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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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Some Questions
• Crowd makeup?
• What are our water resourcewater resource challenges?
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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.
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
more water
Climate Change Risk to Water Sustainability Index - 2050
• Tetra Tech 20102010
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
An Example of a Water and Economic Intersection:Economic Intersection:
Agriculture and Food Processingg g
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
How healthy are streams in the HR watershed: Water Quality?
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
– 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 )
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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.
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
What you can doWhat you can do
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
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
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
• 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.”
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Two Watershed Protection Tools through the EstuaryTools through the Estuary
Programg
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
1. Green Infrastructure Examples in the Hudson Valleyin the Hudson Valley
http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/58930.html
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
2 Trees for2. Trees for Tribs
Restoring streambanks
•168 sites•151 partners••22,ooo native plants•61,000 ft of streambank
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
61,000 ft of streambank•2,300 volunteers
Adopting Local WaterAdopting Local Water Strategies
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Reactions?
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation