$1.1M For 6 Hudson Valley Stream Restoration Projects - VIDEO

New York has awarded more than $1.1 million to six projects to help reduce local flooding and restore aquatic habitats in tributary streams of the Hudson River Estuary. These funds will support projects to restore free-flowing waters, removing decaying, obsolete dams and constructing "right-sized" culverts in Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster and Westchester counties.

The grants will help communities with existing and projected impacts of local flooding plus benefit water quality and restore aquatic habitat connectivity for Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including the American eel and river herring.

"Investing in local projects that reduce flooding and restore aquatic habitats, while also cleaning our water is a win-win for the environment and a smart investment for our future," said New York State Senator Todd Kaminsky, Chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee.

Funded projects are:

Westchester County

• Riverkeeper: The $319,805 award for the Multi-Barrier Removal on Furnace Brook project proposes to remove the first and second barriers for fish movement upstream from the Hudson in Furnace Brook. Both dams no longer serve any functional purpose and pose ecological issues to the health of Furnace Brook and to several species of fish in serious decline. The grant will support removal of the first barrier and development of design plans for removal of the second barrier (Maiden Lane Dam). Removal of the first dam will restore almost one mile of stream habitat for river herring and American eel. When the second barrier is eventually removed, an additional half of one mile of habitat will be reconnected.

Dutchess County

• Bard College: The $312,057 award for the Lower Saw Kill Dam Removal project will remove Bard’s lowest dam on the Saw Kill, a first barrier for fish movement upstream from the Hudson River. The dam no longer generates hydropower and remains an unnatural stream barrier to American eel migration. The grant will support final project permitting, dam removal, restoration of the former stream shoreline, and a post-dam-removal eel count for comparative research with current data. Removing the dam will reconnect nearly one mile of critical stream habitat.

Orange County

• Riverkeeper: The $218,870 grant award for the Removing Strooks Felt Dam on Quassaick Creek project will remove the Strooks Felt Dam on the Quassaick Creek, a first barrier for fish movement upstream from the Hudson River. The dam is in decay, no longer serves any functional purpose, and poses ecological issues to the health of Quassaick Creek. Removing the 5.5-foot dam will restore over one mile of habitat for river herring and eel, improve fish passage and connectivity, and restore river resiliency and natural functions. The project also supports ongoing restoration efforts in the watershed.
• Hudson Valley Regional Council: The $31,500 for Browns Pond Dam Removal Planning project will investigate stakeholder issues related to the proposed removal of Browns Pond dam on the Otter Kill Creek in the town of Hamptonburgh. The dam was initially constructed for mill power and the pond was used for ice harvesting. The dam is now in a deteriorated condition and has been identified as a potential structural and flood hazard. If removed, downstream flood hazards would be mitigated, and at least 14.5 miles of stream habitat would be improved for American eel and other aquatic species. This grant will support public meetings with affected upstream and downstream stakeholders to explore the implications of potential dam removal as well as monitoring of fish habitat in the stream with a focus on American eel.

Ulster County

• Scenic Hudson: $181,000 award for the Black Creek Preserve Culvert Mitigation project will remove an undersized culvert and install a new open bottom culvert under Winding Brook Road at Scenic Hudson’s Black Creek Preserve. Right-sizing the culvert will enhance fish passage for American eel and reduce flooding problems that now affect the road. The existing culvert is a first barrier for fish movement upstream from the Hudson River on a tributary of Black Creek. The new culvert will be designed to be fully passable for aquatic organisms and will accommodate 500-year storm flood conditions. Nearly one mile of stream habitat will be enhanced and 2.4 acres of riparian wetlands restored.

Rockland County

• Town of Stony Point: The $53,100 award for Upper Cedar Pond Brook Barrier Mitigation project was identified in the town’s Road Stream Crossing Management Plan, and will complete planning and engineering for right-sizing a barrier culvert and removing a six foot obsolete dam on Cedar Pond Brook. Mitigating these barriers will restore fish and wildlife passage and reduce flood risk. Restoring 13,000 feet of stream habitat continuity in this location will reconnect Cedar Pond Brook with a significant amount of permanently protected stream corridor and associated uplands between Harriman State Park and other barriers in the stream network.

Now in its 18th year, DEC’s Estuary Grants Program implements priorities outlined in the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda: clean water; resilient communities; a vital estuary ecosystem; estuary fish, wildlife and habitats; natural scenery; and education, river access, recreation, and inspiration.

“Governor Cuomo continues to make record investments to protect New York’s waters and to help create new and expanded access opportunities, all while building community resiliency," Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said in the award announcement. "These grants support the strong partnerships with communities, environmental groups, and civic organizations that help New York significantly improve the ecological health and resiliency of the Hudson River Estuary.”

Funding for these projects is provided by the Natural Resource Damages Fund, the New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) for Ocean and Great Lakes Projects, and DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Grants Program.

PHOTO: A dam will fail if not maintained. Pictured is a view of the first manmade barrier upstream from the Hudson River on the Quassaick Creek (Orange County, NY). The dam breached during
the 2007 floods. Photo credit: DEC Hudson River Estuary Program

VIDEO/ Riverkeeper Dam Removal campaign