Hudson River Estuary Program
NEW on the Hudson River Estuary Program Pages:
- Download the The State of the Hudson 2009
- Download materials from the 2009 Hudson River Summit
- Download the new handbook: Conserving Natural Areas and Wildlife in Your Communities
- Estuary Program Sponsored Events are now posted on the Hudson River Estuary Calendar
The Mission of the Hudson River Estuary Program:
The Hudson River Estuary Program leads a unique regional partnership to restore the Hudson in ways that support the quality of life so valued by Hudson Valley residents. The mission of the program is to:
- conserve the natural resources for which the Hudson is legendary
- promote full public use and enjoyment of the river
- clean up the pollution that affects our ability to use and enjoy it
The Estuary Program implements the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda through numerous partners in government, the non-profit and business sectors, and concerned citizens. The program is built on sound science and principles of ecosystem-based management. It is guided by the Hudson River Estuary Management Advisory Committee, which includes representatives of the commercial fishing industry, recreational anglers, utility companies, local government, educators, researchers, conservationists and other river users. This helps us engage many representatives of the public in working together toward common goals.
Making Progress in the Hudson River Estuary:
Estuary Program projects are helping to manage and restore key species like striped bass and bald eagles, protect key habitats such as underwater grass beds and tidal wetlands, and conserve critical plants, animals and habitats in the river basin landscape. We are cleaning up water pollution from persistent chemicals and human waste, and we are protecting our streams.
We are using advanced technology to map the river bottom to help us manage river habitats and human uses. The Estuary Program's outreach staff provide information to connect local governments to the natural resources in their communities and the principles and legal framework for sound 
land use planning. This assistance, along with funding support through the Estuary Grant Program, allows counties, towns and villages in the Hudson River Valley to take ownership of their resources and define the future of their communities while contributing to the overall health and beauty of the region.
Many estuary projects are tied to the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage of discovery and the anticipated commemoration of the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial in 2009. In preparation, the Program has worked diligently to expand opportunities for citizens to connect to the River by upgrading boat launches and preserving valuable open space in sight of the river. Details of these and other achievements can be found on our Hudson River Progress Reports page.
Resources for the Public:
Available resources from the Estuary Program include educational materials, presentations, trainings, maps, planning guidance and links to further information. Click on the names of the topics below to explore the available resources or contact us at hrep@gw.dec.state.ny.us.
- Grants: Funding for municipalities and not-for-profits to complete projects that carry out the Action Agenda goals for restoring the Hudson and the human uses it supports.
- Education: Resources for educators, students and families to learn about the Hudson, including outdoor programs, lesson plans, posters, education centers, exhibits, interpretive signs, and descriptions of key river issues.
- Watersheds and streams: Information on conservation issues and guidance on practices that protect water resources.
- Plants, animals, habitats of the river basin: Information about the Hudson Valley's unique biodiversity and conservation resources for land managers, landowners, planners, and policy makers.
- River Access and Recreation: Where to go, what to do and what the Estuary Program is doing to make the Hudson River more accessible.
- Climate Change: Efforts to develop a regional strategy to respond to climate change in the Hudson Valley
Background on the Hudson River Estuary Program:
During the 1960s and 70s, public concern for the protection of the Hudson's fisheries led to the passage of the 1979 Hudson River Fisheries Management Act. In 1987, recognizing that conservation of the river's fish, habitats and ecosystem requires a broader, multi-disciplinary approach, the fisheries law was replaced by the Hudson River Estuary Management Act, found in Section 11-0306 of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law. This act directed DEC to develop a plan and program for the conservation of the estuary-the tidal portion of the river from the Troy dam south to the Verrazano Narrows-- and its associated shorelands.
Links to other Hudson River Estuary Program pages:
- Hudson River Estuary - Natural and historical information about the Hudson River Estuary, the tidal portion of the river from the Troy dam south to the Verrazano Narrows.
- Hudson River - An introduction to the river and links to a Virtual Tour of the Hudson.
- Hudson River E-Almanac - The Almanac is a journal of natural history observations shared by folks who are excited by what they see and experience on the Hudson.
- What You Can Do To Protect The Hudson River Estuary - Make a commitment to be part of the solution. Here's how you can make a difference.
- The Hudson River Estuary Management Act - Read the law that created our program
- The Logo Of The Hudson River Estuary: The Atlantic Sturgeon - More about the Hudson's largest fish, depicted in the Hudson River Estuary logo
2009 Hudson River Summit
The 2009 Hudson River Summit was held on Monday, June 8th at The Thayer Hotel at West Point.
Conference Materials:
- Download the 2009 River Summit Announcement (pdf, 160 Kb)
- Download the 2009 River Summit Meeting Agenda and Participant Questions (pdf, 20 Kb)
- Download the Executive Summary of the State of the Hudson and the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda 2010-2014 (pdf, 30 Kb) OR read the Executive Summary text
- Download the State of the Hudson (pdf, 18 Mb) OR go to the State of the Hudson page to download this document in smaller sections
- Download the Discussion Draft of the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda 2010-2014 (pdf, 550 Kb)
The "2009 River Summit" was held on Monday, June 8th at The Thayer Hotel at West Point. Discussion focused on revitalizing and sustaining the river valley environment for the benefit of all its residents. Organized by the Hudson River Estuary Program, this dialogue about the future of the river was co-sponsored by Historic Hudson River Towns, Clearwater, Hudson River Foundation, Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson, The Hudson River Environmental Society, The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, The Nature Conservancy and others.
For more information about the Summit, e-mail hrep@gw.dec.state.ny.us or call 845-256-3016.
Agenda:
- 10:00 Registration and networking
- 10:30 Building a Common Vision for the Hudson River Estuary: Commissioner Grannis and Summit participants will discuss The State of the Hudson 2009 and the Discussion Draft Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda 2010-2014, initiating a dialogue on the future of the river in this Quadricentennial year.
- Welcome: Pete Grannis, Commissioner, NYSDEC; Dennis Suszkowski, Chairman, Hudson River Estuary Management Advisory Committee; Barney Molloy, conference co-host, Historic Hudson River Towns
- Making a Difference: The Estuary Action Agenda--Where have we been? Where are we going? What are the key challenges for the future? Fran Dunwell, Hudson River Estuary Coordinator, NYSDEC
- How Can the Federal Government Become a Partner? Congressmen Hinchey, Congressman Hall
- Dialogue: Participants and press
- 12:00-1:00 Lunch
- 1:15 Panel 1 Discussion: Revitalizing the River at a Time of Institutional, Political, Financial and Environmental Change
- Moderator: Barney Molloy, Historic Hudson River Towns
- Ned Sullivan, Scenic Hudson
- Roland Lewis, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance
- Jim Tripp, Environmental Defense
- Gerald Benjamin, SUNY New Paltz
- Jeff Rumpf, Clearwater
- Questions for Panel 1: At this time of great change, what are your suggestions for making new progress on the work we started with the last Action Agenda? What new partners do we need to bring in? What new approaches should we consider?
- 2:15 Panel 2 Discussion: Sustaining People, Ecosystems and Natural Resources
- Moderator: Dennis Suszkowski, Hudson River Foundation
- Katie Dolan, The Nature Conservancy
- Alex Matthiessen, Riverkeeper
- Katy Dunlap, Watershed Alliance
- Stuart Findlay, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
- Bill Conners, NYS Fish and Wildlife Management Board
- Questions for Panel 2: What issues should the Action Agenda focus on and why? What needs to be done to protect the river and the valley and provide the quality environment that supports the needs of the people?
- 3:15 Panel 3 Discussion: Agency Partners--How We Can All Play a Role
- Moderator: Jim Tierney, Assistant Commissioner for Water and Watersheds, NYSDEC
- Mark Castiglione, Hudson River Valley Greenway
- Paul Beyer, NYS DOS
- Gina D'Agrosa, Westchester County
- Erik Kulleseid, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
- Mario Del Vicario, Chief, Watershed Management Branch, EPA Region 2
- Colonel Nello Tortora, Army Corps District Engineer, NY District (invited)
- Pete Grannis, Commissioner NYSDEC
- Questions for Panel 3: What can government do better to protect the river? What gaps do you see, what opportunities?
- 4:15 Wrap Up: Visions for the Future
- Kent Barwick, ourhudson.org
- Fran Dunwell, NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Coordinator
- 4:30 Adjourn
More about Hudson River Estuary Program:
- Goals & Targets For The Hudson River Estuary - Details on the Hudson River Estuary Program's goals to conserve the estuary's natural resources, clean up pollution and other impairments, and promote public use and enjoyment of the river.
- Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda - The blueprint for the Hudson River Estuary Program.
- The State of the Hudson 2009 - The Hudson River Estuary Program 2008-2009 Annual Report captures the significant progress made by the Hudson River Estuary Program during this past year in implementing the Estuary Action Agenda.
- Hudson River Estuary Program Progress Reports - A description of the Hudson River Estuary Progress and Report Cards
- Education And Interpretation for the Hudson River Estuary Program - Resources for educators, students and families to learn about the Hudson, including outdoor programs, lesson plans, posters, education centers, exhibits, interpretive signs, and descriptions of key river issues.
- Watersheds and Streams Program for the Hudson River Estuary - Financial and technical support to community-based partners at the watershed-level to encourage land use decisions that protect streams, rivers, wetlands, and estuaries.
- Biodiversity Program for the Hudson River Estuary Watershed - This program develops science-based information about Hudson Valley plants, animals, and habitats and offers it to land managers, landowners, planners, and policy makers for the purpose of conservation.
- River Access Project for the Hudson River Estuary - Encouraging Hudson Valley residents to experience and explore the Hudson River whether by foot, on a boat, catching fish, or getting wet is a primary goal of the Hudson River Estuary Program's River Access Project.
- Climate Change Program for the Hudson River Estuary - DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program, in partnership with the New York State Climate Change Office, is coordinating local efforts to develop a regional strategy to respond to climate change in the Hudson Valley.
- Grants Program for the Hudson River Estuary - Hudson River Estuary Program Grants were created to help fulfill those goals of the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda that can be implemented most effectively by municipalities, not for profits, and other local partners.
- Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System - The Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System (HRECOS) is a network of six stations gathering meterologic and water quality data in the Hudson River Estuary stretching from Schodack Point in the north to Castle Point, NJ off from Manhattan in the south.
- What You Can Do To Protect The Hudson River Estuary - A description of environmentally sound practices that the public can take part in in order to protect and preserve the Hudson river estuary's habitat and wildlife.
