Water Features

As a natural system impacted by decades of development, Harbor Brook has historically been prone to flooding.  It has been the subject of planning efforts to reduce flooding through increased flood storage upstream of the Meriden Green and Commercial Center and through improved channel conditions throughout the downtown area.  Planned improvements should contain Harbor Brook within its defined channel throughout the Commercial Center.  Much of Harbor Brook in this area is planned to have vertical sidewalls and a natural stream bottom.  The normal water elevation may be several feet below the surrounding ground elevations.  This will make pedestrian access to the water difficult and even make the water difficult to see from many points.  The sidewalls of the channel will be particularly visible.  Consequently, the sidewalls, pools, overlooks, handrails, and adjacent pavements must be well detailed.  Concrete sidewalls should be detailed with architectural form liners to produce an appealing aesthetic.

The linear form of a channelized urban brook with interconnecting circular pools creates strong visual corridors.  Buildings and site features along the brook should reinforce the linear axis.  Buildings and landscape features terminating each axis must be properly sited and detailed appropriately for these important locations.