DEC Awards Grants to Protect Hudson River Estuary Watershed

The state Department of Environmental Conservation has awarded more than $440,000 in grants to protect the Hudson River.

Ten projects will divvy up a total of $441,091 in funds to help protect water quality and habitats, conserve open space and increase storm resiliency in the Hudson River Estuary watershed.

The largest grants of $50,000 were awarded to Vassar College, Rensselaer Land Trust, Riverkeeper and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the grants Thursday, saying that the Hudson River Estuary Program, which administers the funds, was created to support planning for local stewardship of the river environment.

“From the federal dam at Troy to the Verrazano Narrows in New York City, the Hudson River Estuary Program invests in protecting our natural resources like clean water, vital ecosystems, fish, wildlife and habitats, while supporting stronger, more resilient communities up and down its banks,” he said.

The awarded grants, and a description of the projects, are as follows:

City of Kingston (Ulster County) - $24,500

The City of Kingston will complete a community-driven Open Space Plan to preserve, protect, and enhance natural areas. The plan will identify and prioritize green space, water, and natural resources, as well as parks, natural, historic and cultural resources. The plan will also promote sustainable development and serve as a framework for land-use planning and protection.

Vassar College (Dutchess County) - $50,000

Vassar College will produce a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) for the City of Poughkeepsie to provide baseline information on natural, historic, and cultural resources including parks, tributaries to the Hudson, the Poughkeepsie waterfront, and city trees. Vassar undergraduate students will map ash trees within city limits and propose management options to protect ash trees from the invasive emerald ash borer.

Rensselaer Land Trust (Rensselaer County) - $50,000

Rensselaer Land Trust will recruit and train citizen scientists to collect water samples at 18 sites on four streams: the Poesten Kill, Wynants Kill, Mill Creek, and Moordener Kill. Citizens will perform simple tests for enterococcus bacteria levels. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) will help analyze and interpret the data. The assessment will be shared with the general public, municipal decision-makers, and others.

Siena College (Albany, Dutchess, Ulster, Westchester Counties) - $48,244

Siena College will develop collaborative research priorities and an action plan to help watershed communities make science-based management decisions for river tributaries. The project will create a research network with other colleges to study the Kromma Kill and Patroon Creek watersheds in Albany County, Saw Kill and Wallkill River watersheds in Dutchess and Ulster counties, and Pocantico and Saw Mill River watersheds in Westchester County.

Mohonk Preserve (Ulster County) - $47,440

Mohonk Preserve will create a conservation plan for the Kleine Kill and Coxing Kill watersheds on the Shawangunk Ridge. The plan will evaluate water quality, identify vulnerable species, assess invasive threats, determine the need for riparian buffers, assess the impact of current agricultural practices, and inform the siting of future trails and/or educational kiosks.

Columbia Land Conservancy (Columbia County) - $43,067

Columbia Land Conservancy will create a NRI for Columbia County, encompassing 22 municipalities in the upper Hudson River estuary watershed. The Conservancy will gather and analyze existing data about the physical, biological, and cultural aspects of the landscape and identify lands important for resiliency to climate change. The information will be shared with local municipalities.

Onondaga Environmental Institute, Inc., (Rensselaer County) - $42,840

Onondaga Environmental Institute will develop a Watershed Plan for the Poestenkill Creek using water quality assessments and biological surveys. The plan will help identify areas with the greatest conservation need in the watershed, as well as species of concern and potential stream restoration sites.

Rensselaer Land Trust (Rensselaer County) - $35,000

The Rensselaer Land Trust will work with municipalities and residents to develop a conservation plan to guide land conservation in Rensselaer County. The project will inventory and map natural resources, significant open spaces, and landscape features. The Land Trust will also assess which lands are conservation priorities. The Rensselaer County Conservation Plan and associated outreach materials will be distributed to municipalities and partners, and at public workshops.

Riverkeeper (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster and Westchester Counties) - $50,000

This grant will support Riverkeeper’s community science water-quality projects throughout the Hudson River Estuary that monitor fecal indicator bacteria and support the development of protocols to monitor algae and nutrients. This project will focus on the Rondout Creek and Wallkill River watersheds and the Harlem, Bronx, and East rivers in New York City. Data collection and water sample processing are being done in collaboration with the City University of New York (CUNY) Queens and Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (Richmond County) - $50,000

New York City Department of Parks & Recreation will develop a watershed plan for park land on the North Shore of Staten Island that focuses on opportunities for habitat, riparian, shoreline restoration and green infrastructure for stormwater management. The project will also develop conceptual designs for ecosystem restoration at the mouth of Harbor Brook in Snug Harbor to increase educational opportunities for partner organizations, including the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and the Staten Island Museum.

Photo credit: Michael Woyton/Patch.