Municipal Flood GuideThis is a guide for municipal officials, highway supervisors and contractors to help them address the flooding of streams and creeks that affects bridges, roadways and other public infrastructure. It includes an overview of flooding concepts and terminology, outlines flood-smart strategies and how to prepare for a storm, explains what to do during and after a storm, provides information about a number of technical and funding resources and contact information for local, state, and federal agencies that can help. 

The Benefits of Reconnecting Hudson Valley WaterwaysThis brochure is a short & sweet resource highlighting the benefits of dam removal in the Hudson Valley. It discusses in brief the current state of dams in the region, the financial, infrastructural, ecological, and safety benefits of removing aquatic barriers in our watershed, and provides a short list of options and resources for dam removal.

Managing Shore Zones for Ecological Benefits

David Strayer of the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies in partnership with the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve’s Sustainable Shorelines Project has released a new handbook for Hudson Valley municipal officials and residents, entitled “Managing Shore Zones for Ecological Benefits”.

The purpose of this handbook is to offer suggestions for practical ways that landowners and land managers can protect shore zones and increase the benefits that they provide. Although targeted at the Hudson River, many of these suggestions will be helpful for managing shore zones along lakes, rivers, and estuaries elsewhere.

Click here for a digital copy of the handbook!

Other Resources

  • Recommendations for Stream and Flood Management in Dutchess CountyDutchess Area Environmental Science Advisory Network, September 2008An excellent resource for any municipality in the Hudson Valley. Although this document was produced in Dutchess County, the recommendations are appropriate for all counties in the Hudson River Estuary watershed. The purpose of the recommendations is to assist communities as they consider various options in addressing flooding and potential stream management. The information provided is up-to-date and presented in a clear and concise way. All municipal personnel involved in flood and stream management are encouraged to read this document.

  • Climate Change Facts: The Earth’s Changing ClimateCornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell Cooperative ExtensionHave you noticed that trees are budding earlier in the spring, that summer heat waves are more common than they used to be, or that when it rains, it pours? What you are witnessing is part of a global change in the Earth’s climate. Scientists once thought climate change would take many generations to be felt, but instead we are already experiencing its dramatic effects. Historically, the Earth’s climate has fluctuated, but natural factors alone cannot explain today’s rapid pace of change. There is overwhelming evidence that an increase in gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is causing this transformation.

  • Climate Change Facts: New York’s Changing Climate
    Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell Cooperative ExtensionThe Earth is warming and New York is too. Just as we are seeing unprecedented rates of change at the global level, we are also observing rapid change in New York, including rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns, with effects on the natural world and human health. Intense rains and floods, summer droughts, and heat waves are more common than they were in our grandparents’ time. New York’s climate will continue to change over the next 10, 20, and 100 years as detailed below.

  • Life at the Water’s Edge – Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan, Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, Summit Soil & Water Conservation District, Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency – A colorful and informative guide about living in harmony with your backyard streams (new edition available soon).