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November 21, 2019
Angela Licata
NYC Department of Environmental Protection
Deputy Commissioner
Water Quality and Natural Resources
2
Improving the Quality of Our Waterways
Fecal ColiformSummer Geometric Means
20171985
3
$-
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20
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1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
CS
O P
rog
ram
Cu
mu
lati
ve C
ost
($B
)
An
nu
al
CS
O V
olu
me (
BG
Y)
Annual CSO Volume (BGY) CSO Program Cumulative Cost ($Billions)
Projected CSO Reduction with LTCP Projects
1973-2011
• $40B in WWTP
investments
• Upgraded 12 WWTPs
to secondary treatment
• Built 2 new WWTPs
Actual Estimated
4
Why Natural Systems?
• Water quality improvements through large infrastructure solutions.
• New infrastructure projects produce incremental improvements as past investments
have already provided substantial cost effective water quality improvements.
• Sustainable and nature-based approaches need to be part of the toolbox
• Protect, preserve and improve water quality, and also provide substantial ecological lift.
Idlewild Separate Sewer Construction, 1994
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Example Wetland Restoration Projects
Alley Creek
Jamaica
Bay
Paerdegat
Basin
Map Source: Google Earth
Penn. & Fountain
Landfills
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Alley Creek Wetland Project
Active Alley Creek Wetland
Demonstration Site
Primary
Channel
Secondary
Channel
Tertiary Channel
Primary Channel
Alley Creek
Alley Creek 2010
Wetland Restoration
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Alley Creek Project Drivers
Tidal Wetlands and Pathogen Reduction
• Evaluate tidal wetland systems for their ability to remove nutrients and fecal
indicator bacteria (FIB) to improve water quality.
• Working with the Science and Resiliency Institute at Jamaica Bay (SRIJB)
• Water column and sediment parameters to be measured include:
o Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB)
o Dissolved oxygen
o Nitrogen and phosphorus
o Total suspended solids
o pH
o Salinity
Alley Creek 2010 Wetland Restoration
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Alley Creek Restoration
Tidal flows bring water
into the system
Channels
enhance contact
Bacteria attach
to vegetation
UV light eliminates
bacterial light
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Ribbed Mussels and Pathogen Reduction
• DEP is coordinating with the New York State Department Environmental Conservation
(DEC), Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County and Stony Brook
University
• Evaluating the potential for using ribbed mussel (guekensia demissa) for water quality
improvements.
• Ribbed mussels are possibly unique among bivalves in also possessing the ability to
filter and digest free bacteria.
• Existing research confirms that ribbed mussels have removal efficiencies of greater
than 10% for particle sizes between 0.2 - 2 µm (within fecal coliform range of sizes)
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Jamaica Bay Marsh Island Restorations
Map Source: Google Earth
Rulers
Bar
Black
Wall
Yellow Bar
Elders West
Elders East
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Jamaica Bay – Elders West Restoration
Salvaging native sod Wetland construction
Installed wetland Mature wetland
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Paerdegat Restoration & Beneficial Sand Reuse
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Paerdegat Basin Restoration
Restoration of cleared areas
with maritime grassland
habitat; water views
Debris and garbage removed
Placement of upland sand and
tidal wetland planting
Invasive vines and vegetation
cleared
Protection and preservation of
native vegetationPost Restoration
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Paerdegat Basin After Restoration
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Pennsylvania & Fountain Landfills
Historical Context
• Green Shading are shoreline and
wetlands in late 1800’s
• Approximately 85% of all tidal
wetlands have been lost in NYC
• JB wetlands were originally 16,000
acres, now 1,200 acres remain
Pre-development shoreline & wetlands
Source: US National Archives
Landfill Restoration
• 400 acres restored
• Used a diversity of local native
plant species – different from using
a layer of grass/sod
• Renamed Shirley Chisholm State
Park in 2018
Penn. Landfill, 1973 Penn. Restoration
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Thank You
Source: Eric Salard, Flickr
Source: Kenneth Dellaquila, Flickr
Source: Mitch Waxman, NY Beach Ferry
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