WATERSHED DIGEST
monthly newsletter
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Update from the Hudson River Watershed Alliance |
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Save the Dates for our
Annual Watershed Conference:
Aligning Actions for Clean Water
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Our 2021 Annual Watershed Conference will be held virtually October 25-28, 2021, with a different session each afternoon.
This year's conference theme is Aligning Actions for Clean Water. We will focus on watershed planning as a process and product to help build consensus and develop strategies that inform watershed management.
The conference sessions will share processes, resources, and case studies for watershed-scale planning that leads to coordinated actions that improve clean water and reduce flooding.
Each session will walk through the planning process: from setting goals and engaging stakeholders, to monitoring and modeling, to implementing actions. While we are focused on planning, the content will also be more broadly applicable to watershed work.
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We'll have registration open and more details on the agenda very soon. You can see an overview of what we've got planned so far on our website here.
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Sponsor the Annual Watershed Conference
More information is here. Your sponsorship will help to fund the conference proceedings and support individuals and groups in need of financial support.
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Creek Sponsor
Delaware Engineering
Stream Sponsor
Gordon & Svenson LLP
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Breakfast Lecture: An Update on the Albany Pool Communities’ CSO Long Term Control Plan |
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Thursday, September 16, 8:30-9:30 AM
Featured Speaker: Martin Daley, Director of Water Quality Programs, Capital District Regional Planning Commission
Martin Daley, Director of Water Quality programs for the Capital District Regional Planning Commission, will share how the Albany Pool Communities and partner County Sewer Districts are progressing on their 15-year, $145 million long term control plan to abate combined sewer overflows into the Hudson River. Martin will share a brief overview of the program, metrics on performance to date, what projects are upcoming, and the status of the marquee project – the Beaver Creek Clean River Facility – which is now under construction. The program website is albanypoolcso.org.
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Swimming in the Hudson River |
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Swimming in the Hudson River at Kingston Point Beach, Kingston, NY. |
Swimming in the River Pool at Beacon in 2019. Photo by River Pool at Beacon. |
Photo from Ulster Landing beach in Saugerties on Friday, July 23, 2021. |
17th annual Great Newburgh to Beacon Swim on Saturday, July 24, 2021. Photo by River Pool at Beacon. |
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Do people actually swim in the Hudson River? They do! From public sites like Kingston Point Beach, to event swimming (like the Great Hudson River Swim between Newburgh and Beacon), lots of people are getting into the water. People are also kayaking, jet skiing, and more.
Designated bathing beaches in New York State are required to have regular water quality monitoring. In particular, county health departments monitor water quality for bacteria at bathing beaches, which need to be below a certain threshold for beaches to stay open. Elevated levels of bacteria can cause illnesses or infections, especially for swimmers, who might ingest the water.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation also has water quality standards, which are based on the classification of waterbodies. The NYS DEC codes, rules, and regulations related to bacteria and water quality are available here.
In July, Hudson River beaches in Ulster County were closed due to elevated bacteria levels. When it rains, certain wastewater systems (combined sewer systems) are designed to overflow raw sewage into the Hudson River. Many other separated sewer wastewater systems along the Hudson are not designed to do this, but heavy rains can still cause these systems to overflow raw sewage.
Recent storms contributed to the water quality issues in the Hudson River in July. With climate change forecasts of more extreme rainfall and higher temperatures in the Hudson Valley, water quality impacts from sewage overflows will be an increasing concern. This issue is an important nexus of climate change, water quality, and environmental justice, as people head to public beaches during periods of higher temperatures to cool off.
Water quality in the Hudson River does improve during drier weather, and swimming is still possible much of the time.
July 24, 2021 was the 17th annual Great Newburgh to Beacon Swim. 126 people swam across the Hudson River to raise funds for the River Pool at Beacon.
According to the water quality samples that Riverkeeper and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory took the day before the event, water quality in the Hudson River had improved enough after rainfall for swimming.
Thanks to the River Pool at Beacon for celebrating the Hudson River through their annual event, and their mission to promote the use, awareness, and stewardship of the Hudson River!
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GRANTS:
Hudson River Valley Greenway: Planning and Trails Grant applications due September 10 and November 8
The Hudson River Valley Greenway Grant Program provides matching grants to Greenway Communities and Compact Communities. Greenway Communities are eligible to receive up to $10,000 to develop plans or projects consistent with the five Greenway criteria: natural and cultural resource protection, economic development, public access, regional planning, and heritage and environmental education. Higher amounts are awarded for intermunicipal projects. Plans can include natural resource inventories, open space plans, comprehensive plans, and more. The Hudson River Valley Greenway Conservancy Trails Grant Program is dedicated to funding recreational trail projects.
NYS Urban Forestry Council: Tree City USA Reward Grants: Applications due September 16
The NYS Urban Forestry Council announces Tree City USA Reward grants for communities to plant large specimen trees or a grove of trees in a prominent location within the community. Communities in New York State that have been a Tree City USA for at least the past five consecutive years can apply for up to $1,000. Funding has been provided by the New York State Urban Forestry Council and the USDA Forest Service. The intent of this grant is to encourage municipalities to sustain their community forestry program and maintain their status as a Tree City USA Community. The grant will reward communities for consistent participation in the Tree City USA program through a celebratory tree planting event.
Arbor Day Foundation: 2021-2023 Environmental Justice Initiative Grant Application due September 30
The Arbor Day Foundation aims to partner with Alliance for Community Trees organizations to address climate and race-related inequities through strategic support of tree planting, tree care, and community engagement initiatives in cities around the United States. The Arbor Day Foundation will collaborate with corporate partners to make strategic investments in the organizations and urban forests that will benefit most from tree planting, capacity building, and community engagement. Lastly, we will collaborate with local partners to report on initiative success using innovative reporting technologies and rubrics. Application details are available here.
Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve: Margaret A. Davidson fellowship applications due December 10
The two-year Margaret A. Davidson fellowship brings a graduate student to conduct research at the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve to address a key coastal management question. These questions help Hudson River communities understand coastal challenges and impacts to influence future policy and management strategies. The annual stipend for a Margaret A. Davidson fellow is $41,000 for research and travel, and an additional equipment and supply budget of approximately $7,000. The research that is conducted at the Reserve is intended to be a substantial part of the fellow’s degree research. At least six weeks must be spent at the Reserve each year.
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The Hudson River Watershed Alliance unites and empowers communities to protect their local water resources |
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