New York state is dedicating $3 million for studies to reduce flooding and ice jams and improve ecology on 48 priority flood-prone streams throughout New York state.

In Chautauqua County, studies will be done on Silver Creek, Walnut Creek, Canadaway Creek and Crooked Brook while Grannis Creek in Cattaraugus County will be studied.

The studies will employ advanced modeling techniques and field assessments to identify priority projects and actions to reduce community flood and ice jam risks, while improving habitat.

“New York is using the best available science to guide our efforts to adapt to extreme weather events driven by our changing climate,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “New York’s flood resilience is an urgent priority and these expedited studies will give communities a blueprint to abate the worst effects of future flooding and ice jams.”

The state Department of Environmental Conservation and Office of General Services will implement the studies as part of Cuomo’s Resilient NY program. High-priority watersheds were selected based on several factors, such as frequency and severity of flooding and ice jams, extent of previous flood damage, and susceptibility to future flooding and ice jam formations.

The Resilient NY flood studies will identify the causes of flooding within each watershed and develop, evaluate, and recommend effective and ecologically sustainable flood and ice-jam hazard mitigation projects. Proposed flood mitigation projects will be identified and evaluated using hydrologic and hydraulic modeling to quantitatively determine flood mitigation recommendations that will result in the greatest flood reductions benefits. In addition, the flood mitigation studies will incorporate the latest climate change forecasts and assess ice jam hazards where jams have been identified as a threat to public health and safety.

The DEC and OGS have retained two environmental consulting firms to prepare the Resilient NY studies. The consultants will work with DEC experts and municipalities to collect relevant information about flooding and ice jams in each priority watershed and use this information to develop specific flood mitigation projects and actions