hudson valley water:hudson valley water: opportunities and ... · new york and hudson valley...

Hudson Valley Water:Hudson Valley Water: Opportunities and Challenges

Ulster Co. EMC 6 20 11

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

6.20.11

Presentation Outline

• Hudson River Estuary Program• Paper findingsPaper findings

– Focus on water quality and quantity• Watershed approaches and strategies• Watershed approaches and strategies


1 Fi h & Wildlif H bit tEstuary Program Themes:

1. Fish & Wildlife Habitats

2. Recreation & Access

3. Climate Change

4. The Scenic Landscape

5 Clean Water5. Clean Water


Some Questions

• Crowd makeup?

• What are our water resourcewater resource challenges?


Hudson Valley Water: Opportunities and Challenges

• Published by Center for• Published by Center for Reg. Res. Ed and Outreach (CRREO)Outreach (CRREO) –SUNY New Paltz

Co a thor R ssell– Co-author Russell Urban-Mead

Led to a Water and• Led to a Water and Economy Conference” in Nov 2010


in Nov 2010

Paper’s Underlying Assertions• the abundance of water is one of ourthe abundance of water is one of our

region's most important current and future regional resources; andfuture regional resources; and

• there is a need for regional water resource planning and protection toresource planning and protection to ensure the Hudson Valley's future well-beingbeing.


Our Water RichesOur Water Riches• Compared to the rest of the worldCompared to the rest of the world,

and much of the county we have lots of waterlots of water

• We have:O 40 i h f l i it ti– Over 40 inches of annual precipitation

– Located at the base of the HR, a large east coast watershed M gal mineast coast watershed – M gal min.

– Climate change predictions suggest more water


more water

Climate Change Risk to Water Sustainability Index - 2050

• Tetra Tech 20102010


Stuff the region is doing wellStuff the region is doing well• Addressed the nastiest water

problems (point sources)• Stormwater mgmt by permitg y p• Working toward LID/BSD/GI• Scientific research• Scientific research• HV advocates• Community-based watershed

plans


Some ChallengesSome Challenges

• Nonpoint source pollution• cumulative impacts

• Disrupting the hydro cycleo Taking and returning watero Taking and returning water

• Failing infrastructure• Protecting sensitive areas• Supporting watershed mgmt

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation• Wetland and forest loss

Water PonderingWater Pondering• Projected to gain >100M people in the• Projected to gain >100M people in the

next 50 years.Cl b d t t ill b d i i• Clean, abundant water will be a driving factor where people locate – water battles l d i talready exist

• Economy will increasingly be driven by freshwater supply

• Reasonable to expect people will flock to p p pthe HV for our water

Water Paper SummaryWater Paper Summary• Need a regional water framework for

i l ll b iregional well-being. • HV availability is an economic opportunity

if done sustainably– “Enhance the health, safety and welfare of the

people of the state and their overall economic and social well-being.”

• Employ ecosystem services and source watershed protection as the underpinnings


Follow-up Next Steps“HV Water Plan”

• Engage the Water and EconomyEngage the Water and Economy steering committee to move forward

• Integrate water resource protection• Integrate water resource protection, availability, and quality needs into regional economic growth strategiesregional economic growth strategies

• Overlay economic growth criteria on water infrastructure decision makingwater infrastructure decision making

• NYSWRI – NYS Water Plan


An Example of a Water and Economic Intersection:Economic Intersection:

Agriculture and Food Processingg g


S D t il W t Q litSome Detail on Water Quality and Quantity Challenges inand Quantity Challenges in

the HV and a National Context


National Water QuantityNot enough when we need it, too much

when we don’tTown has water just three hours a day (TN) – CNN 2007

Severe U.S. flooding kills 7 in Georgia –Reuters 2009

Drought-Stricken South Facing Tough Choices – NYT 2007

Study: Shortages likely on Colorado River by 2050 – USA Today 2009

Th ld ll fl d Pi b h P G 2010

Concerns are rising on water overuse, MA – Boston Globe 2009

Thaw could spell floods – Pittsburgh Post Gazette - 2010

National Water QualityNational Water QualityAssessments for Rivers/Streams• 3.5M miles of

streams/rivers• Of assessed

• 50% (460K miles) • 933K (26%)

assessed

( )not meeting water quality standards

EPA 2008EPA 2008


New York and Hudson Valley W t Q tit Ch llWater Quantity Challenges

Rain, flash flood watch for the mid-Hudson

Water shortages, development, and drought in Rockland County, N Y k 2005 C l bi U i

,Valley – Pktown J. 2010

New York – 2005 Columbia Univ.

Tapped-Out: New York’s Water Woes – Trout Unlimited, 2009

Water Quantity – A potential impact we often overlook


How healthy are streams in the HR watershed: Water Quality?


DEC Measures Change in Streams in Two ways

• Human-based ‘best use’ or classification– Whether it meets

“fishable/swimmable goals”g• Biological condition based on

stream crittersstream critters

VSNYS Department of Environmental Conservation

VS.

Human Based Best Use

• ~20% of streams/rivers don’t meet use20% of streams/rivers don t meet use (drinking, swimming, fishing propagation, fish survival)propagation, fish survival)– Agriculture and urban/suburban runoff– Nonpoint source pollution - stormwater is aNonpoint source pollution stormwater is a

growing source

• ~61% of lakes/reservoirs don’t meet useAt d it d b / b b ff


– Atmos. deposit. and urban/suburban runoff

Stream Health Based on MacrosRecent trend data (2002)Recent trend data (2002)565 samples on 318 streams

None47%None47%None

47%

SevereSlight43%

Severe

Moderate

Slightly is very misleading Can deviate up to 50%

Stream Health Based on Macros, cont.trends late 80s/early 90s to 2002 (~decade of data)

Highest q alit streams slipHighest quality streams slipImproved

NoPoorest quality streams improve a bit. Declined

16%change

66%18%

66%

Most impaired streams are slightly impacted by nonpoint sources of nutrients, pesticides, and related f t (i i t ll ti )


factors (i.e., nonpoint source pollution).

• I suggest that the we have reached our li it t t t t lit d thlimit to protect water quality under the existing regulatory regime.


What you can doWhat you can do


Strategies that Must beStrategies that Must be Implemented to Protect Water• Organize at watershed scales• Reduce the spread of impervious surfacesp p• Avoid floodplains• Protect wetlands and tree canopy/forestspy• Maintain vegetation along all streams• Infiltrate stormwaterInfiltrate stormwater• Remove stream barriers• Repair aging infrastructure


• Repair aging infrastructure

Take a “Watershed Approach”

a coordinating framework for environmental management that gfocuses public and private sector efforts to address the highest priority problems g p y pwithin hydrologically-defined geographic areas, taking into consideration both , gground and surface water flow.”


Two Watershed Protection Tools through the EstuaryTools through the Estuary

Programg


1. Green Infrastructure Examples in the Hudson Valleyin the Hudson Valley

http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/58930.html


2 Trees for2. Trees for Tribs

Restoring streambanks

•168 sites•151 partners••22,ooo native plants•61,000 ft of streambank


61,000 ft of streambank•2,300 volunteers

Adopting Local WaterAdopting Local Water Strategies


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