Blumenthal, local officials urge action during tour of Groton sites vulnerable to flooding
Groton Town Manager John Burt (left) and Megan Granato, the Town of Groton’s sustainability and resilience manager (right), talk with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., (center) Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, about flooding issues during a stop on Gravel Street in downtown Mystic.
In this file photo, a vacant car is stranded in the water on Gravel Street on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The street runs along the Mystic River, right of the white railing, in downtown Mystic. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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In this file photo, vehicles are parked along a flooded Pearl Street in downtown Mystic Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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In this file photo, the intersection of South Road and Route 1 closed Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, due to flooding in the area of Poquonnock River in Groton. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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In this file photo, Steamboat Condominiums between the Mystic River, right in background, and a parking lot Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in downtown Mystic. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Groton City Mayor Keith Hedrick talks with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, about flooding issues during a stop on Shore Avenue in the City of Groton. (Kimberly Drelich/The Day)
By Kimberly Drelich
Day Staff Writer
Groton ― U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., toured sites in the City of Groton and downtown Mystic on Monday afternoon that are vulnerable to flooding and pledged to seek federal funding to address the problem.
City and town officials said the number and intensity of storms are increasing, and federal funding will be crucial to protect the community and recover after storms.
As state and local officials stood on Shore Avenue, near Eastern Point Beach, City of Groton Mayor Keith Hedrick told the senator about flooding caused when water from the bay backs up through the stormwater system during high tides and heavy storms. The city plans to do an engineering study and then seek funding for a solution.
The group then went down the road to the Shore Avenue seawall that the city is getting ready to replace this year. The city secured $2.7 million in state funding for the project and will receive bids with the exact cost later this week.
Next, they stopped at Jupiter Point, where city officials spoke of plans to rebuild some of the drainage system. Eastern Point and Jupiter Point are two of the city’s highest-risk areas when it comes to flooding, said Hedrick.
“We know these storms are going to happen again, probably even more frequently,” said Blumenthal, who offered help in seeking federal funding for the community.
Downtown Mystic
Later in the afternoon, the senator visited Gravel Street along the Mystic River in downtown Mystic. Groton Town Manager John Burt and Megan Granato, the town’s sustainability and resilience manager, stressed the urgency of taking action to address flooding in downtown Mystic, along with other low-lying areas, including Groton Long Point, Poquonnock Bridge and the area of the Groton-New London Airport.
Granato said three storms in December and January ― the worst one being a 10-year storm ― shut down Gravel, Pearl and Water streets.
“This is staggering,” Blumenthal said as he looked at photos, provided by the town, showing heavy flooding during the recent storms in downtown Mystic, South Road, Depot Road, Groton Long Point, River Road, Willow Point, Poquonnock Road, Poquonnock Plains Park, Central Avenue and Riverview Avenue in lower Noank. On Monday, the South Road underpass was flooded and impassable with a car being towed out of the water.
Burt said the senator’s visit was good timing, as the town is wrapping up a study of resiliency in downtown Mystic.
The study recommends actions, including roadway elevation, drainage improvements and green infrastructure in the upper watershed, Granato said. Next, the town will work on a townwide climate action plan and currently is forming a committee.
State and federal involvement
Granato and Burt said federal funding for solutions is crucial due to the magnitude of the amount of work, and multiple agencies will need to be involved.
State Rep. Christine Conley, D-Groton, said the legislature also plays a role and can help provide funding for some of the infrastructure. She said this type of flooding is a coastal issue both statewide and across the country.
State Rep. Aundré Bumgardner, D-Groton, said he serves on the General Assembly’s Environment Committee that will take up an omnibus bill this year to tackle many issues related to climate change.
He said he and Conley are working closely with local officials to identify funding opportunities. He said local communities can’t do this alone, and it will take partnerships with the state and federal delegations to assist municipalities with solutions.
“We have work to do,” Blumenthal said at the end of the tour and called for enlisting the federal delegation in working together so the region gets its fair share of federal funding. He said the flooding and other weather-related issues show the need for real investment in the future.
“The Connecticut shoreline is exquisitely beautiful, but also we need to appreciate the impacts in flooding and other kinds of problems that result from the increasingly unpredictable weather,” he said.
k.drelich@theday.com
