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Water Week

New York Celebrates Water Week

Water Week is a time to think about how fortunate we are for the state's abundant water resources and how we can all help protect, restore and conserve it. Water Week is May 6 - 12 in 2012. The Division of Water is celebrating Water Week by sending a "Special Edition" message to its MakingWaves listserve highlighting a different water-related topic each day. The topics were selected to provide a broad overview of New York's water resources and the Division's water management programs.

Picture of a tributary flowing into Good Luck Lake with a blue sky above.
Celebrate our water resources! Photo: Good Luck Lake

The Water Week topics are:

After each topic has been highlighted in the Special Edition MakingWaves, you can view the Water Week message by clicking on the topic name above.

Join the Celebration!

Celebrating Water Week by holding an event or conducting an activity has become a tradition for many people. Anytime is a good time to celebrate our valuable water resources! Find ideas for water-related activities on the Watershed Stewardship webpage.

If you would like to stay up-to-date about Division of Water programs, subscribe to the Division of Water's MakingWaves listserve. You can expect to receive an email from this listserve once a week. To subscribe, go to http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/makingwaves and follow the instructions on the page. Tell your friends and colleagues so they can stay up-to-date, too!

If you want to see past MakingWaves information, go to the Division of Water homepage (http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/661.html). MakingWaves announcements are posted for approximately 30 days.

Another Reason to Celebrate

This year marks the Clean Water Act's 40th anniversary! Since 1972, New York has made great progress in reducing pollution, but much work remains. We must work together to protect, restore, and conserve our water. Visit the EPA Clean Water Act 40th anniversary webpage for information about how EPA is marking the 40th anniversary. A direct link is in the "Links Leaving DEC's Website" section of the right-hand column of this page.

Watersheds, Lakes, Rivers

Did you know?

The watersheds that contain the New York City water supply daily provide approximately 1.2 billion gallons of high quality drinking water to nearly one-half the population of New York State.

Test your water knowledge

How many drainage basins (watersheds) are in New York?

Find the answer and learn more about New York watersheds.

DEC takes the lead in managing programs in the following watersheds:

Find information about lakes and rivers in your watershed or by county.

Watershed Management

Did you know?

The Division of Water uses a watershed management approach to guide many programs. A watershed approach:

  • Is defined hydrologically--not based on political boundaries
  • Acknowledges that everyone's actions affect the whole watershed
  • Realizes that upstream conditions affect downstream water quality
  • Creates more effective solutions because the process is inclusive of all stakeholders in a watershed

Test your water knowledge

How many of the top ten water quality issues in New York are non-point sources?

Learn more about how the Division of Water uses a watershed approach.

The Division of Water implements watershed management as a five-step cycle; each of the steps is related and integrates information from the others:

Water Supply and Conservation

Did you know?

The average dishwater uses 8-12 gallons of water each time it is used whether or not it is a full load. Save water by washing only full loads of dishes.

Test your water knowledge

True or False: Longer grass needs less water.

Find the answer and learn about other ways to save water at home.

Water is used in our homes, for agricultural, commercial and industrial activities, for power and recreation. Find more information about water use in New York.

To ensure that our water supply meets all these needs, DEC provides guidance on:

Dam Safety, Coastal and Flood Protection

Did you know?

The following events can cause flooding:

  • Severe rain events
  • Rapid snow melt
  • Hurricanes
  • Debris and ice jams blocking or reducing channel flow
  • Over-development
  • Deforestation and loss of wetlands
  • Global climate change
  • Dam or levee failures

Test your water knowledge

True or False: The Hudson River south of the federal dam at Troy is part of New York's coastline.

Find the answer and learn more about dam safety, coastal and floodplain protection.

Watershed Stewardship

Did you know?

Sediment and fine soil particles that flow into waterbodies can suffocate fish and destroy their habitat. To help prevent this, cover areas of bare soil with mulch, or plant grass and ground cover to keep rain from washing the soil into storm drains, ditches, streams, and lakes.

Test your water knowledge

True or False: Flushed medications have been found in our lakes, rivers and streams.

Find the answer and learn more about watershed stewardship.

We all live in a watershed! What you do at home affects everyone around you. We all need to work together to help conserve and protect our watersheds:

  • Take action-little things add up
  • Investigate your watershed-learn about the health of your watershed
  • Help to prevent pollution-find out how to prevent pollution at home

Although Water Week 2012 has come to a close, celebrate water and become a water steward all year long!

Answers:

New York has 17 drainage basins, or watersheds.

8.5 of the top ten water quality issues are non-point sources (nutrient enrichment can be both from point and non-point sources).

True; longer grass needs less water.

True; the Hudson River south of the federal dam at Troy is part of New York's coastline.

True; flushed medication have been found in our lakes, rivers, and streams.