Celebrating the beauty and natural resources of the Schoharie basin through entertaining, hands-on activities for the whole family!
Schoharie Watershed Month provides a variety of free public activities and events focused on watershed protection and appreciation, click here for more information.
Recent Happenings
Post-Flood Stream Emergency Training~ A Great Success!
Over 200 Attendee's between Ulster County and Greene County's SWCD's !!!!!!
A proper understanding of stream science and processes is integral to completing good restoration work post-storm that protects infrastructure, property, streambanks, and natural ecosystems. Conducting smart work that considers floodplain connectivity and regional curve recommendations for channel sizing eliminates or reduces the need to go back and repair mistakes--saving valuable resources.On March 26th and March 27th the GCSWCD in partnership with NYCDEP’s Stream Management Program, presented a FREE course in post-flood stream intervention. With over 160 in attendance, the purpose of the training was to increase the knowledge and improve the decision-making ability of machine operators working in streams after flood events. Those who attended and completed this course have now been placed on a District list of contractors who have been trained in stream science and proper restoration work, that will be distributable to landowners and municipalities.
This rain garden at the Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts is an example of a best management practice for mitigating the impacts of stormwaterAfter the well-attended Kick-Off meeting in June, participating municipalities resumed work on the Mountaintop Better Site Design project this fall, with the aim of incorporating environmental protection language and strategies into local planning and zoning codes. Project consultants have created the Low Impact Development Manual for Mountaintop Communtities (2 Mb pdf), which is a resource for landowners, developers, and planning officals to use when designing development projects.
Upstream view of stream restoration project reach after installation of revegetative treatments (willow stakes, potted trees, seed & mulch)In partnership with New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the District recently completed construction of a stream restoration project on a reach of the East Kill along County Route 78 (Colgate Road) in East Jewett. This restoration project was undertaken in order to improve floodwater and sediment conveyance through the historically unstable stream reach. The project will reduce maintenance and flood mitigation costs for landowners, the Town of Jewett, and Greene County, as well as improve water quality impacts and provide benefits to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Planning, design, and mobilization for this project occurred prior to Hurricane Irene. Led by James Buchanan, Project Manager, the District successfully completed this project and was also able to complete a significant amount of post-stom restoration and repair work in the surrounding vicinity.
The District recently completed the construction of a stormwater retrofit project at the future site of the Mountain Top Library & Learning Center. The project includes a permeable asphalt parking area (the first of its kind in the NYC Watershed), rain gardens, and a runoff conveyance and treatment system. The District is working in partnership with the Catskill Watershed Corporation, NYC DEP, NYS DEC, US Army Corps of Engineers, and the Haines Falls Free Library on this project that will help protect Schoharie basin waterways from the negative effects of stormwater runoff.
Project Background and Porous Pavement Demonstration
Kim Ackerley, Catskill Watershed Corporation’s Stormwater Program Specialist, demonstrates the remarkable properties of the porous pavement parking surface at the Mountain Top Library Stormwater Retrofit Project. This video is also available at www.cwconline.org.
