a pollution history of the gowanus canal superfund site
DESCRIPTION
This was a set of discussion slides used at a New York University EcoToxicology course on 29 November 2012, presented by Eymund Diegel to introduce students to the Gowanus Canal Superfund Site in Brooklyn, NY. It looks at the history of chemicals around the Gowanus Canal, the current status of the site, plans for remediation and development and how the Community got involved in helping with the cleanup process. Assembled from resources available from the Hall of the Gowanus Community Digital Archive, the fine folks of the Community Advisory Group, and slides from Christos Tsiamis, of the US Environmental Protection Agency.TRANSCRIPT
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The Gowanus Canal Superfund Site A Quick Overview of it’s Pollution History
“Sludgie” Superfund mascot: Anna Martin 2009
From a beautiful marsh .. to this ? What happened ?
Gino Muskratelli, Superfund Mascot interview candidate, drawn by Vince Mussachia, 2011 Aerial: 14 March 2012, Doc Searles, via Public Laboratory
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Manhattan
Gowanus Watershed
The Canal
Historic Landfilled Tidal Marsh (sponge)
Massive Landscape Transformation From Ecological Food Basket to Post Industrial Wasteland
“Sludgie” Superfund mascot: Anna Martin 2009
1766 Historical Watershed Modeling by Lucas Kronawitter, 2011
1640
2012
THE GOWANUS CANAL IT’S IN A VALLEY WITH A HISTORICAL SPONGY MARSH THAT GOT LANDFILLED AND HARDENED
THE CLEANUP
PLAN:
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1850’s to 1900’s Extensive Landfilling on top of Tidal Marsh: 19 Feet on Average, with a New Canal straightening historical meandering Creek
1950’s Side Canal Basins were filled in with ash, dirt and toxic waste ...
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How did it get this way ? What polluted it ?
Gowanus Coal Tar floating on Canal, Robert de Rosa, 2011
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Humans Discover the Miracle of Chemical Change
Tribal Fire in “Tor” by Joe Kubert, 1953
Gowanus Smokestack by Triensee, 2010
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5 major Human Energy Use Phases Define Gowanus landscapes
Pre 1600 : Agricultural
1650 - 1800: Tidal
1800 - 1950: Fossil - Coal
1950 - 2000: Fossil - Oil
1950 – 2000: Digital Data
BIOLOGICAL CARBON RESOURCES, INCLUDING LUMBER
MECHANICAL TIDAL DAMS CAPTURE WATER ENERGY TO GRIND GRAIN
ERIE CANAL & STEAM BOAT – THE NEED FOR WATERFRONT LOTS
NEW MOTORS: FROM WATER TO THE ROADS AND AIR
HIGH SPEED DATA MAKES WATERFRONT WAREHOUSES OBSOLETE REPLACED BY CONTAINERIZATION, AND “JUST IN TIME” SHIPPING – GOWANUS NOW FACES NEW LAND USES AS NATURAL WATERFRONT IS REDISCOVERED
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www.welikia.org
Humans have a capacity for complete ecological transformation
GOWANUS
Clearing of forests as first humans burn trees to improve hunting and plant fields
2007
Bob
Gus
skin
d
Landscape also changes back: Gowanus Whole Foods site during remediation:
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Gowanus Creek was a Rich Tidal Estuary
1766 Ratzer Map, New York Public Library
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1635 Dutch Settlers start appropriating the rich Indian agricultural lands A main industry is growing grain for local tidal mills and distilleries
"I was going by the house of Lubbertse, and saw many little hills in the way from the house to (Brower's) Mill along the neck and (when I) inquired what the hills were ... was answered that it was the Indian corn lands.” Maritie Bevors, 84 years old, 1741 New Amsterdam Court Trial Proceedings, as quoted in "Indian Paths in the Great Metropolis", Reginald Bolton, 1922
Cristina Kelly “Maize Field” Bergen Street
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27 August 1776 – Battle of Brooklyn Growing colonial wealth leads to resource conflicts America’s First Battle for Independence took place here “Provincials Drowned Here..”
1777 London’s Gentleman’s Map
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1776 - Ongoing Resource Conflicts… The Battle of Brooklyn
1776, 27 August - Delaware Regiment_fighting in Battle of Brooklyn_painting: Domenick D'Andrea
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1836 BROOKLYN EXPANDS SOUTH EUROPEAN GRID PLAN REPLACES TOPOGRAPHIC INDIAN TRAIL SYSTEM
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1837 LANDFILLING OF MARSHES STARTS AS GARBAGE DUMPED INTO “WASTE LANDS”
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1844 BERGEN, COBBLE, BOERUM HILL & MILL PONDS START DISSAPEARING HILLS BECOME LANDFILL MATERIAL FOR MARSHES
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THE BIG CHANGE: The Industrial Revolution and Coal
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Student Internship - circa 1906, Pennsylvania
IMPACT OF COAL ENERGY ON URBAN GROWTH OF NYC AND GOWANUS
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1807 – Fulton’s Steam Engine : Makes possible long distance movement of coal and inland goods.
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1800’s Onward : City allows Speculators to claim wetlands and underwater lots if they fill them in, typically with garbage, soils from hills and excavations & industrial wastes: The Era of Waterfront Industry begins
1815 Steam Boat 1825 Erie Canal
Regional Plan Association, Waste Management Plan, 1967
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1825 ERIE CANAL The “Wedding of the Waters” linking inland lakes to coastal cities means a “divorce” for the City’s natural systems
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1848 MAJOR DOUGLASS CANAL PLAN LEADS TO DREDGING AND HARDENING OF GOWANUS CREEK
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DEVELOPMENT!1840s – 1860s the creek is converted into a 1.8 mile long canal
1849!2004, USACE Cultaral Resources Assessment for the Gowanus Canal, Hunter Research, Raber Associates, Northe Eastern Ecological Associates
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1879 – GOWANUS MARSHES FILLED IN
1879, Currier & Ives
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1922 – Coal Barges at entrance of Gowanus Canal
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OLD MAPS TELL US WHAT WAS MADE WHERE .. AND POLLUTION IMPLICATIONS EXAMPLE – MUNITIONS FACTORY ON TOP OF OLD GOWANUS STREAM BED
CHEMICALS.. WHAT WAS USED ?
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The Gowanus Canal Marshes now saturated with large pools of coal tar.. HOW DID IT GET THERE ?
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June 2010 – Superfund Project Manager Christos Tsiamis with the Star of the Gowanus Sludge Sample
Photo by Katia Kelly, Pardon Me For Asking
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1920’s Metropolitan Gas Works Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) Site, Gowanus Canal Picture courtesy of National Grid
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1924 Public Place Citizens Gas Works Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) Site These huge steam punk steel lungs “breathed” up and down as gas was used during day This also helped push coal tar residues deep underground…
Picture courtesy of National Grid
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Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club – SUPERFUND TOURISM MAP
= Really Icky Stuff ( Underground Coal Tar Plumes ) Come check em’ out by canoe !
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Street Rain Runoff a major water pollution source Many Bus and Oil Depots around Canal
6 & 24 MARCH 2011 Heating Oils pouring down Second Street at Gowanus Canal
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Coal Tar Sheens (different from street runoff) as they come from underground plumes left by old Manufacturing Gas Plant process
Picture courtesy of Christos Tsiamis, USEPA, circa 2008 (?)
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The Coal Tar bubbles up to Gowanus Canal water surface via soil gases Picture courtesy of Pericles
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Surprisingly stuff survives – above native Gowanus Yellow Aster / Goldenrod – but most plants are “synanthropic” – meaning they have adapted to human disturbance and are mostly from Europe and Asia so can survive higher heat and new Gowanus Canal concrete jungle ecology
Picture courtesy of Sean Hanley
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1922 Public Place / Citizens Gas Works MGP Site
Gas Manufacturing Process used massive amounts of water for gas cleaning, releasing it back into Canal with pollutants
1922, National Grid Archives
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1906 Water Sample Chart showing Gowanus Canal water was 90 degrees in FEBRUARY – the coldest month of the year
THERMAL POLLUTION Led to massive transformation of water ecology. This has changed dramatically in a century
1906_Charles F Breitzke & Gerhard, The Investigation of Sanitary Conditions of the Gowanus Canal, MIT
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The Gowanus Canal still gets over a million gallons a day of sewage. The Superfund Plan will require sewage overflows to be dramatically reduced.
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WHAT ARE COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS ? 13 Combined Sewer Overflows pour 330 million gallons a year of diluted sewage into the Canal - Up to 200 other outfalls, which Superfund is in the process of identifying - Proposed 170 Million Flushing Tunnel & Sewer Repairs will reduce Overflows by 34% - National Grid’s agreement to rebuild bottlenecked Bond Lorraine Sewer Line back to 72” diameter capacity (was 56”) may reduce CSO’s by another 20 to 30% - New Storm Drains on Carroll Street & 3rd Ave may help further
CURRENT CLEANUP PROPOSALS STILL LEAVE 132 MILLION GALLONS OF SEWAGE TO ELIMINATE .. SEA LEVELS ARE RISING
THEY KEEP SEWAGE FROM FLOODING YOUR BASEMENT & ALLOW TOILETS TO WORK DURING HEAVY STORMS
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Cities are 6 degrees warmer than forests
THE GREENHOUSE
EFFECT
CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAPPENING …
Population: Temperature Difference: 10,000 4 degrees celsius 100,000 6 degrees celsius 1,000,000 8 degrees celsius 10,000,000 10 degrees celsius (Oke, 1973)
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Pollution continues: Moves from Water to Air
2011, 2nd Street & Gowanus Canal Truck Yard
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2009 Air Pollution the brown stuff makes you cough
2009 New York City Community Air Survey
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2011 Environmental Protection Agency “Superfund” Investigation Comparison of Different Sediment Layers at bottom of Gowanus Canal
Sediment Layer
BTEX (mg/kg)
PAHs (mg/kg) PCBs (mg/kg) Lead (mg/kg)
Surface soft 0.36 527 0.43 533
Deeper soft 188 3,490 3.5 770
Native 233 2,920 0.026 14
Meaning the mud smells like oil when I try to make tunnels in it..
Tables courtesy of Christos Tsiamis, USEPA, 2011
Gogo the Gowanus Muskrat, picture by Adam Katzman June 2011
BTEX = benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes PAH = polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PCB = polychlorinated biphenyl (because I can never remember what the acronyms mean besides that they cause brain damage..)
Pre 1850
1850-1950 (worst time)
1950 - now
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Surface Water Sampling Results Constituents Exceeding Screening Values Dry Weather Wet Weather Type Ecological Human Health Ecological Human Health
VOCs None Benzene None Ethylbenzene PCE
SVOCs None Benzo(a)anthracene Benzo(a)pyrene Benzo(b)fluoranthene Benzo(k)fluoranthene Chrysene Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate
None Benzo(a)anthracene Benzo(a)pyrene Benzo(b)fluoranthene Benzo(k)fluoranthene Chrysene Dibenz(,h)anthracene Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene Naphthalene
Metals Cobalt Copper Nickel
Arsenic Chromium Cobalt Copper Mercury Thallium
Cobalt Iron Lead Nickel
Arsenic Chromium Cobalt Lead Mercury
The Canal gets a CRAP load of chemicals !
Gino Muskratelli, by Vince Mussachia, Six Packed Panels, Red Hook Star Revue, 2011
Tables courtesy of Christos Tsiamis, USEPA, 2011
Don’t forget the Estrogen and Methadone ( from pain killers and birth control pills flushed down the toilet )
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How the pollutants move around in the Canal
www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/gowanus/
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Columbia University 2007 “Eco Gowanus” Sanborn Mapping Study systematically analyzed industrial uses by chemicals used and studied pollution dispersal patterns
2007 edited by Patricia Cullinan & Richard Plunz & prepared by students from the Columbia University Urban Design Program
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circuit boards
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But there is hope… The Superfund Relight
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LAND (non naturale)!
1776!2009, Eymund Diegel, Potential Extent of Superfund Area, based on Culligan Columbia Sanborn Study
TOXIC AREA: +/- 178 Acres “Superfund site” is Canal only: 1.8 miles x 100 ft wide; Rest is State Brownfields Cleanup Program “2020 Vision” A clear cleanup time table = proposals for new housing
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Superfund Salad: Gowanus Metallophyte Plants have adapted to heavy metals in human environments
ALL EDIBLE (IF YOU LIKE HEAVY METALS)
http://urbanomnibus.net/2010/11/from-brownfields-to-greenfields-a-field-guide-to-phytoremediation/
FOR RECIPES:
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COMMUNITY / COMMUNITIES DEFINED BY LAND USE CHANGES OLDTIMERS VS NEW COMERS OWNERS VS RENTERS WHERE WILL BE COMMON GROUNDS ?
Will Eisner – On The Waterfront
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GOWANUS STAKEHOLDERS
GOWANUS CANAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
GOWANUS CANAL CONSERVANCY
GOWANUS DREDGERS
GOWANUS & WYCKOFF HOUSES
DEVELOPERS (HUDSON, AFRICA ISRAEL)
ELECTED OFFICIALS
COMMUNITY BOARDS
ANNUAL GOWANUS ARTISTS STUDIO TOUR
OWNERS
RENTERS
BUSINESS PEOPLE
OLD
YOUNG
ENVIRONMENTALISTS
FACTORY OWNERS
TRANSPORT INDUSTRY
RECYCLING INDUSTRY
SOUTH BROOKLYN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
REMEDIATION PROFESSIONALS
STATE (NYSDEC)
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (USEPA)
CITY (NYCDEP)
PLANNERS
RESIDENTS
RICH
POOR
NIMBYS PRESERVATIONISTS
5TH AVENUE COMMITTEE
OPEN SPACE ADVOCATES
PROTEUS GOWANUS
AMERICAN CAN FACTORY
BROOKLYN LYCEUM
GOWANUS ALLIANCE
FRIENDS & RESIDENTS OF GREATER GOWANUS
CARROLL GARDENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
FILM & ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
FRIENDS OF THOMAS GREEN PARK
GOWANUS BY DESIGN
CEMENT INDUSTRY
BIG BOX STORES (FAIRWAYS, STORAGE)
MAYOR
FISH & BIRDS & INSECTS
WHO ARE THEY ? WHAT WILL BE THE COMMON GROUND ?
SOCIETY
ECONOMY ENVIRONMENT
HOMELESS
POT SMOKERS
HOOKERS
LIVING CITY BLOCK
CENTER FOR URBAN PEDAGOGY
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How is the COMMUNITY CHANGING ?
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Is it something in the Water ? NO. Just boring demographics. People are having babies, Suburbs Suck and the abandoned inner city is repopulating 2011 ARIANA & JOEL WEDDING LIZ & NED ENGAGEMENT
NEW YORK CITY SEX HEAT MAP “THE DEEPER INTO BROOKLYN YOU GO, THE KINKIER PEOPLE GET”
The darker the color, the more likely a neighborhood’s residents are to respond to contact on OkCupid NY Magazine, June 2011
THE GOWANUS CANAL
Lily Frances – Carroll Gardens Patch
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Gowanus Ecology is improving and we expect a massive increase in fish populations and health with opening of Flushing Tunnel in Spring 2013 Type Species Small prey fish Atlantic Tomcod
Hake Mummichog
Blue Crab Blue Crab Larger Fish American Eel
Striped Bass White Perch
2010, 29 June _Local Gowanus kids with captured Jellyfish photo: Ava Chin, NY Times
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1900’S FLUSHING TUNNEL DESIGNED TO CLEAN STAGNANT & POLLUTED GOWANUS
As stream diverted to sewers, no longer enough water to flush Gowanus Creek by tides alone. Engineering Measures needed to Solve Problem Tunnel motor broke in 1960 - to be fixed by 2013
Brooklyn Public Library, via Kevin Clarke, NYCDEP
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2012, 8 February _ Cormoran at OH 007 Combined Sewer Overflow next to the Gowanus Canal Conservancy Rain Gardens – photo: Patrick Verek
Heartbeats in the Muck
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2010, 30 August – Night Herons at !st Street Floating Gardens Photo: Adam Katzman
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You can’t stop happiness … June 2010 – Smoking Gowanus Canal Fisherman with striped bass
Photo courtesy of Christos Tsiamis, USEPA, 2011
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BETTER BANK FINANCING & SUPERFUND POSITIVE IMPACT : TOLL BROTHERS HOUSING NOW LIGHTSTONE APARTMENTS
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Denton’s Mill Site Getting information out there so that developers view historical sites as an asset not a liability
Ate Atema Architects Conceptual First Street Basin redevelopment proposal
POWERHOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL ARTS CENTER DEVELOPMENT (NEW)
NEW CONCEPTS BEING EXPLORED FOR CANAL WATERFONT
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“GOWANUS GREEN” PROPOSAL FOR FORMER PUBLIC PLACE / CITIZENS MANUFACTURING GAS PLANT BROWNFIELD SITE
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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (pronounced Eeeepah)
General Plans for Remediation
WHAT’S THAT ABOUT ?
As adapted from “Simpsons, the Movie” , 2007
PROPOSED GOWANUS CANAL CONTAMINATION CONTAINMENT DOME BUT FIRST …
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In a nutshell … The Gowanus Canal gets about 5 truckloads of crap a year from sewers & pollutants The Superfund Plan will dig out +/- 30,000 truck loads of this muck from bottom of Canal, put it on barges and haul it away Line the sides with steel, cap the bottom with a liner, and MAKE IT ALL PRETTY AND GREEN (if community gets it’s way) + they are putting corks in all sewer pipes (maybe)
REVERSE THE PROCESS
A CENTURY OF DUMPING …
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TOXIC SLUDGE (est. 30,000 barge loads) from bottom of Canal taken to Red Hook where it will be first cleaned to make landfill park (may also go elsewhere)
Sites in BROWN are major cleanup sites being dealt with by NY STATE, Site in BLUE being cleaned by EPA. Private Polluters pay for the cleanup MILLION GALLONS A DAY OF SEWAGE REDUCED BY 34%
SIDES OF CANAL TO BE LINED WITH STEEL TO KEEP POLLUTION FROM SHORE TO FLOW BACK INTO CANAL
THOMAS GREENE PARK BROWNFIELD SITE
Flushing Tunnel BRINGS IN 220,000
GALLONS OF CLEANER WATER A DAY FROM EAST RIVER
Gowanus Canal Superfund Cleanup
Landscaping Sponge Park Concept by dlandstudio / Gowanus Canal Conservancy
From East River
PUBLIC PLACE BROWNFIELD SITE
LOWES BROWNFIELD SITE
WHOLE FOODS FORMER BROWNFIELD SITE (now under construction)
General Concepts discussed at Community Advisory Group meetings
SEWAGE OUTFLOW FROM WEST OF CANAL (ELIMINATED)
SEWAGE OUTFLOW FROM SOUTH (REMAINS)
SEWAGE FROM EAST OF CANAL (REMAINS)
X
COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP WANT SEWER OVERFLOWS BROUGHT TO ZERO, EITHER BY NEW STORM DRAINS OR SEWER HOLDING TANKS
CONTAINMENT STRATEGY: AFTER DIGGING OUT UP TO 30 FEET, BOTTOM OF CANAL WILL BE LINED WITH CLAY AND POLLUTION BARRIER TO PREVENT DEEPER (130 FEET DOWN) COAL TAR OILS FROM BUBBLING UP
REMOVAL STRATEGY:
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1999 Flushing Tunnel reactivated Gowanus Dredgers founded 2000 Vacant Lots attract Developers 2007 Gowanus Community Plan Gowanus Canal Conservancy founded NYC Gowanus Rezoning Plan initiated 2009 Flushing Tunnel shut down for more repairs 2011 $ 500 million Superfund Cleanup program begins 2012 $ 175 million Flushing Tunnel Reactivated 2013 Bond Lorraine Sewer Rebuilt 2014 Gowanus Green Housing Built ? 2022 Superfund Cleanup completed
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2011 Scale Free Network 2011 Eymund Diegel
DECAY REBIRTH
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A failure to make long lasting life style changes
PROBLEMS …
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FLUSHING TUNNEL CENTENNIAL 2011 A failure to get our city to work more efficiently
June 2011 Canoer picking up flowers thrown into Gowanus Canal water during Flushing Tunnel Centennial Celebrations
$ 2400
2011 DontFlush.Me, Leif Percifield
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A failure to design sustainable cities
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COMMUNITY GROUPS ARE BECOMING SELF SUFFICIENT The City’s grassroots movement is growing back..
But there is hope..
OPPORTUNITIES…
Flooded Conservancy tool box – Clean up within 48 hours with no City or Federal help
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GOWANUS CANAL CONSERVANCY SANDY FLOOD CLEANUP – 31 OCTOBER 2012
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2011 Citizen Kite Photo Program
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Goal: make the Gowanus Canal swimmable
What Kind of Water Quality Do You Think We’ll Need ?
What ?! Are you Crazy ? Not Really. By improving Canal we improve water quality for ALL our beaches.
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RECONSTRUCTING THE PATH OF THE GOWANUS WATERSHED’S HISTORIC STREAM… How can we get rainwater out of the sewers and back into the historical stream system ? We need more research…
ArcHydro Gowanus Watershed Flow Map by Eymund Diegel, 2010, based on a 2004 Digital Elevation Model. The blue lines represent the way rainwater would flow if their were no buildings or street drains. Though hypothetical, the flow directions gives clues to the path of historic stream beds, major street regradings, and potential underground aquifer flows. The blue blobs represent “sinks” or pools in the contours where rainwater would tend to pond. These all represent “opportunity sites” for Green Infrastructure to improve the Canal’s water quality. I have found this model accurately depicts why my neighbor’s basement floods on Sackett Street (the old Bergen Creek watercourse)
Bergen Creek
Brouwer’s Brook
Sassian Stream
Denton’s Spring
Denton’s Pond
Coles Pond
Vechte’s Spring
HISTORIC GOWANUS TIDAL MARSH
POTENTIAL STREAM OUTFLOW SITE
Brouwer’s Spring
HISTORIC GOWANUS STREAMS
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ECOLOGICAL (HISTORICAL) WATER CYCLE
URBAN WATER CYCLE
IT RAINS
WATER GOES INTO PIPE
CONDENSATION
EVAPORATION
INFILTRATION & HISTORIC STREAM RESTORATION
IT RAINS
SOME WATER GOES INTO PIPE
WHAT WE WANT 2011, Lukas Kronawitter, Terreform One, Water Sensitive Urban Design for the Gowanus Canal
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Volunteer Groups are Improving the Canal …
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ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ARE NOW PART OF PLANNING CONVERSATION
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FORMERLY OPPOSED COMMUNITY GROUPS ARE FINDING COMMON GROUNDS
Lisanne, Found in Brooklyn November 2010
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2007: COMMUNITY PRIORITIES & OPPORTUNITIES OUTLINED
COMMUNITY PLANNERS
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How can we help see “decay” as a better way to design cities ?
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What do YOU think will be the way forward ?…
Gowanus Canal Dredgers Canoe Club Sunset – photo by Torsten Kjellstrand for the Oregonian, 2012, 8 June