The current Hoosic River flood control system is failing our community –
North Adams deserves a 21st century solution.
Our vision is for a healthy, accessible, attractive, flood-controlled Hoosic River, energizing the City’s recreational, cultural, and economic vitality.
Our Vision
A thoughtful plan for the new flood control system would enhance the appeal of our regional cultural and educational destinations, including MASS MoCA, MCLA and local bike trails, and create new opportunities for housing, restaurants, businesses and river-based recreation.
Revitalize
The concrete chutes that contain the Hoosic River are failing, creating vulnerabilities in a flood control system that puts North Adams residents at risk. We propose to transform the aging Hoosic River flood chutes using leading-edge engineering and naturalization measures to reduce flood risk and enhance climate resilience.
Resilience
The modernization of the flood control system with an innovative, inclusive design is an opportunity to create downtown gathering spaces such as walking and bike paths, “quiet parks”, public squares, performance spaces, and other community-oriented venues representing the diversity of our many neighborhoods.
Reinvigorate
While the branches of the Hoosic outside of the concrete chutes are thriving with cold-water dependent species of plants and animals, the concrete flood chutes degrade water quality, warm the water, and provide no aquatic or river corridor habitat. A redesign affords opportunities to restore river function and ecology in and adjacent to the river branches.
