Aberjona River Flood Mitigation Program

Since 1996, the Town of Winchester has been devastated on numerous occasions by the flooding of the Aberjona River, causing safety hazards for the public, a disruption to businesses and schools, and more than $25 million in estimated economic losses. In a partnership that spans more than two decades, VHB supports the Town with a flood mitigation program that includes design, permitting, and construction administration, to help alleviate the duration and magnitude of flooding events and improve resiliency. The program comprises 17 individual projects, including restoring the natural width of the Aberjona River, modifying the Horn Pond Dam spillway, several culvert and bridge improvements, and installation of a fish ladder retrofit at the Center Falls Dam. Upon completion of the program, more than 300 properties will be removed from the one percent annual chance floodplain, reducing base flood elevations by up to four feet within Winchester.