Draft Harlem River Watershed and Natural Resources Management Plan for the Bronx 2018

Home , 145th Street Bridge, Bridge Park (Bronx), Harlem River, Macombs Dam, Macombs Dam Park, Mill Pond Park

Prepared by: NYC Parks Natural Resources Group

Table of Contents Glossary...... 2 Introduction ...... 3 Key Stakeholders ...... 3 Other Planning Efforts ...... 6 Vision & Goals ...... 8 Watershed Characterization ...... 9 Geology & Soils ...... 10 History of Land Use Changes ...... 11 Land Use and Zoning ...... 14 Community Demographics ...... 14 Hydrology ...... 15 Water Quality ...... 16 Climate Vulnerability ...... 19 Ecosystems and Habitats ...... 20 Goals for the Watershed ...... 25 Protect, restore and enhance natural resources ...... 25 Manage Stormwater ...... 25 Promote Access and Connectivity ...... 26 Engage and Educate ...... 26 Strategies & Recommendations ...... 27 Watershed-wide Strategies and Recommendations ...... 27 Site-Specific Recommendations ...... 37 Green Infrastructure Opportunities ...... 38 Van Cortlandt Park Opportunities ...... 48 Waterfront Opportunities ...... 57 Tracking and Monitoring ...... 63 Looking Ahead ...... 64 References ...... 65

Glossary IEC – Interestate Environmental BCEQ – Bronx Council for Environmental Commission Quality LTCP – Long-term Control Plan BOA – Brownfield Opportunity Assessment MS4 – Municipal Separate Storm Sewer BMP – best management practice System CB – Community Board MTA – Metropolitan Transportation CEQR – City Environmental Quality Review Authority CSO – Combined Sewer Overflow (or NAC – Natural Areas Conservancy Combined Sewer Outfall) NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act CUNY – City University of New York NOAA – National Oceanic & Atmospheric CWA – Clean Water Act Administration DCP – New York City Department of City NYSDOS – New York State Department of Planning State DEC – New York State Department of PCBs – polychlorinated biphenyls Environmental Conservation SEQR – New York State Environmental DEP – New York City Department of Quality Review Act Environmental Protection SNAD – Special Natural Area District DO – Dissolved oxygen SWMP – stormwater management plan DOT – Department of Transportation TPL – Trust for Public Land EIS – Environmental Impact Statement UHI – Urban Heat Island EFH – essential fish habitat USACE – United States Army Corps of EPA – United States Environmental Engineers Protection Agency USGS – United States Geological Survey FVCP – Friends of Van Cortlandt Park VCP – Van Cortlandt Park HEP – NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program

Introduction The Harlem River, a 9.3-mile tidal strait which separates Manhattan and the Bronx, was once a complex system of tidal creeks and wetlands. Local communities have depended on the River for boating, fishing, recreation, and transportation since the Lenape Native Americans inhabited the region. Beginning in the 19th century, the City dredged and channelized the Harlem River and hardened its shorelines to support navigation and industrialization. The Harlem River watershed has been transformed as well by its inhabitants – from primarily forest and agricultural lands to dense urban neighborhoods and paved industrial corridors. These changes, driven by population and manufacturing growth, have negatively impacted the River’s water quality and limited the extent of open space and natural habitat in the watershed. The Harlem River Watershed and Natural Resources Management Plan (the Plan) for the Bronx is a community- driven planning effort, funded by the New York State Department of State’s (DOS) Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. This Watershed Plan is intended as a road map for agencies, community partners, and other stakeholders in pursuing coordinated resource protection and restoration in the watershed. The Plan area encompasses all the lands in the Bronx, south of the Bronx-Westchester County border, which drain naturally and artificially to the Harlem River and Bronx Kill. This Plan provides a vision and goals for the watershed, while introducing strategies and recommendations to achieve the stated goals. It builds upon past planning efforts by incorporating prior recommendations and priorities, as appropriate, in a watershed context. Each of these components has been reviewed and agreed upon by community members and a Watershed Advisory Committee.

Key Stakeholders Local organizations and public agencies play an important role in advocating for environmental education and protecting our forests, wetlands, and wateways and engaging in stewardship these natural spaces. Harlem River communities in particular have a long history of successful environmental and social justice advocacy surrounding water quality and open space concerns in the watershed. Some of the key stakeholders that are crucial to the implementation of this Plan are outlined alphabetically below. A comprehensive list can be found in Appendix A. Bronx Council for Environmental Quality (BCEQ) BCEQ is a not-for-profit group that works to improve the Bronx’s quality of air, land and water for future generations. They engage locals in fighting for environmental causes and hold community events, plantings and cleanups. Working with Parks, BCEQ formed a Harlem River Working Group and advocated to recognize a large stretch of the Harlem River Waterfront as a Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) under the NYSDOS’s BOA Program, which aids communities affected by brownfield sites. Community Boards (CB) Community boards are local representative bodies that meet regularly to discuss community affairs and meet with City agencies to address local community needs. There are seven CBs with jurisdiction in the Harlem River watershed. Friends of Van Cortlandt Park (FVCP) FVCP is a not-for-profit community-based organization active in Van Cortlandt Park in the North Bronx. With a focus on conserving and improving the park, they have partnered with NYC Parks on restoration projects and offer educational and stewardship programs for the local community. New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) DEP is the city agency that manages NYC’s water supply and treatment. It protects public health and the environment by providing clean water, treating wastewater, and preventing pollution. DEP is required by the Environmental Protection Agency to develop Long-Term Control Plans (LTCPs) to reduce the frequency, duration, and intensity of Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) events. New York City Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) In partnership with DEP and Parks, and receiving technical support from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, SWCD is part of a nationwide network that assists local decision-makers in using and caring for the city’s soil and water resources. Their work involves urban soil and green infrastructure research, public outreach and education, including published soil surveys of NYC. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) DEC is the state regulatory agency overseeing programs to manage water, land, and air pollution, improve natural resources and the environment, and enhance the health, safety, and

welfare of New Yorkers. In NYC, DEC regulates stormwater and sewage discharges and is also the approval authority for LTCPs developed by DEP. New York Department of State (DOS) Office of Planning and Development DOS’ Office of Planning and Development enables the sustainable growth and resilience of NY communities through partnerships with The Bronx and Harlem River watersheds have been community organizations, government designated one of 19 Urban Waters Federal Partnerships (UWFP) locations. The goal of the UWFP is to reconnect agencies, academia and other natural resource overburdened and economically distressed urban and social service groups. DOS’s Local communities with their waterways by improving Waterfront Revitalization Program provides coordination among federal agencies and collaborating matching grants to eligible communities for with community-led revitalization efforts. projects that revitalize communities and waterfronts, including the funding for this plan. The NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP) HEP, established in 1987 as one of the Nation’s

28 Estuaries of National Significance, aims to protect and restore healthy waterways and productive habitats, manage sediments, foster community stewardship, educate the public, and improve safe access to waterways. HEP Watershed Advisory Committee provides a forum to develop and implement NYC Parks formed a Watershed Advisory Committee (members listed below) to provide coordinated oversight actions that improve the health of the NY/NJ and direction between government agencies and local Harbor & Estuary through stakeholder nonprofits in the watershed to support this Plan. Input engagement and sound science. from community stakeholders guided the Plan’s development and a series of community meetings were Riverkeeper held to receive feedback and understand community Riverkeeper is a not-for-profit organization that priorities. protects the Hudson River and its tributaries to NYC Department of City Planning preserve the drinking water and recreational NYC Department of Environmental Protection opportunities they provide the Hudson Valley NYC Department of Transportation and NYC. They patrol waterways and help to NYS Department of State NYS Department of Transportation enforce water quality regulations, influence USACE US EPA USGS Bronx Community Boards policy and law, and engage communities Bronx Council for Environmental Quality through outreach. Friends of Van Cortlandt Park The Gaia Institute New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) NYC Soil and Water Conservation District EPA is tasked with protecting human health and Riverkeeper South Bronx Unite the environment. It implements the Clean Water Act (CWA) and has approval authority over DEC’s standards and regulations. Through the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP), EPA also coordinates efforts between federal agencies and community organizations to connect urban communities with and improve their local waterways. United States Geological Survey (USGS) USGS, under the U.S. Department of the Interior, provides reliable scientific information about natural hazards, environmental health, natural resources, and the impacts of climate and land- use change to policy-makers and the public. A partner of the UWFP, they administer environmental research and monitoring programs, including water quality monitoring in the Harlem River, and publish publicly available maps and data sets.

Other Planning Efforts Environmental organizations, universities, and other agencies have conducted numerous planning efforts focusing on the Harlem River waterfront over the past 30 years. The table below summarizes the major plans that were reviewed during development of this plan and indicates how they contribute to the four goals of this plan.

Plan Name Year Summary Goals (Author) addressed Port Morris Harlem 2010 This report identifies six strategic brownfield sites in Riverfront the Port Morris neighborhood, three of which are Brownfield along the Harlem River waterfront. Similar to the Opportunity Area Harlem River BOA, the report highlights the local Step 2 Report community’s desire for a continuous path or greenway along the Harlem River and the need to create new publicly accessible open spaces. Vision 2020 (NYC 2011 This NYC Comprehensive Waterfront Plan is a 10- DCP) year vision for the future of NYC’s 520 miles of shoreline. The plan Includes interventions on the Harlem River shoreline to improve upland pedestrian connections, reduce wave and wake action, and improve educational and recreational access to the waterfront. Harlem River 2012 This community-driven visioning document Greenway Plan identifies 23 proposed locations for investment (TPL, BCEQ) centered on building a continuous greenway along the Bronx side of the Harlem River. Van Cortlandt Park 2014 Recommendations for natural resources Master Plan 2034 restoration projects, greenway and trail (NYC Parks) improvements, and reconnection of Tibbetts Brook to the Harlem River are included as priorities in the Master Plan. Sustainable 2014 This study examines opportunities for transit- Communities in the oriented development adjacent to existing or Bronx: Leveraging proposed Metro-North stations in the Bronx. Two Regional Rail for stations along the Harlem River waterfront were Access Growth and analyzed as a part of this study and Opportunity (NYC recommendations include increasing access to the DCP) Harlem River waterfront and implementing green infrastructure in capital improvements. Harlem River 2015 This Brownfield Opportunity Areas (BOA) report Brownfields explores the potential of revitalizing a nearly Opportunity Step 2 five-mile stretch of the Harlem River in the Report (BCEQ, Bronx. Eight strategic sites and three strategic NYC Parks) connections, all of which are vacant or

underutilized brownfield properties, are prioritized for inclusion in the NYS BOA program.1 Vision Zero – Bronx 2015 This plan identifies corridors, intersections, and Pedestrian Safety areas that disproportionately account for pedestrian Action Plan (NYC fatalities and injuries in the Bronx, and recommends DOT) priority strategic interventions. Special Harlem 2017 The Special Harlem River Waterfront District River Waterfront (SHRWD) encourages waterfront development District Expansion and increases quality waterfront access in the (NYC DCP) area generally bounded by 149th Street to the north, Exterior Street to the east, Lincoln Avenue to the south, and the Harlem River to the west. The SHRWD Waterfront Access Plan stipulates that all new development will feature a continuous public walkway along the Harlem River, and that a waterfront park will be created between 144th and 146th Streets. Harlem River 2018 This plan details comprehensive green Watershed Hilltop infrastructure opportunities for the area just south of Green Infrastructure Van Cortlandt Park that contributes to two of the Neighborhood largest CSOs on the Harlem River. The Concept Plan recommendations, if implemented, could help (Riverkeeper, NYC mitigate CSO pollution and localized flooding, while SWCD) providing other environmental benefits to the surrounding neighborhood.

1 Brownfield properties are former industrial or commercial sites where future use is affected by environmental contamination.

Vision & Goals Building off of prior years of advocacy and planning efforts, NYC Parks held three community meetings to help gather feedback for this plan. The following community vision statement was generated during the first public meeting: The Harlem River watershed is a critical ecological and social resource where clean water, healthy habitats, and public access to these resources are valued and protected. It is a place where environmentally sound practices, policies, education

and stewardship help maintain diverse native habitats, improve water quality, and support public health, recreation, and a high quality of life for local and adjacent communities. In order to make this vision a reality, we defined the following goals for the watershed with input from the community: 1. Protect, restore, and enhance natural resources to maximize diverse, native, and continuous ecological communities; 2. Manage stormwater through green infrastructure practices to capture, retain and treat runoff; 3. Promote access and connectivity to the shoreline and between existing parks and open space; and 4. Engage and educate the public to increase community awareness, environmental protection, and stewardship among diverse stakeholders.

Watershed Characterization The following section provides information on the historic and existing physical, ecological, and social characteristics and conditions of the watershed. This includes a description of the functions of the natural resources and the services they provide, as well as the impacts to and on-going threats facing these resources. By first understanding the existing conditions and threats to the watershed, it is then possible to develop restoration strategies and recommendations to achieve ideal watershed conditions. Historic geologic and hydrologic features formed the varied topography of the watershed, from the exposed outcrops of Fordham Gneiss scattered throughout Van Cortlandt Park, to the lowlying wetlands of Tibbetts Brook. Rapid industrialization and urbanization of the watershed significantly altered the historic natural landscape and impaired water quality in the Harlem River. The changes to the physical conditions of the watershed beginning with the land cover and including the hydrology, topography, soils, and climate, influence the current conditions of the watershed and the health of the natural habitats it supports.

Geology & Soils The Harlem River watershed lies within the Highlands Province, a geologic region characterized by mountains consisting of metamorphic and igneous rocks. The Harlem River watershed consists primarily of metamorphic bedrock including Fordham Gneiss, Inwood Marble, Manhattan Formation, and Yonkers Gneiss. Many of these formations can be seen throughout the watershed and are best recognized in the rocky outcrops in Van Cortlandt Park. The underlying bedrock helped form the series of rocky hills and valleys that characterize the watershed’s topography. The rocky hills consist of hard gniess at or within a few feet of the surface, and valleys were formed from the softer Inwood Marble that was eroded by streams including Tibbetts Brook, the Harlem River, and historic streams including, Cromwell’s Creek, Mill Creek, and Bungay Creek, on either side of the Grand Concourse. Glaciers had a profound impact on the region’s geology as well as its soils. Retreating glaciers during the Pleistocene era (2.6 million to approximately 11,700 years ago) eroded the landscape and deposited material ranging from boulders to gravel and sand across the Bronx. This material forms the basis of the sandy native soils in the watershed which remain in Van Cortlandt Park, while the majority of the watershed today is comprised of urban fill.

History of Land Use Changes

Population and manufacturing growth since European arrival in the early 17th century have transformed the

Harlem River and its watershed from a network of streams and wetlands to a heavily industrialized corridor and dense urbanized neighborhoods. This transformation has negatively impacted water quality and limited the extent of remaining open space and natural habitats in the watershed.

Pior to industrialization, the Harlem River was not directly connected to the Hudson River. Instead, it was connected through Spuyten Duyvil Creek, a meandering stream \ supporting tidal marsh that flowed around the northernmost tip of Manhattan. The connection to the Hudson River was constructed in1895 with the Harlem Ship Canal, and further straightened in 1937. The canal cut through the creek’s meanders, which were subsequently filled with rock and dredge spoil. As a result, the neighborhood of Marble Hill, once part of Manhattan Island, is now connected to the Bronx by filled land. For this reason, it is still formally part of the borough of Manhattan.2 Throughout the Harlem River watershed, approximately 25 streams, many of which were spring-fed, once flowed to the Harlem River. Over the 1900s, all streams in the watershed except the four remaining miles of Tibbetts Brook have been filled or buried. The river was also a popular venue for recreation, particularly rowing. From the late 1800s through the 1950s, the Harlem River between Sherman Creek and the 145th Street Bridge rivaled Philadelphia’s Boathouse Row. With more than 10 boating clubs and boathouses, more than 1,000 rowers were active along the river in 1902.3 Today, only one boathouse remains on the river.

2 Horenstein, 2007 3 http://www.eastrivercrew.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/HistoryRowing-RowingInNYC- A_Lost_LegacyArticle2012.05.30.pdf

Timeline – Page 1 of 2

Date Historical Event

Pre-European Lenape people live in the area, cultivating agricultural fields through slash and burn techniques & Contact (1609) using the local waterways for fishing, hunting, trade, and travel 1639 First Bronx settlement is established by Jonas Bronck (near present day 132nd Street & Lincoln Avenue) 1694 Jacobus Van Cortlandt buys the tract of land that will become Van Cortlandt Park; shortly thereafter he dams Tibbetts Brook to power a gristmill, creating a 16-acre millpond today known as Van Cortlandt Lake 1837 Construction of High Bridge and Croton Aqueduct through present-day Van Cortlandt Park begins 1841 First railroad comes to the Bronx; today’s Metro-North Harlem Line 1848 High Bridge opens to carry the Croton Aqueduct into NYC; today, it is the oldest NYC bridge still in existence 1851 Railroad tracks are laid along the Harlem River shoreline, restricting access from the inland to a handful of locations spread out over seven miles 1872 Putnam Railroad construction begins in present-day Van Cortlandt Park, altering the natural drainage pattern of Tibbetts Brook and causing new wetland areas to develop around it 1888 Van Cortlandt and Claremont Parks are established; some Tibbetts Brook wetlands are drained for recreational areas & Van Cortlandt Park Parade Ground is created 1895 Harlem River Ship Canal opens – straightening the waterway beginning at approximately 222nd Street in the Bronx; the canal ran through an old marble quarry & more directly connected the Hudson River and Long Island Sound 1899 Macombs Dam Park is established 1902 Popularity of rowing reaches its peak as boathouses and rowing clubs begin to migrate from the Hudson to the Harlem River; photos from 1902 show at least five boathouses on the Bronx waterfront; number of rowers on the Harlem River reaches nearly 1,000

Timeline – Page 2 of 2 1906 Jerome Park Reservoir opens; built to hold water conducted to NYC by the New Croton Aqueduct 1912 Tibbetts Brook is piped into a nearby sewer; today draining to the Wards Island Wastewater Treatment Plant 1916 Part of old Spuyten Duyvil Creek is filled in & Marble Hill (historically part of Manhattan) becomes part of the mainland 1930 Bronx population reaches 1.3 million (previously, 200,000 in 1900) & land use begins to shift from rural/agricultural to manufacturing/industrial 1937 Another channel is dug to the west of the 1895 Harlem River Ship Canal, further straightening the waterway toward the Hudson 1937-1963 Henry Hudson & Mosholu Parkways are completed, Major Deegan and Cross Bronx Expressways open 1974 Roberto Clemente State Park opens 1978 Last traditional boathouse on the Harlem River burns down 2006 Construction begins on a new Yankee stadium in Macombs Dam Park; the stadium opens in 2009 2009 Mill Pond Park opens; the first significant park on the Bronx side of the Harlem River in decades 2012 A 10-acre section of Macombs Dam Park (Heritage Park) located in the footprint of the former Yankee Stadium opens to the public 2015 Bridge Park opens (High Bridge reopens?)

Land Use and Zoning Land use in the watershed is primarily residential (46%), with mixed commercial (18%) areas along major thoroughfares such as the Grand Concourse. Manufacturing (9%) is concentrated along the shoreline, as are the railroads and transportation corridors, which limit public access to the waterfront. The remaining 27% of the watershed is parkland – half of which is encompassed by Van Cortlandt Park. The Park is located in the northeast corner of the watershed and is the third largest park in New York City. The majority of open spaces in the watershed are publicly owned, and NYC Parks is the largest public landowner. Community Demographics About half of the population of The Bronx, nearly 700,000 people, live within the Harlem River watershed. The Bronx is one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the United States, including predominantly minority residents. Hispanics make up 54% of the total population, African Americans 39%, and Asian 4% according to the 2010 census. The Bronx also contains the poorest congressional district in the nation, where 31% of individuals fall below the poverty line. 4 As a result, DEC identified nearly the entirety of the Harlem River watershed as a potential Environmental Justice area.5

4 US Census 2010 5 DEC Commissioner Policy 29 on Environmental Justice and Permitting [https://www.dec.ny.gov/public/911.html]

Hydrology Groundwater The ground water table is close to the surface (within 5 ft) across valleys and low-lying area of the watershed.. Shallow depths to groundwater are concentrated along the Tibbetts Brook corridor, in the South Bronx, and at the eastern edge of the watershed where a historic stream corridor once flowed. Along the shoreline, groundwater levels change with the ebb and flow of the tide. Except during high tides, groundwater generally flows west towards the River.6 These areas of shallow ground water are prone to flooding. Flooding becomes even more likely given accumulation of runoff from upslope developed areas with limited capacity to absorb stormwater.

Surface Water: Tibbetts Brook Tibbetts Brook originates in Westchester County and flows through Van Cortlandt Park. The total drainage area of Tibbetts Brook is 2,508 acres, of which 975 acres are in the Bronx. The remaining 1,533 acres are in Westchester County.7 Tibbetts Brook originally flowed into a vast salt marsh tidally connected to the Harlem River. In 1699, at roughly the head of the tidal creek, Jacobus Van Cortlandt dammed the brook to power two mills, forming Van Cortlandt Lake.8 In 1912, Tibbetts Brook was disconnected from the Harlem River just south of the Lake and piped into the Broadway sewer at approximately 242nd Street, and routed to the combined sewer system. Today, it flows 7 miles south to the Wards Island Wastewater Treatment Plant.

6 DEP, 2004 7 DEP, 2012 8 NYC Parks, 2014

Upstream of Van Cortland Lake, Tibbetts Brook is free-flowing, but has been straightended and confined by pipes under the Mosholu Parkway, and by fill placed in the former floodplains when the Saw Mill Parkway was constructed. Stormwater Prior to development, when most of the watershed was forested, as much as 80% of all precipitation would have been absorbed by the soil or intercepted and taken up by plants.9 Today, the watershed is 66% impervious, or covered with hard, paved or built surfaces, which limits the soils’ capacity to absorb precipitation. With relatively little vegetatation and soil to intercept and infiltrate rainfal, it turns to stormwater runoff, which flows across streets into catch-basins carrying sediment and pollutants directly into the sewer systems and, in parts of the watershed, directly into Tibbetts Brook or the Harlem River. Stormwater runoff is routed through two major systems in the watershed: the combined sewer overflow (CSO) system, where stormwater mixes with sanitary sewage in one sewer pipe, and the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4). In CSO drainage areas, sewage is piped to the Wards Island Wastewater Treatment Plant during dry weather. However, during wet weather, combined sewage and stormwater overflow into the Harlem River. The MS4 system includes separated sewer areas, where stormwater and sanitary systems are contained in separate sewer pipes, and direct drainage areas where stormwater flows overland or is piped directly to receiving waters. Combined sewers provide drainage for 95% of the watershed and the remaining 5% is comprised of MS4 areas which are concentrated along the shoreline. There are 19 CSO and approximately 80 MS4 outfalls along the Bronx shoreline that discharge into the Harlem River during wet weather. The largest CSO drainage areas are for outfalls WI-056, WI-060, and WI-068, located in the north, center, and eastern sections of the watershed, respectively. Outfall WI-056 drains most of Van Cortlandt Park, including stream flow from Tibbetts Brook and Van Cortlandt Lake. In 2017, the modeled volume of CSO discharged directly to the Harlem River from the Bronx was 2,076 million gallons per year total. More than half of that discharge comes from two outfalls in the Bronx – WI-056 (648 million gallons per year) and WI-060 (431 million gallons per year).10 Water Quality Harlem River DEC classifies the Harlem River as a Class I saline surface water, for which the best use is secondary contact recreation (e.g., boating) and fishing. The River is also suitable for fish, shellfish, and wildlife propagation and survival.11

9 Water Sensitive Cities, 2010 10 http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/cso_long_term_control_plan/harlem-hudson-river-kickoff-meeting-presentation.pdf 11 https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I4ed840cbcd1711dda432a117e6e0f345?viewType=FullText&originationCo ntext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)

Water quality in the Harlem River is influenced by point sources, including CSO outfalls on both sides of the river, as well as nonpoint sources (e.g., direct stormwater runoff). Contaminants transported via mixing and tidal action from CSO and stormwater discharges to the Hudson and East rivers also impact water quality. Some pollutants in the River may ultimately bind to the riverbed sediment, which can be harmful to both aquatic organisms and human health. Harlem River sediments, like the rest of the NY Harbor, have been impacted by centuries of industrial waste and urban pollution and contain PCBs and heavy metals.12 These pollutants can harm or kill aquatic organisms and may be transported up the food chain, accumulating in fish or shellfish that may be harvested and consumed by humans in the watershed. DEC does not recommend consumption of certain shellfish and finfish caught in or harvested from the Harlem River. 13 Due to these multiple sources of both present-day and legacy (e.g., polluted riverbed sediments) contaminants, the Harlem River is listed as impaired by DEC for sediments contaminated with PCBs and other toxics, and floatables.

12 Mueller and Estabrooks, 2006 13 Ibid.

Van Cortlandt Lake and Tibbetts Brook DEC classifies Van Cortlandt Lake as a Class B FVCP water quality results and photos - placeholder surface water, suitable for primary and secondary contact recreation and fishing, and lists it on the 303(d) list of Impaired Waterways for phosphorous. Recreational uses are impaired by dense rooted aquatic vegetation (e.g., invasive, non-native water chestnut (Trapa natans)) and algal blooms related to high nutrient levels, sedimentation, and other pollutants typical of urban runoff. Fishery and biological studies indicate the lake supports an adequate fish community (e.g., Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, and Brown Bullhead Catfish) with some stressed populations (e.g., limited Largemouth Bass compared to five other NYC waterbodies).14 Results of intensive DEC water quality sampling during their Lake Classification and Inventory Survey program in 2009, characterized as eutrophic, with high levels of phosphorous, nitrogen, and chlorophyll/algae. Friends of Van Cortlandt Park (FVCP) confirmed these findings through weekly water quality sampling, which began in January 2016, at four lake sites.15 Tibbetts Brook, also a Class B surface water, is polluted by urban/storm runoff;16 however, the Brook is not included on the 303(d) list of Impaired Waterways. FVCP also collects weekly water quality data from two locations along the brook; their results indicate similar conditions to the Lake – particularly, high nutrient levels. Sewage inputs from improper/illegal connections of sanitary sewage lines to storm sewers are also a major source of pollution to the Brook. FVCP identified the most recent illegal connection through weekly sampling in August 2016 and has been working with the City of Yonkers’ Engineering Department and DEC to rectify multiple illegal connections and leaks emanating from an outfall. Additionally, roadway runoff containing sediment and other pollutants impact both Tibbetts Brook and Van Cortlandt Lake.

14 NYS DEC Van Cortlandt Lake Electrofishing Survey June 2017 15 Friends of Van Cortlandt Park Tibbetts Brook Water Monitoring Program Report, 2016 16 NYS DEC Hudson/East River Watershed Waterbody Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List, 2017

Climate Vulnerability Urban areas, like most of the Harlem River Watershed, are significantly warmer than surrounding rural or forested areas due to increased heat absorbtion by buildings and hard surfaces. This phemomenon, called the Urban Heat Island (UHI) can affect communities by exaccerbating air pollution and increasing heat-related illness and mortality. The UHI phenomenon is clearly visible in satellite imagery of the Harlem River watershed. For example, southwest of Van Cortlandt Park, between Broadway and the Major Deegan Expressway, the surface temperature readings are 20 degrees higher than in nearby forested parkland. The cooler temperatures in the watershed are located on the waterfront along the Harlem River, parks like Van Cortlandt Park, and neighborhoods with densely tree-lined streets such as Fieldston and parts of Riverdale. New York City’s climate is changing rapidly. By 2080, average temperatures are predicted to increase by anywhere from 5.3 to 8.8 degrees Fahrenheit, further exacerbating the effects of UHI in the Harlem River watershed.17 Average annual precipitation is also predicted to increase anywhere from 5% to 13% by 208018, while even greater increases are expected in how often, intense, and long-lasting extreme storm events can be. Additionally, projections for sea level rise in New York City are 18-39 inches by 2080, and as high as 6 feet (72 inches) by 2100.19 These projected increases in precipitation and extreme events, coupled with sea level rise will impact lowlying areas of the watershed, such as the entire stretch of Harlem River waterfront, which falls within the 100-year floodplain. Looking further inland, the corridor of the Major Deegan, which falls within the 100-year floodplain from West 225th Street to the southern boundary of Van Cortlandt Park, will also be impacted.20 Greater precipitation will also contribute to an overburdened sewer system, making water quality improvements more challenging in the coming decades.

17 NYC Panel on Climate Change 2015 Report 18 NYC Panel on Climate Change 2015 Report 19 NYC Panel on Climate Change 2015 Report 20 FEMA Preliminary and Pending National Flood Insurance Rate Maps, 2013

Ecosystems and Habitats Today, the Harlem River watershed’s remaining natural areas are are primarily found in Van Cortlandt Park as well as Spuyten Duyvil and University Woods. These parks include significant remnant areas of forests, wetlands, and grasslands.

Habitat Type Area in Watershed (acres)

Upland Forest 740 Inland Freshwater 110 Wetlands 30

Grasslands 30 Estuarine 359

Upland Forest

Tibbetts Brook Floodplain Forest

Tibbetts Brook Phragmites Wetland

Upland Forests Current Conditions Van Cortlandt Park contains the largest expanses of upland forests (approximately 650 acres) including Croton Woods, Northeast, and Northwest Forests, with smaller and less well- developed forests around the Allen Shandler Recreation Area and on the margins of both golf courses in the park. Spuyten Duyvil Shorefront Park and University Woods Park encompass smaller swaths of closed canopy forest, six and three acres, respectively. The majority of Van Cortlandt Park’s forests are mature hardwoods (66%); and the remainder are successional hardwoods (25%), forested wetlands (7%), and maritime forests (1%).21 The most common ecological communities found in Van Cortlandt Park’s forests are Coastal Oak-Hickory Forests (17%) and Oak-Tulip Tree Forests (13%).22 These forests attract birds that are uncommon in urban environments, such as the scarlet tanager and red-eyed vireo, and serve as important habitat for mammals, ranging from the southern flying squirrel to at least two pairs of breeding coyotes. Threats The watershed’s forests are threatened by invasive insects and pathogens, including chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease, and beach bark disease which have already significantly altered forest composition and structure. The Emerald Ash Borer is an emerging pest that will inevitably damage ash populations in this area. Forests are also vulnerable to colonization by invasive plants following both natural and man-made disturbance such as over and harmful use by the public. For example, informal trails fragment the forest and degrade habitat. Streams, Lakes, and other Freshwater Wetland Habitats Current Conditions Tibbetts Brook is fed by two small tributaries and supports floodplain forests and freshwater wetland habitat as it flows south through Van Cortlandt Park, until it is dammed to form Van Cortlandt Lake, which is separated into a 2.4 acre upper basin and 14.3-acre lower basin. Seepage from the Lake and groundwater form a freshwater wetland west of Van Cortlandt Pool. The Tibbetts Brook Corridor along the Putnam Trail includes a series of 11 distinct but hydrologically connected freshwater wetlands.23 Floodplain forests on either side of the Brook absorb and buffer stormwater runoff, resulting in relatively high water quality as indicated by New York State-ranked rare odonates found in the brook such as the turquoise bluet (Enallagma divagans), the blue-fronted dancer (Argia apicalis), and the elfin skimmer (Nannothemis bella).24 Wetlands and vernal pools can be found throughout the Northwest Forest, the Croton Woods, and the Northeast Forest. These freshwater wetlands provide habitat for a number of amphibian and reptile species. At least four frog species are found in the park: the green frog, bullfrog, wood frog, and spring peeper. Redback,

21 Forest Management Framework for New York City, Natural Areas Conservancy, 2018 22 Ecological Assessment, Natural Areas Conservancy 23 Wetland Report, Putnam Trail, Bronx, NY, 2015 24 NYC Parks, unpublished data

two-lined, and spotted salamanders rely on floodplain forest, stream, and wetland environments for habitat. Vernal pools provide breeding habitat for spotted salamanders specifically. Threats Stormwater pollution from highways and golf courses can lead to sedimentation and eutrophication in Van Cortlandt Lake, where algae thrive on nutrients from runoff, producing dense mats which reduce dissolved oxygen for aquatic wildlife. Because nearly two-thirds of the Tibbetts Brook watershed is in Yonkers, sources of poor water quality and invasive vegetation come from outside the Park as well and impact surrounding wetlands. Invasive species also pose a threat to native freshwater habitats. Phragmites is a common reed abundant in many freshwater wetlands of the park, creating monocultures of a single species that reduces habitat complexity and wildlife diversity. Water chestnut, a fast-growing exotic invasive plant found within Van Cortlandt Lake can severely alter the aquatic ecosystem by completely covering the surface of a waterbody in a short time, thereby blocking sunlight from reaching submerged aquatic vegetation and reducing biodiversity and dissolved oxygen. Emerald ash borer, which was confirmed in the city in 2017, will likely threaten ash tree populations found within Van Cortlandt Park’s forested wetlands in the near future. Salt Marsh and Marine Habitat Current Conditions Most of the historic marsh was filled for development by the early-to-mid 1900’s, however there is evidence of salt marsh remaining along the Harlem River as late as 1905. Small pockets of salt marsh have since been restored at Roberto Clemente State Park in 2018 and Inwood Hill Park in 2014. Ongoing salt marsh restoration efforts are underway at Swindler’s Cove. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association designated the Harlem River as essential fish habitat for 11 fish species. Its waters provide essential habitat for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth for species such as red hake, winter flounder, and Atlantic sea herring. Harbor seals also visit the Harlem River, likely following these fish that serve as a source of food.25 Shellfish that filter and clearn water, such as the common blue mussel, ribbed mussel, and eastern oyster occur near the low tide line on rocks, pilings, or other shells north of the

Restored marsh at Roberto Clemente, 2018 Harbor Seal resting on dock in Harlem River, 2018

25 dna info, Seal Spotted Splashing and Sunbating Near Inwood Hill Park, 2015 [https://www.dnainfo.com/new- york/20150414/inwood/seal-spotted-splashing-sunbathing-near-inwood-hill-park]

University Heights Bridge. 26 A number pollution-tolerant species such as the ivory barnacle and several worm species can be found in the sediment and attached to structures on the Harlem River shoreline.27 Threats Water quality impacts, including low dissolved oxygen, from stormwater runoff and combined sewer overflows pose the greatest threat to aquatic habitat on the Harlem River. In addition to water quality, the last remaining fringes of salt marsh on the river are threatened by erosion from Boat wake at Mill Pond Park, 2018 boat wakes and sea level rise.

Urban Tree Canopy Current Conditions There are over 23,000 street trees in the Harlem River watershed, of which the most common species are thornless honey locust, pin oak, and norway maple.28 Tree canopy cover is highest within sewersheds that drain natural areas including Van Cortlandt Park (63%), Claremont Park (65%), and Spuyten Duyvil Shorefront Park and sections of Henry Hudson Park (45%). Throughout the remainder of the watershed, canopy cover ranges from 35% to 8% in the larger sewersheds, and as low as less than 5% canopy cover in smaller seawersheds along the Harlem River waterfront. Trees in the Bronx Harlem River watershed provide various ecological benefits including intercepting, retaining and filtering stormwater, removing pollutants from the air, providing wildlife habitat, and helping to mitigate the Urban Heat Island effect. Threats Drought stress is one of the leading causes of mortality among young street trees, and increasing temperatures are likely to exacerbate this threat to tree canopy. Street trees also require regular maintenance to survive harsh urban conditions where there may be little space for roots to grow, compacted soils, and the threat of damage during construction. Invasive insects, such as the Emerald Ash Borer, although not yet detected in the Bronx, may eventually pose a threat to tree canopy both within natural areas and along city streets.

26 DEP, 2001 27 DEP, 2001 28 NYC Street Tree 2015-2016 census.

Goals for the Watershed The following goals to help us reach ideal watershed conditions are based on an understanding of the existing conditions and the recognition of current or potential threats to watershed resources. They serve as a guide to develop strategies and recommendations to reach the target conditions described below.

Protect, restore and enhance natural resources Restore habitat to maximize areas of diverse native ecological communities to the extent possible throughout the watershed. Minimize habitat fragmentation while maximizing connectivity. Increase ecological benefits that are critical for the wellbeing of humans and the environment.

Manage Stormwater Improve Harlem River water quality to meet standards set by EPA and DEC and enforced by DEP, so that the river is safe for boating, wading, swimming, and fishing. Restore aquatic habitat and water quality to support healthy native wetland communities and meet physiological requirements of diverse native aquatic organisms. Restore the hydrology of the watershed to the fullest extent possible through stream daylighting and green infrastructure Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as rain gardens and bioswales. Disconnect stream flow from the sewer system and capture, retain, and treat stormwater to eliminate Combined Sewer Overflows.

Promote Access and Connectivity Attain full waterfront accessability for the public. Connect the Harlem River greenway and waterfront open space along the entire waterfront. Provide on-water access points along the waterfront to allow the public to recreate on the river. Connect parks and open space throughout the watershed by natural habitats or street tree corridors. Clearly makr trails within parks to be easily accessible.

Engage and Educate Foster and sustain stewardship of natural resources and connected, accessible parkland by local communities. Incorporate educational curricula focused on the Harlem River and its watershed into ongoing programming available to both children and adults. Inform local communities of environmental policies and regulations and empower residentsto advocate for the protection and restoration of natural resources within their watershed.

Strategies & Recommendations This section introduces 14 broad strategies, 76 watershed-wide management recommendations, and 79 site-specific recommended actions. They are intended to serve as a roadmap to achieve the four watershed restoration goals of the plan by addressing current conditions and threats characterized above. We developed these recommendations through an iterative process by analyzing ecological and land use data, reviewng previous planning efforts, consulting with the community through public meetings, and incorporating input from technical advisors on the Watershed Advisory Committee. A subset of priority recommended actions are hi-lighted in the plan as well. These either have a clear path to implementation, strong community support, or are necessary to address more critical, immediate threats.

Watershed-wide Strategies and Recommendations Each of the watershedwide strategies may help achieve one or more goals, and correspond to a series of watershed-wide recommendations.

Additional Goals Addressed: Strategy 1: Expand ecological connectivity to better enable movements of plants and animals Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Identify opportunities for ecological corridors and connections 1.1 NYC Parks between natural areas. P Develop plans to address connectivity gaps by enhancing 1.2 NYC Parks existing parks and creating new green spaces. P P Generate street tree corridor and green infrastructure ROW NYC Parks 1.3 plans. P NYC DEP 1.4 Achieve full street tree stocking. P NYC Parks Maximize the potential to incorporate native plantings and 1.5 NYC Parks ecological connectivity in future greenway development. P

Strategy 2: Manage threats to ecosystem health Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Develop and implement a strategy, including fund-raising, to 2.1 NYC Parks reduce invasive plant species cover to10% or less in forests. P

Protect and restore sensitive and locally rare habitats through 2.2 NYC Parks actions such as invasive species control and debris removal. P P Monitor biotic stressors and exotic predators, such as early 2.3 detection monitoring of Emerald Ash Borer and Harmful Algal P NYC Parks Bloom monitoring. Restore natural watershed hydrology through stormwater NYC Parks 2.4 management (See Stormwater Management). P P NYC DEP Design coastally resilient waterfront parks following the 2.5 Design and Planning for Flood Resiliency Guidelines for NYC P P NYC Parks Parks .

Additional Goals Addressed:

Strategy 3: Restore and enhance ecosystem health Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Restore degraded forests and adaptively manage all 3.1 restoration projects to respond to emerging conditions in the P P NYC Parks field. Increase biodiversity by selecting native plants from local 3.2 NYC Parks genetic stock in all projects. P P Plan for climate change through the use of climate-adapted 3.3 plant species for restoration and nature based features along P P NYC Parks the shoreline. Continue to track progress towards achieving the Van 3.4 NYC Parks Cortlandt Park Natural Areas Management Plan. P Implement the Forest Management Framework in Van 3.5 Cortlandt Park by identifying areas of high need and value and P P NYC Parks prioritizing work accordingly. NYC Parks 3.6 Ecologically enhance hardened shoreline where possible. P BCEQ Consider habitat restoration opportunities in conjunction with NYC Parks 3.7 infrastructure improvement projects. P P NYC DEP Assess health of soils and restore to achieve a healthy range NYC Parks 3.8 of pH, organic matter and nutrients, and limited heavy metals. P P NYCSWCD 3.9 Protect and restore remnant salt marsh where possible. P P NYC Parks Restore Tibbetts Brook wetland in conjunction with efforts to NYC Parks 3.1 reconnect the Brook to the Harlem River. P NYC DEP 3.11 Plan for and conduct maintenance at restoration projects. P P NYC Parks NYC Parks NAC 3.12 Track natural areas management with non-profit partners P P Van Cortlandt Park Non-Profits BCEQ 29

Additional Goals Addressed:

Strategy 4: Monitor ecosystem benefits of natural resources and street trees Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Monitor street tree plantings for Urban Heat Island mitigation 4.1 NYC Parks potential and other benefits/functions. P Monitor forests for Urban Heat Island mitigation potential and 4.2 NYC Parks other benefits / functions. P NYC Parks Van Cortlandt Park 4.3 Monitor water quality and species biodiversity through citizen P Non-Profits science Riverkeeper

Strategy 5: Work across political boundaries to manage shared natural resources Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) NYC Parks Work with Westchester County and the City of Yonkers to Westchester address water chestnut and water quality concerns, including Van Cortlandt Park 5.1 Harmful Algal Blooms, in Tibbetts Brook and Van Cortlandt P P Non-Profits Lake. NYS Parks MTA NYC Parks Work with land owners to manage natural areas along the 5.2 NYS Parks Harlem River waterfront P P MTA

Additional Goals Addressed:

Strategy 6: Improve interagency management of stormwater and BMPs Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) NYC DEP Generate interagency best practices for management of NYS DOT 6.1 stormwater runoff. P NYC DOT NYC Parks NYC DEP Develop and assure adoption of interagency best practices for NYS DOT 6.2 inspection and maintenance of GI BMPs. P NYC DOT NYC Parks Identify GI maintenance resource needs and secure 6.3 P NYC Parks resources/funding. 6.4 Track success in maintaining GI BMPs. P P NYC DEP Quantify sources of stormwater discharging to parkland, NYC Parks 6.5 particularly Tibbetts Brook, and work with partner agencies to P NYS DOT treat stormwater runoff from parkways, roads, and bridges. NYC DOT

Reduce stormwater runoff quantity (manage at least one inch NYC DEP 6.6 of rain on 10% of impervious surfaces) and improve quality P P NYC Parks discharged into waterways in both MS4 and CSO areas. 6.7 Identify and remove all illicit discharges. P P NYC DEP Continue to identify interagency opportunities to implement 6.8 runoff reduction techniques and green infrastructure during P P All NYC Agencies planned municipal upgrades including along Rights-of-Way.

Additional Goals Addressed:

Strategy 7: Expand green infrastructure practices Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Identify opportunities, design, and construct priority* green NYC Parks 7.1 infrastructure (GI) on parkland in CSO areas. P *Priority GI opportunities are both physically feasable to construct and are NYC DEP located within the top three largest CSO-sheds by annual volume. NYC Parks 7.2 Maintain existing GI on parkland in CSO areas. P P NYC DEP Continue to map NYC Parks sewer infrastructure, existing 7.3 stormwater BMPs, and identify potential GI opportunities to P P NYC Parks reduce stormwater pollution in MS4 and direct drainage areas. Develop conceptual designs, pursue funding, and construct 7.4 NYC Parks priority GI on parkland in MS4 and direct drainage areas. P P Incentivize GI construction on private property throughout the 7.5 NYC DEP watershed. P P Pursue funding opportunities through the NYS Green 7.6 P NYC Parks Innovation Grant Program to expand GI practices.

Strategy 8: Invest in collaborative partnerships to improve designs and effectiveness of GI Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Expand GI practices that function within the constraints of a NYC Parks 8.1 high water table and low depth to bedrock. P BCEQ Revise GI opportunity identification protocols to account for GI 8.2 techniques suitable for high groundwater table and bedrock P NYC Parks depth conditions. NYC Parks Implement pilot installation, monitoring, and analysis of trees NYC DEP 32 with guards and with tree bed surfaces sunk below the 8.3 USGS sidewalk. Modify designs accordingly to maximize stormwater P P Urban Waters benefit. Federal Partnership

Additional Goals Addressed: Strategy 8 cont'd: Invest in collaborative partnerships to improve designs and effectiveness of GI Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Install additional tree guards to maintain and improve 8.4 NYC Parks stormwater infiltration. P Integrate findings from research on extreme weather (such as 8.5 NYC DEP the Cloudburst Resiliency Planning study) into GI practices. P P Incorporate results from agency GI research into GI planning, NYC Parks 8.6 design and maintenance. P P NYC DEP NYC Parks Partner with NGO’s and Friends groups on community GI Partnerships for 8.7 maintenance. P P Parks BCEQ

Strategy 9: Reduce volume of stream flow entering sewers Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Conduct engineering feasibility study for by-pass of base flow NYC DEP 9.1 from Tibbetts Brook. P NYS DEC Investigate potential funding opportunities for Tibbetts Brook NYC Parks 9.2 wetland restoration. P NYC DEP Evaluate potential ecological impacts of increasing storage NYC Parks 9.3 upstream along the Tibbetts Brook corridor. P NYC DEP Acquire CSX property for Tibbetts Brook daylighting and 9.4 NYC Parks Putnam Greenway south of Van Cortlandt Park. P P Investigate opportunities and funding for daylighting as many NYC Parks 9.5 sections of Tibbetts Brook as possible along new Putnam P BCEQ Greenway downstream of Van Cortlandt Park. 33

Additional Goals Addressed:

Strategy 10: Improve access to the waterfront and open space Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Design and construct an on-water access point along the NYC Parks 10.1 Harlem River. P NYS Parks Continue to establish direct Harlem River access, both on- NYC Parks 10.2 water and along the waterfront, in Parks properties where P BCEQ feasible. Enhance pedestrian safety measures and wayfinding to Parks NYC DOT 10.3 and waterfront access. P NYC Parks Provide more inviting access to and connections between 10.4 upland parks and the waterfront by planting street tree P NYC Parks corridors. Update trail maps and adopt citywide trail blazing system, 10.5 incorporating best practices for siting trails and routine, P P NYC Parks ecologically sensitive trail maintenance.

Strategy 11: Increase connectivity along the waterfront and between open space Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Extend the Harlem River Greenway to connect with existing NYC Parks 11.1 and new waterfront parks. P P NYC Planning Implement a site management plan for the Putnam Greenway 11.2 NYC Parks in Van Cortlandt Park. P Acquire and transfer property to expand connectivity to 11.3 P NYC Parks parkland.

Additional Goals Addressed: Strategy 12: Foster collaborative partnerships with community, cultural, and educational organizations Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) NYC Parks Work with community groups and Parks volunteer programs NAC 12.1 to hold trash clean-ups, tree plantings, and invasive removal P P Van Cortlandt Park events. Non-Profits Riverkeeper RIPA Expand water quality monitoring through community-based 12.2 Van Cortlandt Park science partnerships with community groups and non-profits. P P Non-Profits EPA Maintain the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) UWFP 12.3 ambassador’s role in expanding collaborations across P P NYC Parks agencies and NGO’s. Continue to hold engagement events across State and City- NYC Parks 12.4 owned Parks, showcasing connectivity opportunities while P P NYS Parks bringing residents to their waterfront and parklands. BCEQ NYC Parks Continue to build long-term stewardship and local capacity by Partnerships for 12.5 providing workshops, trainings, and resources. P P Parks BCEQ HEP NY/NJ Harbor and Estuary Program Continue to implement and seek additional funding for the 12.6 EPA Trash-Free Waters program. P USGS NYC Parks BCEQ NYC Parks Promote green job opportunities within the community, such NYC DEP 12.7 as GI construction and maintenance, solar panel installation, P P SBxUnite/HOPE and street tree care. Program

Additional Goals Addressed:

Strategy 13: Prioritize outreach to and inclusion of diverse audiences Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Hold bilingual community events and publish outreach 13.1 NYC Parks documents in both English and Spanish. P P 13.2 Expand watershed stewardship across cultural boundaries. P P NYC Parks Hold engagement events at Community Parks Initiative (CPI) 13.4 NYC Parks parks and local recreation centers. P P

Strategy 14: Ensure clear agency communication on watershed policies and regulations Short-term Long-term Recommendations Lead & Partners (within 5 years) (>5 years) Develop a strategy for coordinating outreach activities across 14.1 park-oriented non-governmental organizations, CPF, PFP, P NYC Parks etc. Communicate clearly with community members about NYC Parks 14.2 opportunities for advocacy related to environmental policies P NYC DEP and regulations. NYC DEP Include informational signage in waterfront parks on fish NYC Parks 14.3 consumption, how to report pollution violations, and other P NYC DEP Install signage to inform the public of Harlem River No-Wake 14.4 NYC Parks Zones. P

Site-Specific Recommendations We developed more than 70 site-specific recommended actions to meet the four watershed goals through collaboration with WAC members, community partners, fellow City agencies, and NGO’s including the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park and the Bronx Council for Environmental Quality. For each action we identified associated lead and partner agencies and NGO’s, and categorized actions by either short term (within five years) or long term (more than five years) implementation. A subset of priority site-specific recommendations that we’ve identified either fall under an existing program, have strong community support, or are necessary to protect and manage waterways or habitats that are under critical threat. The priority actions listed in the following sections each have rough estimates for levels of implementation cost based on the following categorization: $ - <$50,000 – In kind contribution, staff time, volunteer coordination $$ - $50,000 - $1M – new hires, ongoing investments $$$ - $1M - $3M – small capital projects, larger planning and coordination initiatives $$$$ - >$3M – large capital projects

Finally, we’ve organized site-specific recommendations by the following categories: 1. Green Infrastructure 2. Van Cortlandt Park 3. Waterfront recommendations. The following tables provide the framework for tracking progress towards implementing these actions and ultimately achieving the four goals of the watershed Plan.

Green Infrastructure Opportunities

Green infrastructure (GI) systems such as rain gardens, bioswales, tree planters, and permeable pavement can serve to capture, store, and treat stormwater runoff before it enters the sewer system. In the Harlem River watershed, constructing and maintaining GI can help improve stormwater runoff quality and minimize CSO’s, thereby improving water quality in the Harlem River while mitigating inland flooding. Using a map-based model, we identified 32 properties throughout the watershed as opportunities to implement GI (Appendix B). We weighted the following criteria to select sites where GI would be both feasable and effective at capturing stormwater runoff on parkland: depth to groundwater; slope; land area draining to site; impervious cover; tree canopy; natural areas; CSO vs. MS4 drainage areas; and Community Parks Initiative (CPI) neighborhoods. We then ground-truthed a subset of sites via aerial imagery and field visits. GI opportunity sites not identified by the model are also included in this plan. These sites were either proposed in past plans on non-Parks public and/or private property, such as the Harlem River Hilltop Plan, or incorporated into park designs currently underway such as Bridge Park South, which lies within an MS4 drainage area. Out of all GI opportunties, we definted priority sites as those that fall within the drainage areas that contribute the largest CSO volume annually: WI-056, WI-060, and WI-068. Additional priority sites either have strong community support or clear funding sources.

Green Infrastructure Site-Specific Recommendations GI = Green Infrastructure Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Explore the feasibility of capturing street runoff in rain gardens Aqueduct Green GI1 installed in the landscape area NYC Parks Walk Infrastructure P between W181st St. and W180th St.

Explore the feasibility of capturing NYC Parks street and onsite runoff in rain Arcilla Green GI2 gardens installed in the corner of NYC Dept. Playground Infrastructure P the park adjacent to the the half of court and baseball field. Education Explore the feasiblity of capturing onsite runoff in rain gardens installed in the seating area Bailey Green GI3 between the north handball and NYC Parks Playground Infrastructure P basketball courts, and/or in subsurface storage systems installed in both basketball courts. Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in rain Bridge Green gardens installed in the landscape GI4 NYC Parks Playground Infrastructure area and/or in subsurface storage P systems installed under the basketball courts. Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in rain gardens installed in the landscape Devoe Green GI5 area at the west end of the park NYC Parks Park Infrastructure P and/or in subsurface storage systems installed under the basketball courts. Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in Fordham Green subsurface storage systems GI6 Landing NYC Parks Infrastructure installed under the parking lot, P Playground baseball field, and/or basketball courts.

Green Infrastructure Site-Specific Recommendations GI = Green Infrastructure Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in rain gardens installed in the landscape Franz Sigel Green GI7 area at the south end of the park NYC Parks Park Infrastructure P and/or in subsurface storage systems installed under the baseball fields. Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in a Gouverneur Green GI8 subsurface storage system NYC Parks Playground Infrastructure P installed under the basketball court. Explore the feasibility of capturing onsite runoff in rain gardens Henry installed in the landscape area Green GI9 Hudson along the northeast wall of the NYC Parks Infrastructure P Park baseball field and/or in subsurface storage systems installed under the basketball courts. Explore the feasibility of capturing onsite runoff in rain gardens installed in the landscape area at Macombs Green GI10 the southern end of the park NYC Parks Dam Park Infrastructure P and/or in subsurface storage systems installed under the baseball fields. Explore the feasibility of capturing onsite runoff in the multipurpose Marble Hill Green GI11 play area and/or in subsurface NYC Parks Playground Infrastructure P storage systems installed under the baseket ball courts. Explore the feasibility of capturing onsite runoff in the landscape area Mosholu Green west of the multipurpose play area GI12 NYC Parks Parkway Infrastructure and basketball court and/or in a P subsurface storage system under the basketball court.

Green Infrastructure Site-Specific Recommendations GI = Green Infrastructure Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in the Mount landscape and open areas Green GI13 Hope adjacent to the play equipment NYC Parks Infrastructure P Playground and/or in subsurface storage systems installed under the basketball courts. Explore the feasibility of capturing Mullaly Green onsite runoff in the landscape GI14 NYC Parks Park Infrastructure areas and/or subsurface storage P systems. Explore the feasibility of capturing onsite runoff in the multipurpose Patterson Green GI15 play area and/or in the play NYC Parks Playground Infrastructure P surface area at the corner of the baseball field. Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in People's Green GI16 subsurface storage systems NYC Parks Park Infrastructure P installed under the basketball courts. Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in Pulaski Green GI17 subsurface storage systems NYC Parks Park Infrastructure P installed under the asphalt area on the west side of the park. Explore the feasibility of installing NYC Parks South of raingardens, green roofs, and NYC DEP Van Green GI18 bioswales on public and private NYC DOT Cortlandt Infrastructure P property detailed in the Harlem Riverkeeper Park River Hilltop Plan. NYCSWCD Richman Explore the feasibility of capturing Green GI19 (Echo) onsite runoff in the large open NYC Parks Infrastructure P Park area next to the basketball court. Explore the feasibility of capturing Saw Mill Green GI20 street and onsite runoff in the NYC Parks Playground Infrastructure P multipurpose play area.

Green Infrastructure Site-Specific Recommendations GI = Green Infrastructure Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Explore the feasibility of capturing Slattery Green GI21 street and onsite runoff in the NYC Parks Playground Infrastructure P multipurpose play area. Spuyten Explore the feasibility of capturing Green GI22 Duyvil street and onsite runoff in the NYC Parks Infrastructure P Playground asphalt areas. Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in the St. James Green landscape area on the south side GI23 NYC Parks Park Infrastructure of the park and/or in subsurface P storage systems installed under the athletic courts. Explore the feasibility of capturing Tremont Green GI24 street and onsite runoff in the NYC Parks Park Infrastructure P park's open spaces. Explore the feasibility of capturing VCP Golf onsite runoff with permeable House Green pavers installed in select parking GI25 NYC Parks Parking Infrastructure spots and/or in rain gardens P Lots installed at low points in the parking lots. VCP NE Explore the feasibility of capturing Parking Lot onsite runoff in the parking lot, Green GI26 (near around catchbasins, and/or in rain NYC Parks Infrastructure P Croton gardens installed in the area just Filtration) north of the baseball field. Explore the feasibility of capturing VCP Green GI27 onsite runoff in the parking lot and NYC Parks Stables Infrastructure P around the catchbasins. Explore the feasibility of capturing VCP SW Green GI28 street and onsite runoff in the NYC Parks Playground Infrastructure P damaged asphalt area. VCP Green Explore the feasibility of capturing GI29 Woodlawn NYC Parks Infrastructure onsite runoff in the grey area. P Playground

Green Infrastructure Site-Specific Recommendations GI = Green Infrastructure Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in Washingto Green GI30 subsurface storage systems NYC Parks n's Walk Infrastructure P installed under the multipurpose play area. Explore the feasibility of capturing street and onsite runoff in Webster Green subsurface storage systems GI31 NYC Parks Playground Infrastructure installed under the athletic courts P and/or rain gardens installed in existing planters. Explore the feasibility of capturing onsite runoff in the asphalt area on the southern side of the park Willis Green GI32 and/or in a subsurface storage NYC Parks Playground Infrastructure P systems installed under the asphalt area on the northern side of the park. Capture stormwater runoff from Bridge Green GI33 Alexander Hamilton Bridge NYC Parks Park South Infrastructure P scuppers Van Cortlandt Green Invest in green infrastructure when GI34 Park NYC DEP Infrastructure developing new golf house P P Proposed Golf House Fort Green Explore GI opportunities to NYC Parks GI35 Independe Infrastructure manage stormwater P nce Park BCEQ

Green Infrastructure Typologies and Priority Projects

Typical GI Typologies We developed six conceptual designs to illustrate various GI BMPs that could be incorporated into typical park typologies (e.g. playgrounds, parking lots, new park development, and near waterways) found in the Harlem River watershed (Appendix C). The following sites were selected: Van Cortlandt Park Stables The Riverdale Stables site in Van Cortlandt Park serves as an example of an opportunity to retrofit a parking lot, roadway, and existing buildings to capture stormwater runoff through GI BMPs in a Parks concession. Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course Prone to frequent flooding, the site of the Golf House in Van Cortlandt Park is an opportunity to capture stormwater runoff before it enters Van Cortlandt Lake. Fordham Landing Fordham Landing Playground is located at the base of a steep slope adjacent to the Harlem River, separated by the Major Deegan Expressway. A redundant basketball court at this site is an opportunity to retrofit lightly used park amenities into GI BMPs. People’s Park People’s Park, located in the South Bronx, is a prime opportunity to install rain gardens to capture stormwater runoff from play surfaces and basketball courts while taking up minimal space. Slattery Playground Slattery Playground was identified by the community in the second public meeting as a park that is heavily used, and therefore GI would highly visible, serving as an educational opportunity. Bridge Park South Bridge Park South (Depot Place) provides an interesting opportunity to capture stormwater runoff from highway scuppers that drain the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

Example of GI Retrofit Opportunities at People’s Park:

Priority Projects A map-based GI model identified the following priority sites as parks properties where it is likely physically feasible to implement GI. Other factors influencing priority include areas where Capital projects currently are planned, creating an opportunity to leverage existing funding. These 17 sites also all fall within the top three CSO drainage areas by annual volume (WI-056, WI-060, and WI-068). ID Park CSO Sewershed GI2 Arcilla Playground WI-068 GI3 Bailey Playground WI-056 GI4 Bridge Playground WI-060 GI12 Mosholu Parkway WI-068 GI16 People's Park WI-068 GI17 Pulaski Park WI-068 GI18 South of Van Cortlandt Park WI-068 GI19 Richman (Echo) Park WI-068 GI20 Saw Mill Playground WI-068 GI21 Slattery Playground WI-068 GI24 Tremont Park WI-068 GI25 VCP Golf House Parking Lots WI-056 GI27 VCP Stables WI-056 GI30 Washington's Walk WI-056 GI31 Webster Playground WI-068 GI32 Willis Playground WI-068 Van Cortlandt Park Proposed Golf GI34 House WI-068

Cost: $$$ $ - <$50,000 – In kind contribution, staff Lead: NYC Parks time, volunteer coordination $$ - $50,000 - $1M – new hires, ongoing Partners: NYC DEP investments $$$ - $1M - $3M – small capital projects, larger planning and coordination initiatives $$$$ - >$3M – large capital projects

Van Cortlandt Park Opportunities

Van Cortlandt Park, the largest open space within the Harlem River watershed, offers restoration opportunities ranging from habitat restoration and stormwater management to educational programming and public access and connectivity to natural resources.

Van Cortlandt Park Site-Specific Recommendations VC= Van Cortlandt Park Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) NYC Parks, Van Van Park- Cortlandt Ecosystem Eliminate vinelands at all edges of Cortlandt wide Park Management the park. P P Park Non- Edges Profits NYC Parks, Van Park- Upland Ecosystem Inspect and maintain past Cortlandt wide Forest Management restoration sites. P P Park Non- Profits Develop and implement Park-wide Park- Upland Ecosystem deer impact and Emerald Ash NYC Parks wide Forest Management P Borer management plans. Park- Upland Ecosystem Expand Forever Wild protection in NYC Parks wide Forest Management Van Cortlandt Park. P NYC Parks, Develop plan to continue with trail Van Park- Trails Trails closures to reduce ecosystem Cortlandt wide Management P fragmentation. Park Non- profits NYC Parks, Van Park- Trails Update trail maps and develop Trails Cortlandt wide Management maintenance plan. P Park Non- profits Van Cortlandt Ecosystem Complete restoration around large VC1 Park NYC Parks Restoration vernal pond. P P Northeast Forest Van Cortlandt Complete restoration of the Ecosystem VC2 Park norwest edge of the Northwest NYC Parks Restoration P P Northwest Woods. Woods Putnam Ecosystem Maintain forest habitat in Putnam VC3 NYC Parks Greenway Management Greenway Corridor. P P

Van Cortlandt Park Site-Specific Recommendations VC= Van Cortlandt Park Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Van Examine feasability and impacts Cortlandt Ecological of removing large tracts of VC4 Park NYC Parks Assessment Phragmites at the head of a P Northeast Tibbetts Brook tributary. Forest Van NYC Parks, Cortlandt Continue campaign to consistently Van Ecosystem VC5 Park monitor and remove mile-a-minute Cortlandt Management P P Northeast vine. Park Non- Forest Profits NYC Parks, Van Croton Ecosystem Restore forest behind the western VC6 Cortlandt Woods Restoration Gulf gas station /Dunkin Donuts. P P Park Non- Profits NYC Parks, Tibbetts Restore wetlands in traffic circles Van Ecological VC7 Brook at the Moshulu/Sawmill Parkways Cortlandt Restoration P P Corridor exchange. Park Non- Profits NYC Parks, Compliment restoration of Vault Van Ecosystem Hill cemetary with eradication of VC8 Vault Hill Cortlandt Management Japanese honeysuckle from P Park Non- eastern slope of hill. Profits Assess lake shoreline for invasive Van species and opportunities to Ecosystem VC9 Cortlandt expand native plantings to NYC Parks Restoration P P Lake stabilize the shoreline and establish a riparian buffer. Restore large stretch of riparian NYC Parks, Tibbetts forest from the northern park Van VC10 Ecosystem Brook border south to the Cortlandt Management P P Corridor Moshulu/Sawmill Parkways Park Non- exchange. Profits

Van Cortlandt Park Site-Specific Recommendations VC= Van Cortlandt Park Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Van Tibbetts Cortlandt Ecosystem Manage invasives to control VC11 Brook Park Non- Management multiflora rose expansion. P Corridor Profits, NYC Parks Restore degraded Phragmites Ecosystem wetland as first phase of project to VC12 Tibbetts NYC Parks Restoration reconnect Tibbetts Brook to the P Harlem River. Van Manage invasive water chestnut Cortlandt Ecosystem on Van Cortlandt Lake and identify Park Non- Management a long-term strategy for P profits, eradication. Westchester VC13 Van Continue water quality monitoring Cortlandt program within Tibbetts Brook and Van Lake Van Cortlandt Lake to identify Cortlandt Water Quality nutrient loads, illicit discharges Park Non- Monitoring and spills. Expand water quality P P profits, monitoring to Yonkers. Make Westchester water quality data easily accessible to the public. Conduct engineering feasibility Ecosystem NYC DEP VC14 CSX Site study for by-pass of base flow Restoration P NYS DEC from Tibbetts Brook. Tibbetts Ecosystem VC15 Remove debris through volunteer Brook and Management/ NYC Parks -20 events and contractors. P Tributaries Stewardship ROW at Forest Plant street trees to increase Dickinson VC21 Restoration - canopy cover and capture and NYC Parks Ave and P Street Trees infiltrate stormwater. VCP S Identify sources of untreated Tibbetts stormwater and opportunities for Brook stormwater treatment; Coordinate NYS DOT, VC22 Stormwater Discharge stormwater controls and NYC Parks, -30 Control P P Pipes and maintenance across city agencies NYC DEP Culverts (short-term); Implement actions (long-term).

Van Cortlandt Park Site-Specific Recommendations VC= Van Cortlandt Park Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Inspect conditions (short-term) Van and conduct routine maintenance Cortlandt NYS DOT, VC31 Stormwater (long-term) of stormwater basins Lake NYC Parks, -35 Control discharging to Van Cortlandt Lake. P P Discharge NYC DEP Explore green infrastructure Pipes options for stormwater treatment. Van Evaluate current conditions at Cortlandt garage including: salt storage, DSNY, Garage run-off and drainage, fueling Stormwater P NYC DOT, and Salt Control station and fuel storage, paving, NYC Parks VC36 Shed and general site use. Work to VC37 Van adopt NYS DEC best practices. Cortlandt Develop best management Park Stormwater NYC Parks practices for Parade Ground. Parade Control P Ground Rebuild outflow into Lake. NYC DEC Evaluate practices at golf course Mosholu and stables and identify Stormwater VC38 Golf improvements needed to reduce NYC Parks Control P Course runoff and protect water quality and natural areas. Van Connect John Muir Trail with NYC Parks, Cortlandt Natural Areas VC39 Putnam Trail and to allow access VCP Golf Park Golf Access P to Tibbetts Brook. Course Course Van Parkland Construct an ADA accessible VC40 Cortlandt NYC Parks Accessibility boardwalk. P Lake Edge Pursue acquisition for extended VC41 CSX Acquisition Putnam Greenway and future P P NYC Parks daylighting of Tibbetts Brook. Continue to train the FVCP Van summer interns in hiking trail Cortlandt VC42 VCP trails Stewardship maintenance and lake P Park Non- management. profits

Van Cortlandt Park Site-Specific Recommendations VC= Van Cortlandt Park Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Tibbetts Van Brook and Continue volunteer watershed Cortlandt VC43 Van Stewardship crew weekly water quality P P Park Non- Cortlandt monitoring. profits Lake Include informative and educational signage as part of P NYC Parks Signage Tibbetts Brook wetland restoration. VC44 Tibbetts Continue to build educational VC45 Tibbetts curriculum around Tibbetts Brook Van and Van Cortlandt Lake for Cortlandt Programming students and adults growing the P Park Non- connection between residents and profits the Brook. VCP Golf Permeable pavement in select House Green parking spots; Rain gardens can GI25 NYC Parks Parking Infrastructure capture stormwater runoff at low P Lots points. Explore feasability of retrofitting parking lot and roadway with VCP Green GI27 raingardens, and installing NYC Parks Stables Infrastructure P subsurface retention at existing buildings. Van Cortlandt Park Green Invest in green infrastructure when GI35 NYC DEP Proposed Infrastructure developing new golf house. P P Golf House Tibbetts Van Brook and Continue volunteer watershed Cortlandt VC43 Van Stewardship crew weekly water quality P P Park Non- Cortlandt monitoring. profits Lake Include informative and educational signage as part of VC44 Tibbetts Signage NYC Parks Tibbetts Brook wetland P restoration.

Van Cortlandt Park Priority Projects

Tibbetts Brook Wetland Restoration NYC Parks worked with an engineering consultant team to generate 30% conceptual designs for restoring the Tibbetts Brook wetland south of Van Cortlandt Lake as the first phase of the project to reconnect flow from Tibbetts Brook to the Harlem River. The proposed designs would enhance 4.0 acres of existing disturbed wetland, which is dominated by invasive common reed (Phragmites australis), and expand the habitat by 1.6 acres, for a total of 5.6 acres of restored wetland.The designs would also improve stormwater capture, and public access to the wetland. Significant funding is needed in order to move forward with advanced design and construction.

Cost: $$$$ $ - <$50,000 – In kind contribution, staff Lead: NYC Parks time, volunteer coordination $$ - $50,000 - $1M – new hires, ongoing Partners: BCEQ, FVCP investments $$$ - $1M - $3M – small capital projects, larger planning and coordination initiatives Tibbetts Brook Base-Flow Engineering Feasability $$$$ - >$3M – large capital projects Study

Tibbetts Brook is currently piped into the combined sewer system south of Van Cortlandt Lake contributing to the occurrences and volume of combined sewer overflows into the Harlem River. In order to explore the feasibility, opportunities, and impacts of removing the base-flow from Tibbetts Brook from the sewer system and reconnecting it to the Harlem River, an engineering feasibility study should be undertaken. Cost: $$ Lead: NYC Parks Partners: NYC DEP, NYS DEC, BCEQ

Van Cortlandt Lake Stormwater Vortechnics Chamber Maintenance Four separate stormwater outfalls discharge stormwater runoff from adjacent highways into the south-eastern side of Van Cortlandt Lake in Van Cortlandt Park. In 2003, in association with a lake dredging project, NYC Parks installed five underground concrete stormwater Vortechnics chambers to capture the stormwater runoff upstream of these four outfalls and allow sediment to settle out before entering the lake. No maintenance agreement was established for these structures at the time of construction, and the chambers have never been cleaned. The stormwater chambers should be cleaned of sediment every three to five years in order to maintain their function and protect the water quality of Van Cortlandt Lake. Cost: $ Lead: NYC Parks

Water Chestnut Control in Van Cortlandt Lake Water chestnut is a non-native invasive aquatic plant that forms dense floating mats. Once established, these mats can severely limit light, reduce oxygen levels, and increase potential for fish kills in our waterbodies. Water chestnut has become increasingly established in Van

Cortlandt Lake in recent years via seeds transported downstream in Tibbetts Brook. Since 2016, Van Cortlandt Park nonprofits, in conjunction with NYC Parks and other partners, have led an effort to remove water chestnut from Van Cortlandt Lake. In 2018, Friends of Van Cortlandt Park initiated a pilot project to work with Westchester County and the Westchester Parks Foundation to expand removal efforts into Yonkers, where many of the water chestnut seeds originate in Tibbetts Brook Park. Continued cooperative removal efforts will enhance the health of Tibbetts Brook and Van Cortlandt Lake, and engage local communities in environmental stewardship. Cost: $ Lead: Van Cortlandt Park Non-Profits Partners: NYC Parks, Westchester County Parks, City of Yonkers

Waterfront Opportunities

The 9.3 mile stretch of Harlem River waterfront along the Bronx offers little community access to the river. Through a shoreline assessment, we verified that though the shoreline is mostly hardened, areas of erosion and degradation create opportunities for enhancement (Appendix D). There are plenty of opportunities to restore the Harlem River waterfront to connected open space for the community and enhanced intertidal habitat where students and families can come to the river for educational programming. The following site-specific recommendations were developed from our shoreline assessment results and review of past planning efforts on waterfront access and greenway connectivity. The recommendations focus on how access, connectivity, and ecological habitat can be improved along the waterfront, and ways in which to engage the community with the river in their own backyards.

Waterfront Site-Specific Recommendations WF = Waterfront Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Bridge Remove concrete debris and Shoreline WF1 Park establish a living shoreline, NYC Parks Restoration P South protected by a rock sill. Partner with MetroNorth to Spuyten Shoreline NYC Parks, WF2 evaluate potential needs to protect Duyvil Restoration P MetroNorth & enhance existing salt marsh Explore feasibility of restoring intertidal habitat through natural nature-based solutions. Plant NYC Parks areas of eroded shoreline with P WF3- Mill Pond Shoreline native shrubs to buffer wave 5 Park Restoration impacts Plant areas of eroded shoreline with native shrubs to buffer wave P NYC Parks impacts Northwest Edge of Shoreline Explore feasibility of restoring WF6 Randall's NYC Parks Restoration native marsh P Island Shoreline Bridge Shoreline Restore shoreline to support WF7 Park NYC Parks Restoration intertidal habitat P P South Volunteer invasive plant NYC Parks, management to restore habitat P partner and views of the Harlem River NGOs Bridge Shoreline WF8 Park Restoration Evaluate stability of shoreline and overlook. Repair using materials NYC Parks and structures that can increase P habitat for aquatic organisms. Stream and Investigate opportunities and WF9 CSX Site Wetlands funding to connect the Tibbetts P NYC Parks Restoration Brook by-pass to the Harlem River Property Acquire public open space NYC Parks Acquisition P WF10 CSX Site Extend the Harlem River Greenway Greenway along CSX property NYC Parks Connectivity P north to Kingsbridge

Waterfront Site-Specific Recommendations WF = Waterfront Short Long Recommended Term Term Leads & ID Location Description Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years)

WF11 144th St Development Develop parkland P NYC Parks

Design and construct Bridge Park South such that an on-water Waterfront access point could be NYC Parks Access P incorporated if/when additional Bridge WF funding is secured Park 12 South Greenway Extend the Harlem River NYC Parks Connectivity Greenway at Bridge Park South P Parkland De-map Exterior Street and NYC DOT,

Connectivity convert to parkland P NYC Parks Bridge Improve connectivity of Bridge WF Park Parkland Park South with the High Bridge NYC Parks,

13 South/Hig Connectivity by prioritizing completion of P NYC DOT h Bridge ongoing step improvement project Work with community groups to Mill Pond WF12 hold trash and invasive removal NYC Parks, Park, Waterfront , events at Bridge & Mill Pond NGO Bridge Access P WF14 Parks to improve access and partners Park views of the River Extend the Harlem River Greenway through the Mill Pond EDC, Greenway WF15 Pier 5 Park expansion and esplanade at Private Connectivity P Pier 5 to connect to the planned Developers park at 144th Street Ensure a connection between Mill Pond Park and Pier 5 by WF14 Pier 5, Mill Parkland extending the Harlem River NYC Parks, - Pond Park Connectivity Greenway through the Mill Pond P EDC WF15 Park expansion and esplanade at Pier 5 Include signage in Bridge Park Bridge South on historic use of the WF16 Park Signage NYC Parks Harlem River & information on fish P South consumption.

Waterfront Site-Specific Recommendations WF = Waterfront Short Long Recommende Term Term Leads & ID Location Description d Action (<5 (>5 Partners years) years) Work with NYS Parks to hold engagement events across Stewardship NYC Parks Roberto Clemente State Park & P Bridge Park.

Bridge Park, Share NYC DEP water quality WF17 Roberto data collected at Roberto Clemente Clemente State Park with NYS Parks to enhance already existing NYC DEP, Programming Environmental Education P NYS Parks curriculum to provide more focused attention on the Harlem River. Bronx Children's Leverage partnerships to expand NYC Parks, Museum, WF18 Programming existing programming, such as Community other P GreenGirls CPF Program. Organizations community orgs. Explore opportunities for Bridge Park WF19 Programming educational programming related NYC Parks South P to restored shoreline habitat

Waterfront Priority Projects

Extending the Harlem River Greenway Establishing a continuous greenway along the Harlem River waterfront has been a goal of Bronx residents for many years. In 2012, the Trust for Public Land and Harlem River Working Group published a community initiated vision for a Harlem River Greenway that runs the entire length of the river and connects to existing greenways and bicycle paths. Extending the existing greenway at Bridge Park through Bridge Park South (Depot Place) and through the Mill Pond Park expansion and esplanade will contribute toward an eventual continuous greenway.

Cost: $$$ $ - <$50,000 – In kind contribution, staff Lead: NYC Parks time, volunteer coordination $$ - $50,000 - $1M – new hires, ongoing Partners: Private property owners, EDC investments $$$ - $1M - $3M – small capital projects, larger planning and coordination initiatives Design and Build Bridge Park South (Depot Place) $$$$ - >$3M – large capital projects NYC Parks has secured funding for design and construction of Bridge Park South (Depot Place), between the High Bridge and Alexander Hamilton Bridge on the Harlem River. Development of this currently vacant and unused property into a passive park will allow for restoration of the shoreline, management of highway runoff through green infrastructure, and improved waterfront access for local residents through extension of the Harlem River Greenway. Cost: $$$$ Lead: NYC Parks Partners: Federal Highway Division

Stewardship and Educational Events For decades, Bronx residents have been cut off from the Harlem River waterfront by transportation corridors. As parks and public open spaces are built and/or revitalized along the waterfront, and increasing attention is paid to improving pedestrian safety in key corridors, it is important to provide opportunities for Bronx residents to access the public health, aesthetic, and recreational benefits of the Harlem River. NYC Parks will prioritize identifying opportunities to hold public events at waterfront parks, and will explore the possibility of developing watershed curricula in conjunction with the Bronx Children’s Museum which is scheduled to open in Mill Pond Park in 2020. Cost: $-$$ Lead: NYC Parks Partners: Bronx Children’s Museum, Van Cortlandt Park Non-Profits, Partnerships for Parks, Watefront Alliance, Riverkeeper, other community partners

Tracking and Monitoring To ensure the long-term sustainability of this plan, NYC Parks will track progress towards completing recommendations and achieving the overall vision of a clean, healthy, and accessible watershed. As we advance projects, these efforts will allow us to be responsive and adaptive to changes in condition, new research, and lessons learned during implementation. NYC Parks manages a database to track natural resources restoration projects and has developed a Restoration Opportunities Inventory, documenting opportunities for habitat restoration throughout New York City. We will use these tools to assess plan progress and the ensure that information on recommendations is readily accessible to funders, land managers, and stakeholders. We will also track the status of recommended actions using a form presented in Appendix E. Specific performance criteria include: 1. Acres of forest restoration 2. Acres of tidal or freshwater wetland restoration 3. Linear miles of stream restoration 4. Number of gallons of stormwater managed through green infrastructure 5. Number of green infrastructure and restoration projects in planning, design, and construction 6. Number of street trees planted 7. Number of trails and linear feet of trails managed 8. Number of volunteers engaged 9. Number of outreach events held and number of attendees 10. Number of grants applied for a funding secured In addition, NYC Parks has generated robust monitoring protocols for assessing success of its restoration projects, including the Natural and Nature-Based Features Monitoring Framework and a Forestry Rapid Site Assessment. We conduct a Street Tree Census every ten years to monitor street tree, density, growth, and condition, with the next census planned for 2025. Finally, we will report on plan progress annually to the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary program and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership.

Looking Ahead The Bronx Harlem River Watershed is a diverse and dynamic system that contains critical resources for protection and restoration, along with exciting opportunities for water quality improvement, greenway expansion, and public engagement. With input from a Watershed Advisory Committee of 16 organizations, three public meetings, and XX participants, our plan presents a consensus of recommendations that are ripe for advocacy, funding, and implementation. NYC Parks is committed to working with lead and partner organizations identified in the plan to advance recommendations, working towards the four goals of the watershed: 1) protect, restore and enhance natural resources, 2) manage stormwater, 3) promote access and connectivity, and 4) engage and educate the public. This plan provides a framework with actionable next steps to achieve the vision of a clean river and healthy watershed that is accessible for all to enjoy.

References

1. Horenstein, 2007 – canal, marble hill, manhattan 2. Brownfields definition 3. http://www.eastrivercrew.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/HistoryRowing-RowingInNYC- A_Lost_LegacyArticle2012.05.30.pdf 4. US Census 2010

5. DEC Commissioner Policy 29 on Environmental Justice and Permitting [https://www.dec.ny.gov/public/911.html]

6. DEP, 2004 “. Along the shoreline, groundwater levels change with the ebb and flow of the tide. Except during high tides, groundwater generally flows west towards the River.” 7. DEP, 2012 “The total drainage area of Tibbetts Brook is 2,508 acres, of which 975 acres are in the Bronx. The remaining 1,533 acres are in Westchester County.” 8. NYC Parks, 2014 – “In 1699, at roughly the head of the tidal creek, Jacobus Van Cortlandt dammed the brook to power two mills, forming Van Cortlandt Lake” 9. Water Sensitive Cities, 2010. “Prior to development, when most of the watershed was forested, as much as 80% of all precipitation would have been absorbed by the soil or intercepted and taken up by plants.” 10. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/cso_long_term_control_plan/harlem-hudson-river- kickoff-meeting-presentation.pdf 11. https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I4ed840cbcd1711dda432a117e6e0f345?view Type=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextDa ta=(sc.Default) 12. Mueller and Estabrooks, 2006 “Harlem River sediments, like the rest of the NY Harbor, have been impacted by centuries of industrial waste and urban pollution and contain PCBs and heavy metals.” 13. Ibid 14. NYS DEC Van Cortlandt Lake Electrofishing Survey June 2017 15. Friends of Van Cortlandt Park Tibbetts Brook Water Monitoring Program Report, 2016 16. NYS DEC Hudson/East River Watershed Waterbody Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List, 2017 17-19. NYC Panel on Climate Change 2015 Report

20. FEMA Preliminary and Pending National Flood Insurance Rate Maps, 2013 21. Forest Management Framework for New York City, Natural Areas Conservancy, 2018 22. Ecological Assessment, Natural Areas Conservancy 23. Wetland Report, Putnam Trail, Bronx, NY, 2015 24. NYC Parks, unpublished data 25. dna info, Seal Spotted Splashing and Sunbating Near Inwood Hill Park, 2015 [https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150414/inwood/seal-spotted-splashing-sunbathing- near-inwood-hill-park] 26. DEP, 2001 27. NYC Street Tree 2015-2016 census.