge

1.4.21 Continued dredging activities between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge

1.5.21 Following dewatering of the “mini” hopper, the sediments are transloaded into a larger hopper suitable for transport to the sediment processing facility in NJ.

1.7.21 Continued dredging activities between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge

1.13.21 Lifting and placing steel piles from the upland area into mini hopper barge for transportation up canal for installation

Progress Update: Week of January 18, 2021

During the week of January 18th the Gowanus Canal Superfund Project Team (GCSPT) continued removing debris and sediment from the canal by dredging. Dredged material is loaded from smaller “mini” barges that can navigate the narrow canal to the transloading area at Huntington Street. The dredged material is then dewatered and transloaded to larger barges and shipped across New York Harbor to the dredged material processing facility in New Jersey.

Dredging between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge remains ongoing. Due to the high volume of project related maritime traffic, the Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Friday to accommodate active construction. During this timeframe, Carroll Street will remain closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Bond Street and Nevins Street until further notice.

In addition to the ongoing dredging work, GCSPT also began the pipe pile bulkhead installation operation that was detailed in the previous update. As a reminder, this operation involves driving steel piles (similar to steel beams) into the canal bed at multiple locations in order to support steel templates utilized as a guide for pipe pile installation. Ultimately, the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge will have pipe pile walls installed as bulkheads to support the bridge abutments during future phases of dredging. Pipe piles will also be installed at Turning Basin 1 (TB1) to create a bulkhead wall to support fill materials on the upland side of the canal. Installation of the steel piles at the bridges and TB1 is ongoing.

Photos of construction activities are provided on the remaining pages of this progress update.

Continued removal of debris targets between Carroll and Union Street

Installation of pin pile near the Carroll Street bridge

Dredging activities between Carroll and Union Street

Continued dewatering/transloading mini hopper materials into the large barge

Continued dredging activities between Carroll and Union Street

Progress Update: Week of January 25, 2021

On the morning of January 25 the project team was made aware by the remedial contractor that a barge moored in the Bay Ridge Flats had taken on water and became submerged. At the time, the barge was planned for transport to the material processing facility in New Jersey.

Over the course of the week of January 25, the team responded to the incident and worked to safely recover the submerged barge.

On Tuesday, January 26, our crews successfully refloated the sunken barge by pumping water that had been taken on into a separate empty barge. The refloated barge was safely returned to the transloading area.

After refloating the barge, a small hole in the barge hull was identified and determined to be the cause of the barge taking on water. EPA has concluded that material released from the barge, if any, was minimal. The team is reviewing operating protocols and will be increasing inspection frequency to minimize the likelihood of any similar incidents occurring during future operations.

To read EPA’s full statement about the incident, please visit:
https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0206222

Dredging and pipe pile bulkhead installation were suspended temporarily while all efforts focused on reacting to the incident.

When the dredging and pipe pile bulkhead installation resume, please keep in mind that due to the high volume of project related maritime traffic, the Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Friday to accommodate active construction. During this timeframe, Carroll Street will remain closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Bond Street and Nevins Street until further notice.

Photos of construction activities are provided on the remaining pages of this progress update.

Progress Update: Week of February 1, 2021

Dredging activities were temporarily suspended during the week of January 25th, due to an incident where a barge had taken on water and become submerged. The project team is continuing to review operating protocols and will be increasing inspection frequency to minimize the likelihood of any similar incidents occurring during future operations.

The dredged material is loaded from smaller “mini” barges that can navigate the narrow canal to the transloading area at Huntington Street. The dredged material is then dewatered and transloaded to larger barges and shipped across New York Harbor to the dredged material processing facility in New Jersey.

Dredging between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge remains ongoing. Due to the high volume of project related maritime traffic, the Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Friday to accommodate active construction. During this timeframe, Carroll Street will remain closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Bond Street and Nevins Street until further notice.

Photos of construction activities are provided on the remaining pages of this progress update.

During the week of February 1, the project team resumed dredging activities along the canal. Dredging began for the section of the canal north of the Union Street Bridge.

Dredging activities were temporarily suspended during the week of January 25th, due to an incident where a barge had taken on water and become submerged. The project team is continuing to review operating protocols and will be increasing inspection frequency to minimize the likelihood of any similar incidents occurring during future operations.

The dredged material is loaded from smaller “mini” barges that can navigate the narrow canal to the transloading area at Huntington Street. The dredged material is then dewatered and transloaded to larger barges and shipped across New York Harbor to the dredged material processing facility in New Jersey.

Dredging between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge remains ongoing. Due to the high volume of project related maritime traffic, the Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Friday to accommodate active construction. During this timeframe, Carroll Street will remain closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Bond Street and Nevins Street until further notice.

Photos of construction activities are provided on the remaining pages of this progress update.

Progress Update: Week of February 8, 2021

During the week of February 8, the project team continued dredging activities along the canal, north of Union Street.

The dredged material is loaded from smaller “mini” hopper barges that can navigate the narrow canal to the transloading area at Huntington Street. The dredged material is then dewatered and transloaded to larger barges and shipped across New York Harbor to the dredged material processing facility in New Jersey.

Dredging between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge remains ongoing. Due to the high volume of project related maritime traffic, the Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Friday to accommodate active construction. During this timeframe, Carroll Street will remain closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Bond Street and Nevins Street until further notice.

Photos of construction activities are provided below.

Progress Update, Week of February 22, 2021

During the week of February 22, the project team continued dredging activities along the canal, north of Union Street. Dredging north of Union Street is expected to continue over the coming weeks.

The dredged material is loaded from smaller “mini” hopper barges that can navigate the narrow canal to the transloading area at Huntington Street. The dredged material is then dewatered and transloaded to larger barges and shipped across New York Harbor to the dredged material processing facility in New Jersey.

Dredging between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge remains ongoing. Due to the high volume of project related maritime traffic, the Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Friday to accommodate active construction. During this timeframe, Carroll Street will remain closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Bond Street and Nevins Street until further notice.

Photos of construction activities are provided below.

Progress Update, Week of March 1, 2021

During the week of March 1, the Gowanus Remediation Team continued dredging activities along the canal, north of Union Street. Dredging north of Union Street is expected to continue over the coming weeks. Once this phase of dredging is completed, crews will begin the removal of aging timber batter piles and timber dolphins north of the Union St Bridge. 

The dredged material is loaded from smaller “mini” hopper barges that can navigate the narrow canal to the transloading area at Huntington Street. The dredged material is then dewatered and transloaded to larger barges and shipped across New York Harbor to the dredged material processing facility in New Jersey. 

Dredging north of the Union Street Bridge remains ongoing. There is a high volume of project related maritime traffic. The Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position and Carroll Street will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic until further notice. 

Photos of construction activities are provided below. 

Progress Update, Week of March 8, 2021

During the week of March 8, the Gowanus Remediation Team continued dredging activities along the canal, north of Union Street. We are pleased to report that this Phase 1 of dredging has been completed. Over the coming weeks our crews will begin the removal of aging timber batter piles and timber dolphins (protective barriers for bridges, bulkheads, and other canal structures) north of the Union Street Bridge. Once the piles and dolphins have been removed, dredging activities will resume, between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Third Street Bridge.

The dredged material is loaded from smaller “mini” hopper barges that can navigate the narrow canal to the transloading area at Huntington Street. The dredged material is then dewatered and transloaded to larger barges and shipped across New York Harbor to the dredged material processing facility in New Jersey.

The Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position while the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) performs maintenance on the bridge. Carroll Street will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic until further notice.

Photos of construction activities are provided below.

Progress Update, Week of February 15, 2021

During the week of February 15, the project team continued dredging activities along the canal, north of Union Street. Dredging north of Union Street is expected to continue over the coming weeks. Please note, no work was performed on Friday February 12 or Monday February 15, in observance of President’s Day.

The dredged material is loaded from smaller “mini” hopper barges that can navigate the narrow canal to the transloading area at Huntington Street. The dredged material is then dewatered and transloaded to larger barges and shipped across New York Harbor to the dredged material processing facility in New Jersey.

Dredging between the Carroll Street Bridge and the Union Street Bridge remains ongoing. Due to the high volume of project related maritime traffic, the Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Monday through Friday to accommodate active construction. During this timeframe, Carroll Street will remain closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Bond Street and Nevins Street until further notice.

Photos of construction activities are provided below.

Progress Update, Week of March 15, 2021

During the week of March 15, the Gowanus Remediation Team continued work along the canal. Our crews dredged sediment, raked the canal bed, and removed aging timber structures.

This week dredging took place north of the Carroll Street Bridge. After dredging the target area, our crews began raking the canal bed between the Union Street Bridge and the Carroll Street Bridge using an excavator equipped with a rake attachment. Raking the canal bed is conducted as preparation for in-situ stabilization (ISS). ISS is a remediation process by which contaminants are rendered immobile through reactions with stabilizing compounds mixed directly into the soil or sediment.

Additionally, our crews successfully removed several aging structures, including timber batter piles and timber dolphins. These historical structures once provided a protective barrier for bridges, bulkheads, and other canal structures. The structures were removed as part of the planned remediation.

The dredged material is loaded from smaller “mini” hopper barges that can navigate the narrow canal to the transloading area at Huntington Street. The dredged material is then dewatered and transloaded to larger barges and shipped across New York Harbor to the dredged material processing facility in New Jersey.

The Carroll Street Bridge will remain in the open position while the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) performs maintenance on the bridge. Carroll Street will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic until further notice.

Photos of construction activities are provided below.