The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability (OOS) will receive $1,383,069 in congressional funding, secured by Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5), to construct the Eastwick Near-term Flood Barrier Project as an interim measure to protect vulnerable residents from flooding and increase flood resilience in the Eastwick neighborhood.
Located in Southwest Philadelphia, Eastwick is one of the lowest-lying neighborhoods in the city and faces growing flood risks with climate change. The Eastwick Near-term Flood Barrier Project is the City’s first implementation project to address the complex flooding challenges in the neighborhood, following years of studies and calls to action from residents.
The project will build a HESCO® barrier in the most flood-prone part of Eastwick to mitigate moderate flooding events stemming from the Cobbs and Darby Creeks. HESCO® barriers – soil-filled boxes made of fabric mesh and a wire frame – are used in interim flood protection projects nationwide, including in New York City. Compared to a levee, the HESCO® barriers in this location will be shorter in height and quicker to implement. The project’s design process is tentatively scheduled to begin in spring 2025.
“The Eastwick Near-term Flood Barrier Project will protect vulnerable residents and properties from damaging floods. This represents an important step forward in tackling a complex flooding problem and building a more resilient Eastwick,” said Elizabeth Lankenau, Interim Director, Office of Sustainability. “We would like to thank Congresswoman Scanlon and FEMA for making it possible to provide peace of mind to the residents of Eastwick, while we continue working with the community and government partners to explore solutions and develop a long-term flood resilience strategy.”
Through the Eastwick: From Recovery to Resilience initiative, the Office of Sustainability has been partnering with residents, community organizations, and government partners to develop a community-driven, long-term flood resilience strategy for Eastwick. This includes supporting the Philadelphia Water Department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with an ongoing feasibility study of building a levee to mitigate flooding along Cobbs Creek.
While long-term solutions are being evaluated, and with support from FEMA and PEMA, OOS has been committed to pursuing funding sources to design and build interim flood barriers that bring relief to residents and properties in the nearer term. The City also plans to use funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program as a local match. The CDBG-DR program supports Philadelphia’s recovery and mitigation efforts following the impacts of Hurricane Ida.
About the City’s Office of Sustainability
The Office of Sustainability (OOS) works with partners around the city to improve quality of life in all Philadelphia neighborhoods, through advancing environmental justice, reducing the city’s carbon emissions, and preparing Philadelphia for a hotter and wetter future. The Municipal Energy Office, housed within OOS, is responsible for managing the municipal energy portfolio and its contribution towards carbon reductions. For more information, visit phila.gov/sustainability.