The Hudson Undammed

When:

November 2, 2017: 1:00PM to 4:00PM

Where:

Norrie Point Environmental Center-River Room, Margaret Norrie State Park, Staatsburg, NY 12580 map

Clip: Erica Capuana, NYS DEC Division of Fish and Wildlife

The public is invited join experts for a guided discussion and interactive modeling activity about aquatic barriers present in the Hudson River watershed.

This workshop will involve a panel presentation and an interactive modeling activity. During the workshop, collaborative discussions with technical experts will give participants an opportunity to share their knowledge of dam removal considerations in their communities. Participants will be broken into small working groups and paired with a researcher to co-create a systems model showing the impacts of dam removal. Participants will consider social, physical and ecological factors, and work in small groups to explore stocks and flows of important variables in the system.

Within the Hudson River watershed, there currently exist 2,119 dams of which 1,285 are on tributaries that flow directly into the estuary. Dams in this watershed provide a range of benefits including recreational opportunities, water supply, energy, and flood control. Nevertheless, some dams in both the Mohawk Valley and Hudson River tributaries have been deemed a threat to surrounding communities because of age, flooding in upstream reservoirs during severe weather events, and erosion on nearby properties.

Whereas large-scale migratory fish restoration programs such as fish hatcheries and fish passage engineering (e.g. fish ladders) have failed to meet targets outlined by state and federal agencies, dam removal is a viable yet seldom practiced alternative in New York. Other states have multiple dam removal projects underway, such as the Penobscot River Restoration Project in Maine.

For more information about Hudson Undammed and the public engagement workshops, visit the project website (http://hudsonundammed-esf.weebly.com/) or Twitter (#HudsonUndammed).

This project is funded for by the New York Sea Grant. Project collaborators include the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, Rensselaer Land Trust, Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway Burden Iron Works Museum, Quassaick Creek Watershed Alliance, Cornell Water Resources Institute, and Oneida County Department of Planning.

Download the event poster.