Jamaica Bay Street Medians Transformed into Green Infrastructure that Absorbs Stormwater
The new green infrastructure roadway medians feature subsurface stormwater storage and new native plants to maximize the amount of stormwater they can hold. The work took place along Beach 67th Street between Almeda and Thursby Avenues, in the Arverne neighborhood of the Rockaways, and also included pedestrian ramp improvements. The $1.2 million project was funded and managed by DEP.
“Transforming these medians into working green infrastructure that absorbs stormwater helps to reduce any flooding along Beach 67th Street while also protecting nearby Jamaica Bay,” said DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “In just the last several years we have constructed more than 12,000 similar installations that absorb stormwater and beautify neighborhoods across the city. We will continue to aggressively expand this critical work that is making our city more resilient to the changing climate.”
“As the peak of hurricane season nears, these new green infrastructure sponges in Arverne are a welcome addition to the Rockaway community, which we know is extremely prone to strong storms and coastal flooding,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “Every new median helps as we leave no stone unturned to mitigate flooding and protect our shoreline communities. Thank you to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection for its partnership to make Queens a more sustainable, resilient borough.”
“Resiliency is essential to the health and safety of our communities, especially on the Rockaway Peninsula” said NYC Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “I applaud DEP’s efforts to expand green infrastructure in our community and improve our stormwater management systems, and I look forward to further investments in the resiliency and sustainability of the Rockaway community.”
“The completion of this green infrastructure project in Arverne is a significant step in our efforts to combat increased flooding that is devastating to residents of Southeast Queens,” said State Senator James Sanders Jr. “We are in the midst of a climate emergency, and this is the type of action that is needed. Investing in green infrastructure is not just about environmental sustainability, but also about protecting our communities for generations to come.”
“I am delighted to see the realization of the Arverne Medians Green Infrastructure Project, transforming underutilized roadway medians into green infrastructure,” said Assembly Member Khaleel M. Anderson. “This innovative project is the first of its kind here in New York City, and I am proud to welcome green infrastructure here in the Arverne region of my district. As we grapple with the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and flash flooding, these modifications will be vital for working-class families of color here in Assembly District 31. I strongly urge the Department of Environmental Protection to expand this innovative infrastructure project to include the Rockaway Peninsula and all communities across Southeast Queens that are vulnerable to flooding.”
Work included removing the old median curbs, trees, plantings and the accumulated trash. Stormwater storage vaults and drains were installed five feet below the surface and covered with stones and engineered soil—all elements designed to maximize the amount of stormwater that the median will be able to contain. Modeling shows that the new medians will absorb approximately 90,000 gallons of stormwater annually.
The landscape work includes the addition of native plants, shrubs, ornamental grasses and perennial wildflowers, which will also help absorb stormwater and enhance the aesthetic value of the surrounding area. To ensure that stormwater drains into the medians, the project included reconstructing the sidewalks and curbs, and resurfacing of the roadways to properly pitch them. Openings along the curb of the new medians also allow stormwater to drain into the planted areas and the subsurface detention systems.
Additional large concrete medians in Queens, including Queens Village, will be transformed into resilient green infrastructure medians, with additional sites in the planning and design stages. Over the last several years DEP’s nation-leading green infrastructure program has constructed more than 12,000 green infrastructure installations including curbside rain gardens, green roofs, subsurface detention, permeable pavers, concrete and asphalt, and now green medians have been added to the City’s stormwater management toolbox. All of these green installations intercept stormwater before it can drain into the sewer system, thereby creating additional capacity in the sewers which helps to reduce flooding and sewer overflows into local waterways.
DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to nearly 10 million residents, including 8.5 million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP also protects the health and safety of New Yorkers by enforcing the Air and Noise Codes and asbestos rules. DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $31.3 billion in investments over the next 10 years.
Green infrastructure can reduce mortality – Nature.com
Rising temperatures contribute to increasing heat stress, driving morbidity and mortality. These effects are particularly marked in cities owing to excess impervious surfaces and depletion of natural landscapes. Mitigation measures are thus required to minimize premature deaths. Green infrastructure — including green roofs or facades, expanded park areas and increased tree coverage — is one such strategy, whereby urban temperatures are reduced via conversion of sensible heat to latent heat, shade provision, and increased albedo.
In addition to cooling the urban environment, tree planting also offers other co-benefits, including mitigating air pollution, reducing noise pollution and enhancing mental health. Tree planting should be used in conjunction with other mitigation strategies to maximise benefits, in particular some can act to reduce night-time temperatures, such as changing surface material and increasing the sky view factor.
The Growing Threat: PFAS Contamination in North Carolina’s Public Drinking Water Systems
A recent report has unveiled a troubling reality for over 2.5 million North Carolinians – their drinking water is contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These harmful chemicals, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” pose significant health risks, including cancer and reproductive issues. The contamination is widespread, affecting some of the largest utilities in the state, including the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority, City of Durham, City of Greensboro, Fayetteville Public Works Commission, and Brunswick County Public Utilities. As communities grapple with the consequences, urgent action is needed to address this public health crisis.
Understanding PFAS:
PFAS are man-made chemicals used in various products, from nonstick cookware to stain repellents. What makes them particularly concerning is their persistence in the environment and the human body. PFAS do not break down over time and can accumulate, leading to long-term health problems. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently established new limits on PFAS in drinking water to safeguard public health.
The Scope of Contamination:
An analysis by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) revealed that many public water systems in North Carolina exceed the EPA’s new standards for PFAS. This means that millions of residents may be exposed to unsafe levels of these chemicals. From the Piedmont Triad to Brunswick County, communities across the state are facing the consequences of PFAS contamination.
Identifying Sources:
The sources of PFAS contamination in North Carolina are diverse and widespread. Industrial facilities, including electroplating facilities and chemical manufacturers, are potential contributors to the problem. Additionally, firefighting foam used near military facilities and airports, as well as activities like wastewater sludge spreading and textile manufacturing, further exacerbate the issue. Addressing PFAS contamination requires comprehensive strategies that tackle these various sources of pollution.
Calls for Action:
Governor Roy Cooper has emphasized the importance of holding polluters accountable and ensuring that all water systems have the necessary filtration technology to provide clean water to residents. However, progress has been hindered by challenges such as opposition from industry groups and delays in implementing pollution standards. Despite these obstacles, there is a growing urgency to prioritize public health and environmental protection.
Moving Forward:
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has proposed limits on PFAS pollution, aiming to prevent further contamination of groundwater and surface water. However, these efforts require support from policymakers, regulatory agencies, and the public to be effective. With the Environmental Management Commission set to reconvene in July, there is an opportunity for stakeholders to advocate for stronger measures to address PFAS contamination.
Conclusion:
The presence of PFAS in North Carolina’s public drinking water systems underscores the urgent need for action. From regulatory reforms to pollution prevention strategies, concerted efforts are required to safeguard public health and environmental quality. As communities continue to grapple with the consequences of PFAS contamination, it is essential to prioritize transparency, accountability, and long-term solutions in addressing this pressing issue.
Fulton County Facility Closure Due to Water Main Break – Fulton County Government
The Board of Commissioners Meeting is underway. You can watch live on FGTV. Click hereto view today’s meeting agenda.
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Idaho Department of Water Resources director issues water curtailment order • Idaho Capital Sun – Idaho Capital Sun
The South Fork of the Snake River runs for more than 60 miles across southeastern Idaho. (Courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management).
Idaho Department of Water Resources Director Mathew Weaver issued a curtailment order Thursday afternoon that requires 6,400 junior groundwater rights holders who pump off the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer to shut off their water.
The order would affect groundwater users that the Idaho Department of Water Resources said are not in compliance with state mitigation plans, according to a news release the department issued Thursday.
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“It is surprising to us that six groundwater districts would choose not to live by the terms of either of their approved mitigation plans and subject their members to curtailment,” said Brian Patton, deputy director of Idaho Department of Water Resources, in a written statement.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued a statement supporting the order on Thursday afternoon.
“Water curtailment is never desired, but the director must follow Idaho law and the Constitution in issuing this order,” Little wrote.
The order would affect about 500,000 acres of agricultural land in eastern Idaho and the Magic Valley if the groundwater water users do not come into compliance. Groundwater users who have not participated in a groundwater district for mitigation purposes will have 15 days to join a plan or face curtailment, the Idaho Department of Water Resources said.
In a statement released Thursday night, the Idaho Groundwater Appropriators criticized the order, which it described as the single largest curtailment of water use in state history. The Idaho Groundwater Appropriators said the order would dry up hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland and could cause a hit to the state’s economy totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses.
“What remains is an utterly absurd situation, where hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland, and their associated economic benefits, are thrown away during a wet year to cause a small amount of additional water to overflow from the aquifer into the Snake River,” Idaho Groundwater Appropriators attorney TJ Budge said in a written statement Thursday night.
Under Idaho law, Weaver will issue an updated order in July that takes into account the new water supply and crop needs, the department said.
Water rights in Idaho are governed by what is referred to as the doctrine of prior appropriation, which means “first in time, first in right.” When there isn’t enough water to go around the senior water rights holders get their water first and junior water rights holders get shut off – or curtailed – if there is not enough water to go around.
“Idaho must maintain our water sovereignty and not turn out like other western states in the Colorado River Basin, such as California, where the federal government stepped in to supersede the state’s control of its water,” Little said in his written statement. “We absolutely must conserve water for future generations, which is why the Legislature and I championed half a billion dollars in historic investments in recent years to modernize water infrastructure statewide.”
“My administration has been engaged on this issue for years, most recently through the formation of a Groundwater Management Plan Advisory Council,” Little added. “The users should determine their own destiny, and the creation of the council will continue to help them to find solutions outside government. Idahoans have always and will continue to solve our own problems, and we remain committed to working with all water users in Idaho to ensure we have a sustainable supply of water for this generation and future generations.”
“If we continue the status quo with water use on the Eastern Snake Plain, we are setting our children and grandchildren up for failure,” Little said.
How do water rights work in Idaho?
Generally in Idaho, surface water users have senior rights, while groundwater users have junior rights.
For example, the Twin Falls Canal Co. holds senior water rights dating back to 1900. The curtailment order that Weaver issued Thursday affects groundwater users who hold junior water rights to 1954.
On April 18, Weaver issued a water methodology order for the 2024 irrigation season that determined a shortfall of 74,100 acre-feet of water to the Twin Falls Canal Co. Weaver gave junior water rights holders until May 2 to supply notices to the Idaho Department of Water Resources that they are in compliance with their approved mitigation plans, the Idaho Department of Water Resources previously announced in a May 10 press release.
Thursday’s new curtailment order would apply to groundwater users that the Idaho Department of Water Resources has determined are not operating under an approved mitigation plan. Those groups include the Bingham Groundwater District, Carey Valley Groundwater District, North Snake Groundwater District, Magic Valley Groundwater District, Bonneville-Jefferson Groundwater District and the Jefferson-Clark Groundwater District.
Several other groundwater users are operating under an approved plan and will not be curtailed, including the Coalition of Cities, Southwest Irrigation District, Henry’s Fork Groundwater District, Madison Groundwater District and others.
The prospect of curtailment for junior water rights holders is not a new issue. Water issues have been litigated in Idaho courtrooms for decades, with a key settlement agreement reached in 2016. More recently, the Idaho Department of Water Resources issued an order last year that contained a curtailment order that was put on hold pending a hearing with the department, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. Ultimately, the department didn’t shut off the water last year after finding there was no water shortfall at that point last summer.
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by Clark Corbin, Idaho Capital Sun
May 30, 2024
by Clark Corbin, Idaho Capital Sun
May 30, 2024
Idaho Department of Water Resources Director Mathew Weaver issued a curtailment order Thursday afternoon that requires 6,400 junior groundwater rights holders who pump off the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer to shut off their water.
The order would affect groundwater users that the Idaho Department of Water Resources said are not in compliance with state mitigation plans, according to a news release the department issued Thursday.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
“It is surprising to us that six groundwater districts would choose not to live by the terms of either of their approved mitigation plans and subject their members to curtailment,” said Brian Patton, deputy director of Idaho Department of Water Resources, in a written statement.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued a statement supporting the order on Thursday afternoon.
“Water curtailment is never desired, but the director must follow Idaho law and the Constitution in issuing this order,” Little wrote.
The order would affect about 500,000 acres of agricultural land in eastern Idaho and the Magic Valley if the groundwater water users do not come into compliance. Groundwater users who have not participated in a groundwater district for mitigation purposes will have 15 days to join a plan or face curtailment, the Idaho Department of Water Resources said.
In a statement released Thursday night, the Idaho Groundwater Appropriators criticized the order, which it described as the single largest curtailment of water use in state history. The Idaho Groundwater Appropriators said the order would dry up hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland and could cause a hit to the state’s economy totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses.
“What remains is an utterly absurd situation, where hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland, and their associated economic benefits, are thrown away during a wet year to cause a small amount of additional water to overflow from the aquifer into the Snake River,” Idaho Groundwater Appropriators attorney TJ Budge said in a written statement Thursday night.
Under Idaho law, Weaver will issue an updated order in July that takes into account the new water supply and crop needs, the department said.
Water rights in Idaho are governed by what is referred to as the doctrine of prior appropriation, which means “first in time, first in right.” When there isn’t enough water to go around the senior water rights holders get their water first and junior water rights holders get shut off – or curtailed – if there is not enough water to go around.
“Idaho must maintain our water sovereignty and not turn out like other western states in the Colorado River Basin, such as California, where the federal government stepped in to supersede the state’s control of its water,” Little said in his written statement. “We absolutely must conserve water for future generations, which is why the Legislature and I championed half a billion dollars in historic investments in recent years to modernize water infrastructure statewide.”
“My administration has been engaged on this issue for years, most recently through the formation of a Groundwater Management Plan Advisory Council,” Little added. “The users should determine their own destiny, and the creation of the council will continue to help them to find solutions outside government. Idahoans have always and will continue to solve our own problems, and we remain committed to working with all water users in Idaho to ensure we have a sustainable supply of water for this generation and future generations.”
“If we continue the status quo with water use on the Eastern Snake Plain, we are setting our children and grandchildren up for failure,” Little said.
How do water rights work in Idaho?
Generally in Idaho, surface water users have senior rights, while groundwater users have junior rights.
For example, the Twin Falls Canal Co. holds senior water rights dating back to 1900. The curtailment order that Weaver issued Thursday affects groundwater users who hold junior water rights to 1954.
On April 18, Weaver issued a water methodology order for the 2024 irrigation season that determined a shortfall of 74,100 acre-feet of water to the Twin Falls Canal Co. Weaver gave junior water rights holders until May 2 to supply notices to the Idaho Department of Water Resources that they are in compliance with their approved mitigation plans, the Idaho Department of Water Resources previously announced in a May 10 press release.
Thursday’s new curtailment order would apply to groundwater users that the Idaho Department of Water Resources has determined are not operating under an approved mitigation plan. Those groups include the Bingham Groundwater District, Carey Valley Groundwater District, North Snake Groundwater District, Magic Valley Groundwater District, Bonneville-Jefferson Groundwater District and the Jefferson-Clark Groundwater District.
Several other groundwater users are operating under an approved plan and will not be curtailed, including the Coalition of Cities, Southwest Irrigation District, Henry’s Fork Groundwater District, Madison Groundwater District and others.
The prospect of curtailment for junior water rights holders is not a new issue. Water issues have been litigated in Idaho courtrooms for decades, with a key settlement agreement reached in 2016. More recently, the Idaho Department of Water Resources issued an order last year that contained a curtailment order that was put on hold pending a hearing with the department, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. Ultimately, the department didn’t shut off the water last year after finding there was no water shortfall at that point last summer.
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Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: [email protected]. Follow Idaho Capital Sun on Facebook and Twitter.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. AP and Getty images may not be republished. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of any other photos and graphics.
Idaho Capital Sun senior reporter Clark Corbin has more than a decade of experience covering Idaho government and politics. He has covered every Idaho legislative session since 2011 gavel-to-gavel. Prior to joining the Idaho Capital Sun he reported for the Idaho Falls Post Register and Idaho Education News. His reporting in Idaho has helped uncover a multimillion-dollar investment scam and exposed inaccurate data that school districts submitted to the state.
Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
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