Town of East Greenbush Natural Resources Inventory Town of East Greenbush Natural Resources Inventory Prepared by the East Greenbush Natural Resources Work Group Final Report May 2019 Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Contributors ................................................................................................................................................ 4 Acknowledgments....................................................................................................................................... 5 Section 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 6 Data and Methods.................................................................................................................................... 6 How to Use this Report ........................................................................................................................... 9 Base Map (Map 1) ................................................................................................................................. 10 Aerial View (Map 2) ..............................................................................................................................11 Color Infrared Aerial View (Map 3) ...................................................................................................... 12 Section 2: Physical Setting........................................................................................................................ 13 Elevation and Topography (Map 4)....................................................................................................... 13 Steep Slopes (Map 5) ............................................................................................................................ 15 Bedrock Geology (Map 6)..................................................................................................................... 17 Surficial Geology (Map 7) .................................................................................................................... 19 Soils (Map 8) ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Section 3: Water Resources ....................................................................................................................... 27 Major Aquifers and Water Supply (Map 9) ........................................................................................... 27 Streams and Watersheds (Map 10) ........................................................................................................ 29 Floodplains and Riparian Areas (Map 11) ............................................................................................ 32 Water Quality Classifications (Map 12) ................................................................................................ 35 Wetlands (Map 13) ................................................................................................................................ 39 Section 4: Habitats and Wildlife ............................................................................................................... 42 Land Cover and Land Use (Map 14) ..................................................................................................... 42 Significant Ecological Features (Map 15) ............................................................................................. 45 Large Forests (Map 16) ......................................................................................................................... 55 Grasslands, Shrublands, and Young Forests (not mapped) ................................................................... 58 Stream Habitats (Map 17) ..................................................................................................................... 59 2 Coastal Habitats (Map 18)..................................................................................................................... 62 Section 5: Climate ..................................................................................................................................... 65 Climate and Sea Level Rise (Maps 19a and 19b) ................................................................................. 65 Section 6: Land Use .................................................................................................................................. 71 Zoning and Tax Parcels (Map 20) ......................................................................................................... 71 Existing Land Use (Map 21) ................................................................................................................. 74 Regulated Facilities and Industrial Land Use (Map 22) ....................................................................... 76 Agricultural Resources (Map 23) .......................................................................................................... 79 Conservation, Recreation & Scenic Areas (Map 24) ............................................................................ 80 Historic Preservation Assets (Map 25) .................................................................................................. 85 Appendices Appendix A – List of Regulated Facilities Appendix B – Historic Sites Appendix C – Papscanee Island Statement of Significance 3 Contributors Principal Mapper: Andrew Varuzzo, Cornell University Masters of City and Regional Planning student Mapping and Editorial Assistance: Ingrid Haeckel, NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program and Cornell University Rensselaer County Land Conservation Plan Information: Nick Conrad and David Hunt, Rensselaer Land Trust Writers: Victoria Manieri (Introduction, Climate, Historic Preservation Assets) Jennifer Hixon (Physical Setting) Bob Wood (Major Aquifers, Streams and Watersheds, Water Quality Classifications, Floodplains and Riparian Areas) Ingrid Haeckel (Wetlands, Habitats) Adam Yagelski (Land Use) Jennifer Dean (Conservation, Recreation, and Scenic Assets) Nancy Kupiec (Historic Preservation Assets) Reviewers: Beth Roessler, Trees for Tribs Coordinator, NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program Emily Vail, Watershed Specialist, NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program Linda von der Heide, Principal Planner, Rensselaer County Economic Development & Planning John Winter, Executive Director, Rensselaer Land Trust Nick Conrad, Board Member, Rensselaer Land Trust 4 Acknowledgments The Natural Resources Work Group (NRWG) wishes to thank East Greenbush Town Board members Tina Tierney, Guy Warner, Jack Conway, Rick Matters, Hollie Kennedy, and Bridget Fritz for their support of and commitment of resources to complete the project. The project would not have been successful without the guidance and efforts of Ingrid Haeckel and the Hudson River Estuary Program (HREP). Special thanks to HREP Intern Andrew Varuzzo for developing the maps. The NRWG also wants to thank the East Greenbush Public Library for the space the Library made available for the NRI public meeting. This project was carried out through a partnership with Cornell University and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Program with funding from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund. 5 Section 1: Introduction East Greenbush is the most populous township in Rensselaer County and maintains a high quality of life that continues to attract residents and businesses. Preservation of the Town's fresh water, parks, and scenic spaces is essential to ensure continued prosperity and responsible growth. Recognizing this need, the Town Board convened a Town of East Greenbush Natural Resources Work Group (NRWG) in spring 2018 to create a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) to document a wide range of natural and cultural resource assets in the community. The NRWG consists of volunteers who reside in East Greenbush and have experience in land use, conservation, open space planning, civil engineering and historic preservation. As part of this initiative, East Greenbush was awarded free technical assistance and mapping support services from Cornell University through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Hudson River Estuary Program, with funding from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund. The purpose of the NRI is to identify and document naturally occurring resources located within the Town including geology and soils; water resources; habitats and wildlife; sites of cultural, historic, recreational, and scenic importance; existing land use; and climate conditions. The NRI is comprised of a series of 25 maps as well as an accompanying report with narrative descriptions, supporting data tables, and recommendations. By proactively considering the community's land and water resources, the NRI provides a foundation for comprehensive and open space planning, zoning updates, potential conservation overlay districts, identifying critical environmental areas, climate adaptation strategies, and other municipal plans and policies for the Town of East Greenbush. The NRI can also inform land stewardship and conservation in the Town. Due to the changing nature of resources documented in the NRI, and because sources of data are regularly