MAPPING OUTFALLS IN THE BRONX RIVER: AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD A HEALTHIER RIVERCAPSTONE FALL 2018SAM HOPE

Contents

Common Abbreviations.....................................2

Abstract...........................................................................4

Sustainability................................................................6

Clean Water Act.......................................................9 Background....................................................10 NPDES/SPDES..............................................11 MS4s/SWMP..................................................12 Impaired Waters list 303(d).................13 Westchester County...............................15 Current Legal Action...............................16

Bronx River...............................................................17 Physical Attributes.....................................18 History...............................................................19

Client: BxRA.............................................................20 Background....................................................21 Bronx River IMWP....................................23

Mapping Outfalls...................................................25 Water DROP................................................26 Case Studies..................................................28 Capstone Contribution..........................30 Methodology.................................................32 Scope..................................................................34 Surveying..........................................................35

Applicability/Future Steps.............................38 Short Term......................................................39 Long Term.......................................................40

References..................................................................42

Common AbbreviationsBxRA – Bronx River AllianceCSO – Combined Sewer OverflowCWA – Clean Water ActDEC – Department of Environmental ConservationDEP – Department of Environmental ProtectionDROP – Detecting River Outfalls and Pollutants EPA – Environmental Protection Agency FIB – Fecal Indicator BacteriaIPCC – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeIMWP – Intermunicipal Watershed Management Plan LTCP – Long Term Control PlanMCM – Minimum Control MeasuresMS4 – Separate Stormwater SystemNPDES – National Pollution Discharge Elimination SystemPOTW – Publicly Owned Treatment WorksSPDES – State Pollution Discharge Elimination SystemSWMP – Stormwater Management PlanTMDL – Total Maximum Daily LoadWWTP – Waste Water Treatment PlantWWFP – Waterbody/Watershed Facility Plan

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AcknowledgmentsIn the preperation for this captone I would like to extend sincere thanks to the following individuals.

Michelle Luebke the Director of the Ecology Team at the Bronx River Alliance. I hope this capsone will be valuable to the contiuned work of the Bronx River Alliance to improve the river.

Leonel Ponce, Ira Stern, and Jaime Stein for their guidence in this project and their dedication to education in sustainability.

My classmates for their support and input through the semester and SES program.

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Abstract

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1948 to address pollution of interstate waters. Although the original legislation was considered weak it laid the ground work for stronger amendments including ones in 1972 that gave the Act its most successful pollution control measures and became commonly known as the Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act (CWA) achieves its goal of abating pollution in waters through two measures: providing federal funds to construct waste water treatment plants for water to be processed before it is discharged and using regulatory measures to prevent pollution from being dumped at its source. To abate point source pollution the CWA made it illegal for any pollution to be discharged from a point source without retaining a permit to do so through the EPAs National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). This pollution permit system has been allocated to the state for 46 states; in New York this program is the State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES). A SPDES permit is needed in New York for any discharge into surface or ground waters.

Municipalities need to apply for SPDES permits in order to operate separate stormwater systems (MS4s) and for combined sewer overflow systems. MS4 systems are separate sewer systems that handle sanitary sewer and storm sewer lines separately. The stormwater in MS4 systems flows directly to waterways without going to wastewater treatment plants. Because everything that enters the stormwater,

including road pollution, animal feces, trash, and illicit discharges, is dumped directly into waterways the SPDES permit requires municipalities to develop and maintain a program that abates the amount of stormwater that enters their MS4 systems and monitor that only stormwater is being discharged. However, some municipalities have not kept up with this requirement, for instance, Mount Vernon which is currently being sued by the EPA and the Southern District of New York Attorney’s Office for allowing pollution to find its way into the Bronx River through their stormwater pipes.

The Bronx River has a history of being subject to pollution from the urban area that surrounds it, but it was not always this way. Until the mid 1800s the Bronx River watershed was heavily forested leaving the water pristine enough to be considered as a source of drinking water for the city at one point. The completion of the New York Central Railroad, that runs along the path of the river, in the 1840s sparked very intense industrial development along the river. This new industrial corridor and the urban development that surrounded it began to use the Bronx River as a dump site, effectively turning the once healthy water way into an open sewer. The river effectively remained this way until the 1970s when there was a wave of interest and activism in cleaning up the river. Different community groups joined forces to clean up the river. Over the following decades these efforts culminated to the creation of the Bronx River Alliance (BxRA) in 2001, which is a non-profit organization that works to serve as a

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coordinated voice for the river and restore it to a healthy productive area.

The Bronx River Alliance has conducted many successful projects and programs that have improved the river’s ecology and increased the enjoyment of the river for the surrounding areas. They are now working to further this progress by completing the Bronx River Greenway along the entirety of the river, work to remove invasive plant species so native ones can make a resurgence, and eliminate pollution in the river to increase the uses of the river and downstream communities. Currently there is a problem with sewage contamination in the river that make it unsafe for primary recreation and harms the ecology of the waterway. One of the BxRA’s projects to address this problem is Project Water DROP (Detecting River Outfalls and Pollutants). This is a water quality monitoring program that tests for, among other things, Enterococcus which is a fecal bacteria indicator. This is a naturally-occurring bacteria but when present in excess it suggests that the waterway is being contaminated from untreated sewage. The Bronx River is a long river with elevated levels of Enterococcus throughout, but especially in the Westchester County segment of the river. In Westchester County all of the municipalities operate on a MS4 system so the presence of sewage in the river suggests that there are illicit connections of sanitary sewer lines from homes or businesses to the stormwater system which is in violation of the CWA, the MS4 permit, and the more local levels of regulations.

Detecting illicit connections is a difficult thing to accomplish, it usually involves identifying and prioritizing problem watersheds and conducting sanitary investigations. Because each of the municipalities that the Bronx River flows through is responsible for their

respective MS4 systems the information of outfall locations and data about them is collected and maintained in different ways making much of the information inaccurate. The locations of the outfalls is important because identifying outfalls that are suspicious of contributing pollution is the first step in conducting an investigation of illicit connections. For my project I am working with the BxRA to survey the Westchester County portion of the Bronx River and map all of the outfalls so there will be one accurate map that can be checked against the information provided by the municipalities. Given this information the BxRA and other concerned organizations can begin an investigation of the MS4 systems to find and stop illicit connections that are contaminating the Bronx River.

From surveying the Westchester County portion of the Bronx River I found and documented close to 200 outfalls leading into the river. I collected this data using a GPS app called Fulcrum. After I collected all this information I created a map using CARTO’s software to display the location and other fields collected for each outfall. Because of the scope of the project I chose to concentrate on the area of greatest concern and only surveyed the Westchester County portion of the river. Eventually the outfalls along the entire river will need to be mapped, but through the work I did I will have also established a methodology for continued surveying of the Bronx portion of the river and all the tributaries that flow into the Bronx River. By having this information on outfalls updated and in one place with a methodology to complete surveying of the remaining outfalls that could contribute to contamination the BxRA can work with local governments and agencies to prevent pollution from entering the river and improving the ecology and enjoyment of the river for surrounding communities.

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SUSTAINABILITY

Clean Water

Clean water has been, and always will be essential to life on our planet. However, due to a changing climate resources of clean water and access and to them will be challenged. In the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report is confident that the rise in global temperature will lead to a “proportion of the world population exposed to a climate change-induced increase in water stress.” (IPCC) This water stress is due to over exploitation of resources and changing global climate that will cause, “increases in frequency, intensity, and/or amount of heavy precipitation in several regions, and an increase in intensity or frequency of droughts in some regions.”1 Even in areas that will receive higher amounts of rainfall it will be due to storms which also adversely affect water quality because, “increasing sediment and contaminant concentrations after heavy downpours.” Increased water stress not only effects clean drinking water but ability to grow crops. The IPCC is highly confident that there will be, “reductions in yields of maize, rice, wheat, and potentially other cereal crops.” (IPCC) These are foods essential to regions all over the world, and without the ability to grow food it is currently forcing

populations to migrate to new areas. This forced migration will only increase as water scarcity does making it our ever increasing most precious resource. In New York’s City Plan, OneNYC, there is a section devoted to water management. It is broken down into four sections, protect drinking water, improve the city’s water delivery system, stormwater management, and foster a cleaner harbor. These are all important because both potable water and clean waterways are necessary for a sustainable city. Clean waterbodies provide ecological services for cities benefiting human health and recreation. The two initiatives in the OneNYC plan; foster a healthier harbor and improve stormwater management are closely related. In the areas of the city that are operated on separate sewer systems the stormwater pipes do not travel to wastewater treatment plants but directly to waterbodies carrying with it all the pollutants it picks up along the way. The introduction of oils, chemicals, pathogens, and sediments to the harbor through stormwater adversely effects its ecology. Decreasing the ecology reduces human’s enjoyment of the harbor and waterways and can even make coastal areas

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more susceptible to sea level rise due to weakened wetland and riparian zones. In order to reduce pollution entering the harbor OneNYC is expanding green infrastructure to trap and store rain water before it reaches the stormwater sewer system. The NYC DEP is also required as part of their MS4 permit to implement a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) to reduce runoff and trap pollutants from washing into the New York Harbor.

Water management is also is the focus of two of the United Nation’s seventeen Sustainable Development Goals; goal number 6 Clean Water and Sanitation, and goal number 17 Life Below Water. Among many other things goal number 6 is to improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials into waters. It also proposes protecting and restoring water related

ecosystems addressing both human’s and animal’s rights to clean water. Both of these goals are proposed to be met by 2030. In the Bronx River clean water does not just address the issue of water quality in the river but it also promotes other initiatives of the BxRA. For instance, their educational programs that they conduct with local schools and organizations to teach the community about the river. It also allows the BxRA to expand their recreational activities like the Paddle the Bronx canoe trips they organize. And it benefits their ecological restoration projects like the reintroduction of native fish and oysters to the river. The Bronx River Plan is based around the thought that “an ecologically healthy river system…supports economic strength, public health, recreation, and a high quality of life for communities in the watershed.”

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CLEAN WATER ACT

BackgroundThe Federal Water Pollution Control Act was passed in 1948 to address water pollution of “interstate waters” which was defined as all rivers, lakes, and other waters that flow across, or form a part of State boundaries.” (1948 Act Sec. 10(e)) Its objective is to “restore and maintain chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.” (1948 Act Sec. 101(a)) This was the first major law passed by congress to address problems of water pollution. Legislators had attempted multiple times over the decades preceding to pass similar legislation but it was not until major industrial and urban growth after WWII that it gained enough support to be enacted. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act stated that States have the primary responsibilities and rights to water pollution control. Although the process it laid out for pollution prevention was cumbersome this act provided general framework for later legislation. (Barry) The 1948 Act was amended several times over the following decades, ten times to date, each one providing only “half-measures to attempt to solve existing problems” until the amendments of 1972. In the 1960s and 70s “growing public awareness and concern for water pollution led to sweeping amendments,” so much so that the 1948 Federal Water Pollution Control Act became commonly known as the Clean Water Act of 1972. (EPA) The original act follows the framework of many other federal acts where the federal government sets the standards to be followed and the states are responsible for implementation and enforcement of these standards. In 1972 the federal government allocated this regulatory role to the EPA.

The Clean Water Act can be explained by its use of two main strategies to achieve pollution abatement; the authorization of federal financial assistance for municipal sewage treatment plant construction, and regulatory requirements for industrial and municipal discharges. Simply put, the CWA promotes the building of waste water treatment plants through a grant program so sewage can be processed before its discharge, and uses regulatory measures to stop pollution from being dumped at its source. To encourage construction of waste water treatment plants the federal government started providing grants with the 1956 amendments. These grants were then greatly expanded in 1972, but then began to be phased out in the 1989 amendments by the introduction of a federal loan program instead. (Copeland)

To stop pollution at its source the CWA made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters unless a permit was obtained through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. (NPDES) A point source is a source that directly discharges into a waterbody. The EPA defines point sources as,

“any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container rolling stock concentrated animal feeding operation, or vessel or other floating, craft, from which pollutants are or may be discharged.” (CWA Sec. 502)

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NYPDES/SPDESThe NPDES program was created by the 1972 amendment to address pollution coming from point sources by regulating them with two controls, technology-based limits and water quality limits. Under NPDES one must obtain a license for a facility to discharge a specified amount of a pollutant into a waterbody. These licenses typically come in two types of permits either an individual permit that is tailored to a specific facility or a general permit that is granted to a group of dischargers that produce smaller qualities. Under the Clean Water Act the permit program can also be allocated to the state level, currently 46 states have the authority to regulate permits (the EPA is in control of the remaining four states). In New York this program is called the State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) created under Article 17 of the

Environmental Conservation Law and regulates discharges into both surface and groundwaters. (NYSDEC) Under SPDES, and all other approved state wastewater regulatory programs, the laws must include, at a minimum, those of the national legislation. SPDES contains a broader scope than required by the CWA as it controls point source discharges into surface and ground waters. (NYCDEC) SPDES issues both general permits for a combination of point sources, and individual permits to larger industrial or municipal discharges. For individual permits pricing is typically based on volume discharged, usually measured in gallons per day. (NYSDEC) A SPDES permit is needed for any discharge into surface or groundwaters, whether it be for stormwater runoff, treated wastewater, or construction activities.

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MS4s/SWMPMunicipalities apply for SPDES permits for their Municipal Separate Storm Water System (MS4s). The technical definition for an MS4 by the EPA is as follows,

“a conveyance of system of conveyances (including roads, with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man–made channels, or storm drains):

• Owned or operated by the state, city, town, borough, country, parish, district, association, or other public body (created by or pursuant to State law)…including special districts under State law such as a sewer district, flood control district or drainage district, or similar entity, or an Indian tribe or an authorized Indian tribal organization, or designated and approved management agency under section 208 of the Clean Water Act that discharges into waters of the United States.

• Designed or used for collecting or conveying stormwater;

• Which is not a combined sewer; and• Which is not part of a Publicly Owned

Treatment Works (POTW) as defined at 40 CFR 122.2”

This means that an MS4 system includes basically any infrastructure that makes up part of a municipalities stormwater system. In order for municipalities to discharge from their MS4 system into waterbodies they must receive a SPDES permit for any connections to the system and for any non-stormwater discharges (Westchester County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 823). Municipalities must also develop and implement a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP)

to receive a permit under SPDES. The SWMP is designed to reduce the discharge of pollution into waterways from contaminates collected by rainwater during storm events to the ‘maximum extent possible.’ Part of the SPDES requirement is the inclusion of these six Minimum Control Measures (MCM) into their SWMP.

1. Public Education and Outreach2. Public Participation and Involvement3. Illicit Discharge Detection and

Elimination4. Construction Site Runoff Control5. Post Construction Runoff Control6. Pollution Prevention/Good

Housekeeping

These requirements on the MS4 permits are part of SPDES intent to prevent to the ‘maximum extent possible’ the introduction of pollutants to the separate stormwater system by containment of pollutants and reduction of stormwater reaching the MS4 system. Because the MS4/separate stormwater system flows directly to waterbodies, stormwater is not sent to a treatment plant like wastewater so all contaminates washed away by rainwater wash directly into waterbodies.

SOURCE” EPA

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Impaired Waters List 303(d)Another regulatory tool provided by CWA is under section 303(d) or better known as the Impaired Waters List. The EPA requires this list is made by States every two years of waters that are too polluted to meet the water quality standards set by states. The EPA’s guidelines on these standards are left to the states but federal regulations say states must evaluate ‘all existing and readily available information” (40 C.F.R. §130.7(b) (5)) The EPA’s regulations also contain a non-exclusive list of information on standards that must be considered (EPA) This list must be submitted to the EPA and include not only currently impaired waters but also ones that may soon become impaired. If waterbodies are on this list, State regulatory agencies are required to prioritize these waters and develop methods to reduce contamination in them to acceptable levels. The waterbodies can be prioritized either by ranking the highest contaminated first or ranking the ones where quickest improvements can be made first. Part of the required material for a clean-up methodology is establishing a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL); this is the maximum amount of pollution that can enter a waterbody so that the waterbody can still meet water quality standards (CWA Section 303 (d)(1)(C)). These TMDLs are taken into account when SPDES permits are granted to non-stormwater discharges like wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The permit applicant must ensure that the discharges into an impaired waterbody are not contributing to the pollution of the TMDL.

The entirety of the Bronx River and many of its tributaries are on the New York State’s 303(d) list. NYCDEC, who assembles the list in New York State, separates the Bronx River

into three different segments; Lower, Middle, and Upper. The Lower portion of the River is defined on the 303(d) list as the section that begins at meeting of the East and Bronx Rivers and extends to the southernmost dam at E. Tremont Ave. which is the boundary between fresh and salt water. This reach of the river is impaired due to pathogens, priority organics (PCBs) and nitrogen, and this is attributed to urban storm water runoff, CSOs, and suspected sanitary discharge. This segment of the river has been on the 303(d) list since 1998.

The Middle of the river and its tributaries represent the freshwater section within the Bronx and stretch from E. Tremont Ave. to the Bronx–Westchester border. This segment of river is impaired due to pathogens, pollutants, and low dissolved oxygen. These impairments are caused by non-permitted sanitary discharges and urban stormwater runoff. The Lower and Middle parts of the Bronx River are part of a special exception for the requirement of developing a TMDL because in 2005 NYSDEC issuing New York City to address the over 400 Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) which led to the creation of Waterbody/Watershed Facility Plans (WWFP) and Long Term Control Plans (LTCPs) to bring CSO-impacted waters into compliance with water quality standards. The Bronx River is one of the Waterbodies that a LTCP was developed for. The Development of a TMDL may be delayed in this circumstance because of the pending effect of the LTCP. As of now no TMDL has been calculated, although, as part of the LTCP and WWFP the waste water treatment plant at Hunts Point located at the mouth of the Bronx River must install nitrogen control

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technologies to reduce nitrogen loads in discharges.

The Upper part of the Bronx River and its tributaries are the freshwater section through Westchester County and also are on the State’s Impaired Waters List for pathogens, other pollutants, aesthetics, and low Dissolved Oxygen (D.O.). These pollutants are caused by urban stormwater runoff, and other non-permitted sanitary discharges. A suspected cause of some of these pollutants is the population of geese in the Kensico Reservoir. This stretch of river also had a

number of SPDES permits that discharge into the water. The WWFP and the LTCP for the southern part of the Bronx River do not apply to the Upper part of the river, therefor at TMDL must be developed for the part of the river that flows through Westchester County. However, because the Middle and Lower segments of the river are affected by Upper part of the river it is worth monitoring because their relation may help inform water quality restoration efforts. The Upper and Middle parts of the river have been on the 303(d) list since 2002 (NYCDEC 303(d) Bronx River/East River Watershed).

Westchester CountyTo receive SPDES permits for discharges from MS4s and other systems Westchester County has developed manuals and regulations for their municipalities to follow. These regulations are especially stringent because many of the waterways in and surrounding the highly urban area are on the State’s 303(d) list so they must be extra careful to abate pollution. The County’s Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) Manual has two main goals:

1. Prevention of deterioration of surface water quality and damage to streams and riparian areas.

2. Restoration or repair of already impacted stream systems.

Not only pollution prevention but also the repair of impaired waters. Under Chapter 823 in the Westchester County Code of Ordinances the focus is on the restrictions of

use of the MS4 system. The entire chapter is focused on reducing pollutants entering the MS4 system whether direct or indirect. Much of the legislation is geared toward preventing illicit connections and activities to the system because it is not designed to accept or discharge non-stormwater waste. This Code of Ordinances defines an illicit connection as “any connection to the County’s MS4 unless it has been approved by the Commissioner of Public Works” (Westchester County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 823). There is also requirements to reduce the amount of stormwater entering the stormwater system because the less of it in the system the less pollution it can carry with it. To reduce the amount of stormwater municipalities need to implement Stormwater Management Practices (SMP) which are methods for controlling stormwater runoff or reducing its impacts (SWP Manual).

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Current Legal ActionIn June of this year the Southern District of New York Attorney’s Office and the EPA brought a lawsuit against Mount Vernon for the illegal dumping they are doing in the river. “The lawsuit alleges that Mount Vernon has long failed to comply with Clean Water Act storm sewer permit requirements designed to prevent raw sewage and other illicit pollutants from flowing from the City’s storm sewer system to the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers” (Department of Justice). Town of Mount Vernon is given a permit from the SPDES program which follows certain standards from NPDES as established in the CWA. Part of these permit obligations is for a municipality to develop a program for identifying and eliminating any sewage that is entering their stormwater system because these waters do not get treated, they are piped directly to the river. This lawsuit alleges that since 2012 Mount Vernon has

failed to comply with these permit obligations and as a result allowed raw sewage to flow into its storm sewer system and then be discharged into the Bronx River. Since 2012 the EPA has issued 2 administrative orders for Mount Vernon to address this problem but they have taken no action. This lawsuit is seeking injunctive relief and a civil penalty against the Town of Mount Vernon. However, in a press release on June 28, 2018 the EPA regional director has said that the “EPA and New York State will continue to work together with the city to ensure that Mount Vernon understands how to fix the problems with its storm sewer system.” (justice department) They are also supporting the city’s efforts to get funding to complete the necessary work, signifying their commitment to helping Mount Vernon identify and prevent pollution of the river and harm to downstream communities.

THE BRONX RIVER

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Miles

Site MapBronx River

Bronx River Watershed

New York City

Bronx/Westchester Border

Tuckahoe

The Bronx

Mt Vernon

Valhalla

White Plains

New York City

Kensico Reservoir

182nd St. Dam

Physical AttributesThe Bronx River is an impressive waterbody that stretches 24 miles from the Kensico Reservoir down to the East River in New York City (USDA). Before the Kensico Dam was built, small tributaries in what is now the Kensico Reservoir formed the Bronx River’s head waters (USDA). Construction of the Kensico Dam was completed in 1915 creating the now beginning of the Bronx River, the dam holds back 2,145 acres of water supplied by the Catskill and Delaware aqueducts. (NYC DEC) The Bronx River has a drainage area of 56 square miles. This

watershed spans into Connecticut and over the jurisdiction of 13 municipalities in New York. (BX River Plan) The Bronx River is New York City’s only freshwater river with a small brackish water section where it empties into the East River. Brackish water exists in the river from the southernmost dam at East Tremont Ave. in the Bronx, to the East River with the final 2.5 miles being a tidally influences estuary. (BX River Plan) The river flows southward with ever increasing urbanization from Valhalla until it convenes with the East River in New York City.

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HistoryThe Bronx River attracted European traders in the early 1600s as hunting grounds for the beavers that lived along the river. In 1639 a man named Jonas Bronck bought 500 acres around the river from the Mohegan Native Americans that lived along the river. He built a mill and used the river’s waters to power its production, soon after that more mills were constructed along the river. By the 1700s the Bronx River had several mills along it but the surrounding area was still mostly forested, this lack of development and pollution left the water pure enough to be considered a drinking water source for New York City in the 1820s and 1830s. However, with the completion of the New York Central Railroad in the 1840s the Bronx River Valley’s fate as an industrial corridor was sealed. “The surrounding valley was heavily forested, and the water was pure enough to drink. As the railroad arrived in the area, more industry followed. The once pristine river that served as a source of food and power was¬–by the nineteenth century¬–an open sewer.” (Bidell) “Over the years the natural landscape of the river has been altered by dams and it straightened to fit urban life this along with changing the forest to urban land uses has

degraded the ecology of the river reducing the recreational use and environmental services of it.” (BX River Plan) Around the turn of the twentieth century there began to be growing concern over the Bronx River and there began to be restoration efforts to reverse the damage done. Ironically, at the time of its construction the Bronx River Parkway was actually seen as a conservation measure. It did preserve large tracts of land surrounding the river but it also included straightening the river, reinforcing the banks, and filling the floodplain. (USDA)

The 1970s saw the beginning of community activism to clean up the river. In 1974 community activists formed Bronx River Restoration and began a project to clean-up and restore New York City’s only freshwater river. In 1997 restoration efforts took a big step forward when the Partnership for Parks brought together 60 community organizations that were committed to the improvement of the river. And in 2001 the restoration effort’s biggest success happened when the Bronx River Alliance was formed as a permanent 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to river clean up.

SOURCE: WESTCHESTER ARCHIVES PBP-901, ALBUM 14

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THE BRONX RIVER ALLIANCE

BackgroundThe Bronx River Alliance is a non-profit organization that works closely with the New York City Parks Department who gives them in-kind support such as office space and assistance with clean-up projects. The goal of the Bronx River Alliance is “To serve as the coordinated voice of the river and works in harmonious partnership to protect, improve, and restore the Bronx River corridor so that it can be a healthy ecological, recreational, educational and economic resource for the communities through which the river flows.” (BX River Alliance)

The Bronx River Alliance is governed by a diverse board that represents the many communities that the river flows through. (BX River Alliance) The board serves to guide the Bronx River Alliance and all of its projects to their common goal or river restoration. This group is made up of professionals from many backgrounds such as current or former educators, community organizations, or government. These members are almost always people from the Bronx, usually local leaders that are respected by the community and can get them involved in projects on the river.

The Bronx River Alliance works in four different fields to improve the river, each of which is led by a team.

1. The Greenway Program guides the planning and implementation of the Bronx River Greenway. Currently the greenway is a 19-mile bike and pedestrian path that runs along the river. The goal of the Greenway Team is to complete the remaining 4 miles of greenway connecting the Kensico Dam to the East River in

one continuous path along the river. Competition of this project will make the river accessible and provide open space to neighborhoods that are currently underserved increasing recreational enjoyment of the river.

2. The Education Program helps schools and community organizations use the river as a way to engage residents in educational activities. The Educational Program works with a lot of schools that allow children to learn by getting out on the river and conducting things like water quality sampling. They assist with canoe trips and walking tours along the river that serve as engaging experiences to get the community involved in protecting and improving the river corridor.

3. The Outreach Program works to get more community support and involvement in the Bronx River. They lead a large volunteer program that hosts special events and engages community organizations by offering opportunities to get involved along the river.

4. The Ecology Program leads river clean-up and restoration projects. They conduct activities like invasive species removal, native species restorations, trash cleanup events, and water quality sampling. They have a full-time conservation crew that conducts field work on the river as well as regulatory agencies that work through policy and planning.

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Bronx River IMWPIn 2010 the Bronx River Intermunicipal Watershed Management Plan (IWMP) was released by the Center for Watershed Protection, The Bronx River Alliance, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, and Westchester County Planning Department among many other contributing partners. This plan was issued to affirm a shared version of watershed management by creating a vision and goals to be accomplished for the river. “The Bronx River, which consistently appears in the NYSDEC list of impaired waterbodies…receives high nutrient and sediment loads from untreated stormwater runoff, flashy flood flows, and leaks from an aging infrastructure.” (IWMP) Dissolved oxygen and bacteria levels do not meet standards set by NYSDEC. Over the years the river has been dammed for industry and the creation of reservoirs and lakes, and the natural riparian zone has been replaced with hard infrastructure to make way for development. The increase of impervious surfaces around the river causes a high amount of piping untreated stormwater runoff into the river contributing to pollution. “Aging infrastructure, illicit sanitary-to-storm connections, and inappropriate land uses also contribute to sanitary leaks and combined sewer overflows throughout the watershed.” (IWMP) Although the Bronx River has a long history of pollution, and still struggles with lingering sources of pollution, with the help of agencies like the Bronx River Alliance, it still supports flora and fauna in the river. These animals include several types of fish, insects, water fowl, small mammals, and a diverse range of vegetation. However, many of these vegetative species are invasive which harms the ecosystem by consuming resources that would be used by native species. Invasive species do not provide the environmental services that

native ones do so keeping invasive species at bay requires a great deal of work from participating agencies. The IWMP identifies six causes of degradation to the river.

1. Disturbed Hydrology: creates more runoff which results in diminished infiltration to groundwater, increased erosion, sedimentation, and habitat disturbance.

2. Poor Water Quality: sewage and untreated stormwater that carry contaminated to the river have led to water quality that does not meet health standards making the water unsuitable for primary contact recreation.

3. Aging Infrastructure: result in sanitary sewer leaks and combined sewer overflows. Different jurisdictional authority makes a coordinated detection project difficult.

4. Invasive Vegetation: limits ecological diversity and services. Altering of native species leads to reduces shade which raises the water temperature.

5. Degraded Habitat: diminishes the diversity of native flora and fauna allowing for only pollution tolerant species to flourish under these conditions.

6. Dams: impede passage of diadromous fish, disturb natural sediment flow.

The Bronx River IWMP lays out ten strategies to address these six issues and reach their goal of “an ecologically healthy river system protected by water-sensitive practices and

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policies on the watershed, supports diverse native aquatic and riparian communities, and helps support economic strength, public health, recreation and a high quality of life for the communities in the Bronx River and Long Island Sound watersheds.”

1. Facilitate coordination between federal, state, and local agencies, community groups, and others involved in Bronx River watershed activities to maximize effective implementation.

2. Work with local, state and federal agencies to update and enforce environmental regulations and policies

3. Reduce discharges of raw sewage from an aging sanitary sewer system, illicit connections, and combined sewer overflows.

4. Invest in controlling stormwater at its source to reduce runoff volume and provide water quality treatment prior to discharge into the River or sewer system.

5. Implement large- and small-scale stream, riparian, and wetland restoration projects

6. Restore riparian buffers and upland pervious areas through land acquisition, invasive plant management, soil protection and enhancement, and planting of native trees.

7. Promote pollution prevention at stormwater hotspots for municipal operations and in targeted residential areas and businesses that have a high potential for contaminating stormwater runoff.

8. Facilitate community education and involvement in all matters affecting the health of the watershed.

9. Coordinate monitoring and project tracking to better assess the delivery, implementation, and effectiveness of management practices.

10. Communicate regularly with partners and the broader community on implementation progress, plan updates, and watershed conditions.

Water quality is one of the most important issues for the Bronx River, while illegal dumping and pollution from point sources have been a historic problem in the river these activities have mostly been stopped. The main sources of contamination now are coming from stormwater runoff and illicit connections of sanitary sewer lines to the stormwater system. These sources are much harder to control than point sources, illicit connections are usually made by accident when the sewer pipe from a home or business is connected to the stormwater drain by mistake. And many of these connections have been made so long ago and ownership of buildings has changed so current owners have no idea that this could be a problem with their home or business. This is also hard to detect because that would involve a potentially costly investigation of the stormwater sewer system. This is made even more difficult because the many municipalities that the river flows through are each responsible for their own rain water systems which they keep track of and update differently.

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MAPPING BRONX RIVER OUTFALLS

Project Water DROPPollution from raw sewage discharge and controlling stormwater runoff are some of the biggest concerns to the Bronx River right now, so much so that three out of the ten strategies outlined in the Bronx River Plan directly address this contamination. One of the efforts implemented by the Bronx River Alliance that is focused on pollution is their Project Water DROP (Detecting River Outfalls and Pollutants) which is a water quality monitoring program. In this four-year-old project volunteers work with the Ecology Program to collect samples at 15 designated sites every other week for the summer months, May through October. The sample sites are located along the entirety of the Bronx River and notes on weather conditions are taken with samples to compare the results to rain events. Samples are kept cool so higher temperatures do not affect bacteria levels while they are transported to Sarah Lawrence College Center for the Urban River at Beczak (CURB) where their lab tests for Enterococcus. Enterococcus is a Fecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB) found in the gastrointestinal tract of animals. Enterococcus is not itself harmful but indicates the presence of oth er harmful bacteria and viruses. (EPA RWQC) There are other FIBs that can be used like E. coli, but Enterococcus works for the Bronx River because it can be measured in both fresh and saltwater and is cheap to test for. Enterococcus is measured in colony forming units (cfl) the EPA has set standards for acceptable levels in recreational waters, they are 104-501cfl/100ml in marine water and 61-151cfl/100ml in fresh water. Current levels in the Bronx river prohibit primary contact which is swimming, but does allow for secondary contact which are

non-submersive activities like boating and wading.

This monitoring is done to track levels contamination in different parts of the river and how these levels are affected by rain events. Because the Bronx River is a long waterbody that flows through many different jurisdictions there are different stormwater systems in different areas. The biggest difference in sewer systems in the watershed is between the Bronx in New York City and the infrastructure in Westchester County. In the city boundary the infrastructure is mostly made up of combined sewer overflows (CSOs). In a CSO system sewage and stormwater travel through the same pipes, when a rain event large enough happens it will overwhelm the system and dump both sewage and stormwater through outfalls into waterbodies around the city. This leads to excess contamination in the City’s surrounding waters during certain storm events. The amount it takes to overwhelm the system varies depending on the location in the city but in some places it takes less than an inch of rain. The other stormwater system found on the Bronx River is Municipal Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) in this system sanitary sewer lines and stormwater pipes are separate and never mixed. Sanitary sewer lines are piped to a Waste Water Treatment Plant where it is processed before it is discharged into waterbodies, and stormwater drains and pipes flow directly to waters with no treatment.

One would expect the results of the water quality monitoring to indicate higher levels of FIB in the city portion of the river where the CSOs dump sewage into the water when a rain event happens. However, the

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Mt Vernon

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White Plains

Kensico Reservoir

182nd St. Dam

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Westchester County portion of the river, which operates on MS4s, consistently has higher levels of contamination than the Bronx. There are many factors that can lead to these high levels of contamination that might be to blame. First off Enterococcus is naturally occurring in forested areas with wildlife and Westchester, even though urbanized, has much more green space and wildlife than the portions of the city that the river flows through. Westchester County also has a large population of geese and ducks that call the river home, which have been known to influence high Enterococcus levels. However, the Bronx River Alliance among other agencies attribute these the

higher levels to human activity, especially illicit connections to the stormwater system and faulty infrastructure. The higher levels of bacteria are directly related to rain events signifying more water in the stormwater system moving contamination into the river. If only waterfowl were responsible for these Enterococcus levels rain events would not alter the bacteria levels or show dilution. The Bronx River Alliance also test for chlorine which indicates the presence of potable water, which should not be discharged from a storm drain. These two tests for FIB and chlorine show that these high levels of Enterococcus are coming from sewage contamination and not wildlife.

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Lake George is the shared name of a lake and its surrounding town in upstate New York. Like the Bronx River, Lake George was experiencing high levels of raw sewage contamination that was attributed to the urban environment around the lake. This pollution problem was particularly troubling because this lake is a popular spot for recreational use. Primary contact, such as swimming, poses the highest risk for health effects from waters effected by fecal contamination. Because of these high levels of contamination the NYS DEC, who owns and operates the beach, along with NYS DOH and the Village of Lake George began an sanitary investigation in 2016 and spanned into 2017.

These organizations started their investigation with a water quality monitoring program that sampled at various sites along a popular swim area and the watersheds that fed into them. This water quality monitoring was done every day for the swim season and even led to a few instances of beach closures when bacteria levels exceeded the NYS DOH standards. Through field surveying and specific sampling these agencies were able to identify “hotspots” where they would follow up with an infrastructure inspection. In this next step of the investigation the town and agencies used cameras to take a detailed look at the stormwater pipes for areas that had been breached or were in need of repair. They also conducted dye and smoke testing, dye testing is used to see if wastewater from private or public buildings is flowing into the stormwater system and smoke testing

Case Studyis used to identify connection failures in the sanitary system.

From the investigation the cameras found a breach in the stormwater system caused by this instillation of a natural gas line where contamination could have been finding its way into the system. The smoke testing identified several faulty connections from private residences. The catch basins near the discharge area in the lake was found to have large amounts of debris caught it in which is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and possibly a cause of the high levels of bacteria found in the sampling. The agencies also determined through their investigation that the infrastructure of the sewer systems was aging and posed risk to adding to the contamination in the lake. The break in the natural gas line and the faulty connections were repaired, and the catch basins cleaned and a maintenance plan put in place to keep large amounts of debris from accumulating. The town was also awarded grants, including one from the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, that would cover the costs of repairing flaws in the sewage collection system. Lake George also developed a plan to continue to work with NYC DEC to identify where infrastructure repair is needed and continue water quality monitoring through the 2018 swim season.

This case study is demonstrated how to successfully conduct a sanitary investigation of a stormwater system that was subject to fecal contamination. By learning about process of a sanitary investigation it helped me shape my methods to be more useful in the next steps of cleaning up the river.

Lake George, New York

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Case StudyGreenville, South Carolina

Greenville is a county in upstate South Carolina and is in a similar situation to Westchester County where the municipalities within the county either own or are co-permittees with the county for their stormwater systems. Greenville is home to six MS4 municipalities, four of operate the sewer system in consortium with the county. Also similar to that of Westchester County, Greenville’s permit requirement includes an Illicit Discharge Detection Elimination program. Because they were suspicious of contamination Greenville county wanted to do a targeted watershed illicit discharge detection and elimination investigation to ensure that no excess bacteria or nutrients was entering the stormwater system form faulty infrastructure.

They began the investigation by dividing the area to survey into manageable watershed study areas. The County’s focus was on the Reedy River watershed because of a nutrient TMDL as part of the EPA’s 303 (d) list. Once the sub-watershed were developed all available GIS data was gathered including information about streams, roads, buildings, sewer lines, manholes, and outfall data. Because the county does not own the sewer infrastructure this data had to be collected from the sub districts, similar to the one of the causes in the gaps of information about sewage infrastructure in Westchester County. After the GIS information is gathered and complied the field surveying can then

start, the team did this by walking the streams in the watershed and inspecting the infrastructure to make sure it has been maintained and operated properly. They look for things like; are the manholes bolted shut, is there evidence of overflow from the sanitary sewage system that drained into the creek, and take water quality sampled up and downstream of sanitary sewer line crossings to see if they are effecting the water. During the field survey they are also looking for dry-weather discharges from stormwater lines which might indicate an illicit discharge, these discharges are also sampled. From their GIS work and stream surveys they were able to find and fix numerous sewer line leaks, overflows, illicit connections, and debris removal. The county plans on continuing this illicit discharge detection and elimination program every year into the future with the hopes of including a camera investigation in the near future.

This case study provided me with a good example of how to do a field survey and what to look for. Reading this before I did my field days allowed me to plan them better and develop a useful survey to generate information to assist in a future investigation of infrastructure. It also showed the difficulties of not having one reliable map of the sewage infrastructure and how field work can help to overcome that.

Source:Greenville IDDEP

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My Capstone Contribution

With the evidence pointing to the source of contamination as sewage finding its way into the river from faulty infrastructure and illicit connections and legal pressure to stop the dumping in the river the next step is to find the sources of pollution. This is usually done by prioritizing sub–watersheds or areas where the water quality samples are showing the highest levels of the two indicators of contamination. From there the organizations conducting this investigation would then identify what they suspect are the problem outfalls that are contributing to pollution and work up the system to find where illegal connections are made, or the infrastructure has failed letting contamination is find its way in. So far, with the help of the volunteers, the Bronx River Alliance has a water quality monitoring program that can be used to prioritize areas to start their investigation. However, there is no reliable source that has a map and database of the outfalls in the river. This is because each of the municipalities through which the Bronx River flows is responsible for mapping their respective sewer networks, but many of them have not yet done it and the information is not readily available. This absence of information about the sewer systems and outfalls is a missing link in the steps to conduct an investigation and prevent this continued stream of pollution into the Bronx River. The project I have been working on

will help to fill in this gap of information about the sewage infrastructure allowing the Bronx River Alliance and other organizations to conduct necessary investigations.

For my project I have been working with the Bronx River Alliance to map all of the outfalls in the Westchester County stretch of the Bronx River, or the Bronx River Upper as it is known in the NYSDEC 303(d) list. To do this I have walked the entirety of this part of the river, from the Bronx/Westchester border to the beginning of the river at the Kensico Dam. All along the way I have been collecting GPS coordinates and some characteristics of each outfall by filling out a questionnaire I have designed for each one. By creating data and locations about each of the outfalls the Bronx River Alliance will be able to compare what I have documented with what the municipalities have recorded to ground truth the accuracy of their maps. The data I collected will bridge the gap between where the current conditions of the river and where the Bronx River wants it to be as defined by its goals in the Bronx River Plan. An accurate map of the outfalls will assist in several of the strategies laid out in the plan specifically the 3, 7, and 9 that have to do with prevention of raw sewage pollution, identification of pollution hot spots, and implementation of monitoring and project tracking.

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OutreachProgram

Project Water DROP 1. Monitoring Entero 2. Data Collection

1. Financial federal assistance for sewage treatment plants

2. Regulatory requirements for discharges

Mapping Bronx River Outfalls

BxRA

CWAPollution Abatement

Bronx River IMWP

1. Coordinate between Gov. and community groups

7. Pollution prevention at stormwater hotspots

6. Restore riparian buffers

5. Impliment wetland restoration projects

4. Invest in controlling stormwater run-off

3. Reduce discharges of raw sewage

2. Work with agencies to enforce regulations

10. Communicate regularly with partners and community

9. Coordinate monitoring and project tracking

8. Facilitate community education and involvement

Greenway Program

Ecology Program

Education Program

Happy, Healthy River

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MethodologySurveying required a lot of field work on the river marching upstream and searching for outfalls. But before I got started exploring the river I had to create a GPS survey complete with fields to answer about each outfall. I did this in the website/app Fulcrum which allowed me to plot the coordinate location of each outfall and fill out survey questions about it. This mapping tool is designed on a computer then used through an app on a device such as a smartphone when in the field allowing for an accurate GPS location and easy data collection. When designing this questionnaire, I referred to one that the Bronx River Alliance has used in the past which noted physical attributes of the outfall like size, shape, and material it was made from. This previous questionnaire gave me a good basis for my updated one but after

talking to a data analyst from NYCDEP who works with watershed management I was able to create a much more detailed survey that would give me more useable data.

John was able to help me shape my qestions to generate more effective data. After looking at my original fields he suggested I reconfigure my questions so that each would have an answer every time so there would be no blanks in my data. An example is including a N/A choice in the flow description instead of leaving it blank if there was no flow. He stressed the importance of creating questions that are precise yet easy to comprehend so this survey could be used by different data collectors and the results be consistent. Here are the final survey fields that I settled on:

1. Outfall ID: this is a unique identifier for each outfall so it can be tracked. The beginning letters are either L or R for left or right when facing upstream, followed by two letters significant of what type of outfall it was, i.e. CP for closed pipe.

2. Date: that record was taken.

3. Time: that record was taken.

4. Rain event in past 24 hours: This is a Yes/No question that is important to know to judge the significance if any water was being discharged.

5. Outfall Type: multiple choice of the design of the outfall.

a. Closed Pipeb. Open Drainagec. Manhole/Catch Basind. Other

6. Outfall Material: Multiple choice of what it is made from.

a. CMP (Corrugated Metal Pipe)b. RCP (Reinforced Concrete Pipe)c. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)d. Concretee. Steelf. Eartheng. Other

7. Outfall Shape: geometric shape.

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a. Circular b. Boxc. Parabolicd. Ellipticale. Other

8. Outfall Quantity: how many pipes. a. Singleb. Doublec. Other

9. Outfall Dimension: measurement of the outfall opening.

10. Flow Description: Important to know when paired with the source contributing to the outfall. I.e. stormwater outfalls are not supposed to be discharging during dry-weather conditions, also why noting a recent rain event is important.

a. N/Ab. Tricklec. Moderated. Substantial

11. Land Use in Drainage Area:

important to know sources of runoff flowing into outfall and possibility for illicit connections

a. Industrialb. Ultra-Urban Residentialc. Suburban Residentiald. Commerciale. Open Spacef. Institutionalg. Other

12. Submergeda. Nob. Sediment Partiallyc. Water Partiallyd. Sediment Fullye. Water Fully

13. Comments/Notes: space of other significant factors.

14. Photos of the outfall.

The location of the outfall along with the information gathered about it from this survey and results from water quality sampling will help the Bronx River Alliance prioritize areas and outfalls. One of the most important fields is if the outfall is dry-weather discharging, this is an indicator of illicit dumping because the vast majority of outfalls surveyed were a

part of the stormwater system which should only be transferring water during rain events. Certain attributes of an outfall are present together it can be an indicator of illicit connections. For instance, outfalls that are dry-weather discharging with residential or commercial land uses are more likely to have illegal connections than others.

One of the most important fields is if the outfall is dry-weather discharging, this is an indicator of illicit dumping because the vast majority of outfalls surveyed were a part of the stormwater system

which should only be transferring water during rain events.

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Because of the time frame of this project I had to define a scope of the amount of surveying that I would be able to complete. The end goal is to have a map of every outfall throughout the entire watershed, unfortunately, this did not fit within the timeline of the semester because while the Bronx River proper is a 23-mile long stretch there are many miles more of tributaries that feed into the river each with their own set of outfalls. I decided that I would survey only the Westchester County portion of the river.

This seemed to be an accomplishable task and this is the area there the water quality sampling indicated the highest levels of sewage pollution. Even though the pollution is attributed to MS4 stormwater systems and this style of sewer extends into the Bronx about half way down until the Bronx Zoo where CSOs populate the remainder of the river, I chose to stop at the Bronx/Westchester border because the MS4s past that point are not the ones of main concern.

Scope

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SurveyingTo conduct my surveying, I simply borrowed a pair of waders from the Bronx River Alliance and walked the entirety of the river in Westchester County documenting the outfalls along the way. I found it easier to walk upstream than downstream and after one day of surveying I was able to gauge the pace at which I could walk, which was about the distance between two stops on the Metro North Harlem line. This was convenient because the Harlem line runs parallel to the path of the river and was going to be my main mode of transportation. On the first day I took the Metro North to White Plains where I started walking northward to Valhalla where the river begins at the Kensico dam. On this particular day the water in the river was higher and murkier than usual because

of rain in the previous 48 hours. This made waking in the channel impossible but conveniently there is a park that extends the length of this walk from White Plains to Valhalla allowing me to walk along the river and survey the outfalls. The following days of surveying I was able to walk the channel of the river which really allowed me to do the surveying because many of the remaining sections of the river bank were overgrown and not accessible public space. However, wading through the river did have its challenges, the river bed is covered with rocks, large and small, road debris like traffic cones and hubcaps, and sometimes large pieces of garbage like mattresses and shopping carts. The depth of the river ranges from very wide, shallow stretches to very

Outfalls Dry Weather Discharging

3 Outfalls

narrow deep ones. I was constantly having to monitor how deep I could walk before my waders would overflow with water and often had to turn around and try a different path around deep holes. There are many pipes and limbs crossing the river that had to be scrambled over or under and bridges that cast dark shadows that made putting one foot in front of the other an exercise of faith in oneself.

I was able to complete the surveying over six days of field work. Between the Bronx/Westchester border and the headwaters of the Bronx River I located and collected data oon 264 outfalls along the river. The outfalls ranged from pipes diverting stormwater from an over-pass to the river, to SPDES permitted discharges of large amounts of treated wastewater. It was surprising how many of the outfalls were dry-weather-discharging which is an indicator of illicit dumping. Out of the 264 outfalls that documented 54 of them were dry weather dischargin, or 18%.

During one of my days I even stumbled upon an outfall that was discharging a cloudy pink liquid into the river, I reported it to the BxRA who called it into the DEC for further investigation.

Another surprising element of the river I observed surveying was how beautiful and ecologically active the river is. Before I went and visited the river for the first time my expectation from what I had heard and read was the Bronx River was a toxic, dangerous waterway so polluted it would not take a specialist to see it. However, what I found was a vibrant waterbody that was called home by many animals. The water had population of large and small fish, and freshwater turtles. Living around the river were lots of mallards and geese, small songbirds, and even black squirrels in some areas. There were many vegetative restoration projects underway, by the BxRA and other organizations, to repair the riparian zone. Many of the projects were focused on

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expanding the amount of native vegetation around the river to perform ecological services and complement the growth of the river animals that depend on them. The river was also being enjoyed by many people using the greenway. Lots of biker riders, joggers, dog walkers, and other just enjoying a stroll along the river, I of course got concerned looks from all of them and a few

questions. The greenway was supporting lots of outdoor activity and connectivity between bigger parks, but no one dared go near the water. The pedestrians that did stop to talk to me all were of the opinion that the river was unsafe and they were glad I was working with an organization that is dedicated to improving its health.

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APPLICABILITY/ FUTURE STEPS

Short Term Having an updated map of the outfalls flowing into the Bronx River will help the BxRA and other organizations find and stop sources of pollution entering the river in several ways. The most immediate of which is their ongoing data-driven advocacy to raise awareness of contamination in the river. Advocacy is a huge focus of the BxRA, their mission statement includes “to serve as a coordinated voice for the river…” Much of their work in advocating for restoring the Bronx River is driven by data, a lot of which they collect themselves. Water DROP is a project they started to monitor the water quality of the river and to use that data to demonstrate that the river is subject to contamination. From this project they have found that pollution is a particular problem in Westchester County and with the work I have contributed by mapping all of the outfalls they can narrow down the areas it is coming from even more. By collecting all of this data BxRA can approach organizations tasked with eliminating pollution from the river and offer assistance or even possible solutions to the contamination.

Part of this data-driven advocacy will be to use the updated outfall map to serve as a way of ground-truthing the current data that the municipalities have on their MS4 systems. By overlaying the existing maps with the updated one that I have created the BxRA will be able to identify discrepancies between them which can help identify areas where point sources of pollution could be located. Additional testing and sampling can be done at these suspicious outfalls as well as ones listed in the Consent Orders against specific municipalities to identify sub-basins that must be investigated. Part of the identity of the BxRA is to be an organization that works cooperatively with others to benefit the river. They would rather provide a municipality with data that suggests they are contributing to poor water quality so they can work together to fix the problem than they would provide the press with the same data in an attempt to publicly shame the municipality into compliance.

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Long Term

With the information gathered about the location and attributes of each outfall the BxRA can use this data in conjunction with their results from their water quality monitoring projects to identify and prioritize areas of concern. If Enterococcus levels are consistently high at a particular sample site and not the site upstream of it one can infer that there is a problem outfall/s in between the two sites, especially if these are outfalls with high rates of dry-weather discharging. Once particular outfalls or sub-watersheds are identified more specific water quality sampling can be done in these locations to confirm that theses outfalls are ones that are contributing to pollution in the river. To find where these systems are being breached by sources of sewage contamination there will need to be a sanitary investigation of the MS4s system to find and fix these illicit connections. A sanitary investigation of a sewer system involves lots of sampling, testing, and surveying of the system to find flaws in the MS4 lines. There are many ways to conduct a sanitary investigation some examples that the BxRA can look at to inform their work from case studies like Lake George, New York, and Greenville, South Carolina.

Finding and fixing flaws in the stormwater systems is how the problem of sewage contamination in the river will be solved. To do this an accurate map of the outfalls leading into the river is necessary to begin an investigation. However, because of the

scope of this capstone project I was only able to survey the Bronx River in Westchester County. There are many tributaries that feed into the Bronx River that will also need to be surveyed to create an accurate outfall map, many of these tributaries are included on the NYS 303(d) list in conjunction with the Bronx River. The work I have done mapping the outfalls in the Bronx River proper has not only created useful data but also established a methodology for future surveying if the BxRA chooses to continue surveying the tributaries and remainder if the river in the Bronx. The continued use of my survey and methodologies is something that I kept in mind when I was developing it. The survey is designed to be simple so other people can use it to generate consistent data without gaps or missing information. With my map I will also create a guide to the survey explaining abbreviations and each of the fields as well as methodologies used to generate unique identifiers for the outfalls using the type of outfall and left or right while facing upstream. With this guide and methodology, the outfall map I started can be completed in the future and all pollution finding its way into the Bronx River through stormwater drains will be prevented.

With this complete and updated map of the outfalls in the Bronx River the Bronx River alliance and other organiations can more effectivley work to toward a healthier Bronx River.

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Byappanahalli, Harwood, Korajkic, Nevers, Staley. Enterococci in the Environment. December 2012. Web. Accessed September 2018.

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