DOW Library and Additional Information
Division of Water employees have authored and contributed to many publications about water resources, including publications about SPDES, CAFOs, stormwater, green infrastructure and watershed monitoring.
Selected publications are organized by topic area.
ClearWaters Columns
The Division of Water regularly contributes a column, "Water Views" in the magazine, Clear Waters, the quarterly publication of the New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA).
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO)
DEC regulates discharges from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in order to protect water quality.
Dams & Flood Protection
The dam safety and flood control programs help to minimize the damages from flooding.
- Dam Safety in the Northeast: Response to Hurricane Irene & Tropical Storm Lee Flood Events || (PDF Version - 2969.03 kb)
- Challenges in the Catskills || (PDF Version - 245.75 kb)
Green Infrastructure
Green infrastructure is an approach to managing stormwater runoff while maintaining or restoring green features such as stream buffers, floodplains, rain gardens, porous pavements, and many more. Several examples can be found on the Green Infrastructure Examples for Stormwater Management in the Hudson Valley webpage.
State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES)
The SPDES program is a permit-based program that limits the levels of pollutants permittees are allowed to discharge to the waters of New York State. Enforcing the permitted discharge levels is vital to protecting water quality and controling invasive species.
- Keeping Posted on the Multi-Sector General Permit Program || (PDF Version - 443.42 kb)
- Ballast Water Discharges || (PDF Version - 368.18 kb)
- Design Standards for Intermediate-Sized Wastewater Treatment Systems--Statewide and Lake George Design Standards (2014)
- Reducing Mercury in Wastewater & Stormwater Discharges || (PDF Version - 190.00 kb)
- TOGS 1.4.2: Tool for Compliance and Enforcement of SPDES Permits || (PDF Version - 61.49 kb)
- Elements of NYSDEC SPDES Order on Consent || (PDF Version - 106.06 kb)
- State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Compliance Assurance Program || (PDF Version - 154.08 kb)
- Enforcing Overdue Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) || (PDF Version - 136.49 kb)
Manual for Completing the Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR)
Stormwater / Floods
The stormwater program works with municipalities and permittees to reduce the impact of pollution conveyed by stormwater on the waters of New York.
Watersheds, Lakes, Rivers
These articles are on topics related to the management, monitoring and assessment of New York's 17 watersheds. For data and reports on specific watersheds, visit our Watersheds webpage.
- Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program-Volunteers at Work September 15, 2009 || (PDF Version - 758.69 kb)
- Bioneers June 1, 2010 || (PDF Version - 654.73 kb)
- We All Live in a Watershed February 1, 2009 || (PDF Version - 238.37 kb)
Diet for a Small Lake: The Expanded Guide to New York Lake and Watershed Management
My Poor Little Lake (PDF, 3.5 MB) -- Article in April 2014 Conservationist magazine about harmful blue-green algae in lakes in New York, with a focus on Chautauqua Lake in western New York.
