Suncook River Stabilization Scheme Underway in Epsom

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) has announced that construction activities on the Suncook River stabilization and infrastructure protection project are currently underway in Epsom, NH.

“This is a NHDES led project in partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) with work being conducted by F.L. Merrill Construction Inc. out of Loudon, NH,” NHDES said in their announcement.

The Mother’s Day Flood of 2006 caused the Suncook River to create a new channel to the east of Bear Island between the Huckins Mill Dam and the U.S. Route 4 Bridge.

The Suncook River is continuing to adjust to this shorter channel length by migrating across a sand dominated valley and down-cutting steadily.

This ongoing process is visible just downstream of the U.S. Route 4 Bridge where the shortened length of the Suncook River now threatens the structural integrity of the bridge footings and has already damaged agricultural fields adjacent to the Suncook River.

There are two active construction sites on the Suncook River; the first is located immediately downstream of the U.S. Route 4 Bridge, and the second is just downstream of the confluence with the Little Suncook River.

Heavy equipment will be accessing the project sites from U.S. Route 4 and Black Hall Road.

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