Clean Water for the Hudson River Estuary

Is the Hudson Getting Cleaner?

Water quality is not what it was when the Half Moon sailed up the river 400 years ago, but it has improved over the lifetimes of Hudson Valley residents born 40 years ago. The Pure Waters Bond Act passed by New York State voters in 1965 and the federal Clean Water Act of 1972 were milestones in cleaning up a river that in many places was little more than an open sewer. Since then, the Hudson has become a regional asset - its waters attractive to boaters, anglers, and swimmers as well as to fish, birds, and wildlife. In spite of these successes, threats and problems remain.

The Hudson River estuary and its watershed

"How is the Hudson Doing?" provides a concise overview of water quality in the river. It is adapted from the Hudson River Estuary Program's State of the Hudson 2009 report. That document discusses water quality in a broad context including the streams that flow into the estuary, the watershed that sustains the Hudson and its tributaries, the health of mainstream and watershed habitats, and the status of "signature" species like striped bass as well as less glamorous but equally important creatures like salamanders and turtles.

The Lower Hudson River Basin Waterbody Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List Report is a more technical summary. It reviews issues such as airborne pollutants, contaminated sediments, stormwater, agricultural runoff and municipal wastewater discharges - sources that reflect the diverse character of this watershed - and references regulatory water quality standards and classifications. Details of these regulations, including definitions, standards, values, and classifications for all water bodies in the state, are available in Chapter X, New York Codes, Rules and Regulations Title 6.

DEC has undertaken major initiatives to achieve the clean water targets of the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda 2009-2014. For example, over $7 million in grants have been awarded to address long-standing issues with combined sewer overflows and disinfection of sewage treatment plant discharges in Albany and the Capital Region.

Improving Water Quality - A Watershed Approach
What is a watershed?

A watershed is the land area that drains to a common body of water, such as a river, stream, lake or estuary. Watersheds can be large or small, and larger watersheds are made up of many smaller watersheds. For example, the Hudson River Estuary watershed includes the watersheds of many smaller streams that flow into it (called tributaries). Land use within the watershed directly impacts the quality of water downstream.

Why is watershed management important?

Municipalities and landowners should understand watersheds as key geographic units when making local land use and water resource decisions. Development or disturbance to natural areas can translate into water quality impairments and biological stresses. A DEC 30 year trends report on water quality, released in 2004, estimated that over half of the streams in the Hudson River watershed have some degree of impairment and that more streams have declined in water quality than improved. According to DEC, stormwater runoff is the leading source of impairment to Hudson River tributaries.

Through the watershed planning process, community leaders, watershed advocates, scientists and local governments work together to develop watershed conservation strategies. This process facilitates communication and partnerships among local stakeholders to document current watershed conditions and accomplish projects. Watershed-based planning is the foundation of the Hudson River Estuary Program's watershed initiative. It focuses on protecting healthy streams before they become degraded, while also striving to improve water quality in impacted streams. We use community-based conservation at the watershed scale to affect local changes.

Tools for Protecting Water Quality

Volunteers planting a tree along the Muddy Kill

Trees for Tribs volunteers plant a
tree along the Muddy Kill

Grants for watershed planning and implementation are available from the Hudson River Estuary Program.
Stream Buffer Protection and Restoration for Hudson River Tributaries: Our Trees for Tribs program provides free technical support and plantings to landowners interested in restoring riparian buffers (transition areas between streams and uplands). Protecting and restoring these buffer areas is vital to the health of waterways.
Dam Removal/Barrier Mitigation: Dams and culverts can disrupt important hydrologic processes and stream biology. The Hudson River Estuary Program works with partners to prioritize barriers for removal and mitigation to maintain fish and wildlife, provides a training manual and field sheets for citizen scientists to inventory barriers, and provides technical and financial support for removing dams. For more information, contact the Estuary Program.
Green Infrastructure Examples for Stormwater Management in the Hudson Valley: This site provides information on local green infrastructure practices, such as rain gardens, swales, porous pavement and green roofs. Green infrastructure manages stormwater while maintaining or restoring natural hydrology, reducing management costs and providing long-term benefits to communities.
Better Site Design: Better site design is an approach to development that utilizes a set of design principles to protect natural areas, reduce impervious surfaces, and better integrate stormwater treatment in development projects, with an emphasis on changing municipal codes. The Hudson River Estuary Program provides tools and technical support for implementing better site design in Hudson River Estuary watershed communities.
Hudson River Estuary Program staff are available to provide presentations, technical assistance, and other support to efforts to maintain water quality in the Hudson watershed. For more information, call the Estuary Program at (845)256-3016.

More about Clean Water for the Hudson River Estuary:

The State of the Hudson Report - This 16 page illustrated report reviews the current status of Hudson River water quality, habitats, and fish and wildlife populations as well as biodiversity, tributary health, and land use patterns in the estuary's watershed.
How is the Hudson Doing? - A brief history of Hudson River water quality and pollution issues, cleanup successes, and remaining concerns.
Hudson Estuary Trees for Tribs - Free native trees and shrubs for qualifying riparian buffer planting and restoration projects in the Hudson River Estuary watershed
Better Site Design Program for the Hudson River Estuary Program - This is an approach to development that utilizes a set of design principles that protect natural areas, reduce impervious surfaces, and better integrate stormwater treatment in development projects.
What You Can Do to Protect the Hudson River Estuary - How individuals can help to protect the water resources of the Hudson and its watershed at home and in their communities.
Conference on Water Resources & the Regional Economy: Dec 13, 2010 - Summary of the Hudson River Estuary Program's conference on Water Resources and the Regional Economy on December 13, 2010.