Silver Creek Drainage Study
Bristol, Rhode Island
The Town of Bristol hired BETA to investigate the root causes of flooding in Silver Creek, a tidal water body, and propose solutions to mitigate the problem during 2, 10, and 100-year storm events.
To analyze the existing conditions, BETA utilized HydroCAD and HEC-RAS software, with HydroCAD providing estimates for the peak discharge rates based on watershed hydrologic characteristics. HEC-RAS was then used to examine the hydraulic capacity of the open channel river, floodplain areas, as well as bridge and culvert crossings.
The study revealed capacity deficiencies in the drainage network leading to flooding in the watershed and the impact of the tidal influence from Bristol Harbor on Silver Creek’s capacity. Using the model, BETA assessed several options to increase the creek’s capacity, including upgrading the drainage system in some areas and dredging sediment in others.
