Simme Road Culvert Analysis

JM Davidson Engineering, D.P.C. (JMD) was retained by the Town of Lancaster to perform a hydraulic analysis and culvert capacity study for an existing culvert along Simme Road.

The existing culvert along Simme Road carries a Town Ditch conveying runoff from the area southeast of Simme Road north and ultimately discharging into Cayuga Creek.  Over the past several years, residents located near the culvert crossing have complained of flooding during large storm events.  JMD was tasked with investigating the culvert crossing, determining the capacity of the culvert and whether it was undersized, and making recommendations for replacement, if necessary.

Ultimately, the study determined that the culvert was undersized and recommended a replacement.  The Town will be able to utilize this information for estimating prices for replacement and proceeding with the design phase of work.

The work performed includes:

• Conducted a site visit to obtain field measurements of the study culvert, as well as the channel upstream and downstream, including multiple culverts located upstream.
• Gathered information from adjacent property owners regarding their knowledge of the flooding, including approximate dates and elevation of flooding and photographs documenting the conditions.
• Prepared a hydraulic model of the system upstream and immediately downstream of the culvert to approximate flow conditions in the Town Ditch and the study culvert under various design storm conditions.
• Prepared a technical report to the Town describing the hydrologic and hydraulic conditions of the study area; documented the anticipated flooding levels as compared with the reported flooding levels from adjacent property owners; and provided recommendations for flooding alleviation including replacement, stormwater management, and/or modifications to adjacent properties.
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