Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced essential provisions for New York’s water resources are included in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA 2022), which passed in December 2022. This legislation will enable the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) to complete several risk management studies on flooding and start new projects that are key to New York’s water restoration, waterway resiliency, and emergency flood protection. Gillibrand also successfully pushed for provisions to prevent invasive species from accessing New York’s waterways, including the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. These species pose a serious threat to the natural ecosystems, economy, and public health of the Rochester, Buffalo, the Finger Lakes, and North Country regions. WRDA has recently been passed every two years and authorizes water resource studies and projects and sets policies for navigation, flood control, hydropower, recreation, water supply, and emergency management for the Army Corps.

“These important WRDA provisions will help improve New York’s shoreline resiliency and flood protection and will prevent coastal erosion along the Great Lakes and beyond,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This past year, New York has experienced record-breaking storms and extreme weather; that’s why I fought for these key provisions to better protect our communities and shorelines from risks of high water levels, storm surge, and extreme weather.”

RequestDescription

Lake Champlain Watershed Environmental               This provision increases the authorized amount for the Lake Champlain Watershed
Assistance Program                                                  Environmental Assistance Program to $100 million, up from the currently authorized amount of
                                                                                $32 million. The Lake Champlain Watershed Environmental Assistance Program is a regional
                                                                                environmental assistance program for the Lake Champlain Watershed which is a nationally
                                                                                significant watershed extending from New York State through Vermont and into Quebec, Canada.

Lake Champlain Canal Barrier                                   The Champlain Canal, which connects Lake Champlain to the Hudson River and Great Lakes
                                                                                watersheds, remains an open pathway for transporting aquatic invasive species to Lake
                                                                                Champlain. Many species – including the Asian clam, spiny water flea, hydrilla, round goby, and
                                                                                quagga mussel – have already or could potentially enter Lake Champlain through the Champlain
                                                                                Canal. This provision authorizes the Army Corps to construct, maintain, and operate a dispersal
                                                                                 barrier at federal expense if the study results in the Corps recommending a barrier be installed.

Mohawk River Basin Flood Risk                                  This provision authorizes the Army Corps to study the Mohawk River Basin and make
Management Study                                                    recommendations for improvements to the water resources of the basin, including flood risk
                                                                                 management, navigation, environmental restoration, and other cultural resources.

South Shore of Long Island Coastal                            This provision authorizes the Army Corps the authority to study the South Shore of Long Island as
Resiliency Study                                                         a whole system, including inlets that are federal channels for coastal resiliency efforts.

Blind Brook Flood Risk Management Study                 This provision authorizes the Army Corps to study Blind Brook flooding in the City of Rye. Blind
                                                                                 Brook collects water and silt from the runways of Westchester Airport in White Plains, highly-
                                                                                 developed areas of Harrison and Rye Brook, and Interstates 287 and 95. In 2019, with the help of
                                                                                 Senator Gillibrand’s office, the City of Rye initiated a review of Blind Brook that would determine
                                                                                 whether the Army Corps needed to pursue flood control projects in the watershed.

New York Harbor Collection and Removal of              This provision reauthorizes a previous authority – New York Harbor Collection and Removal of
Drift                                                                           at the source. This language reauthorizes the original authority and requires the Corps to
                                                                                  prepare an updated report to Congress on the feasibility and cost of performing this
                                                                                  authorization.

Nationwide Low-Head Dams Inventory                       This section amends the National Dam Safety Program Act to require the Army Corps to develop,
                                                                                  and make publicly available, an inventory of all low-head dams in the United States and to
                                                                                  periodically update the inventory in consultation with relevant federal and state agencies.
                                                                                  New York has one of the highest numbers of low-head dams in the country. While the current estimate
                                                                                  is 200 to 300 across the state, it is likely that there are more since there has not been a reported
                                                                                  inventory since 2014.

Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project                           This provision increases the federal cost share for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project from
                                                                                   80% to 90% for the remaining design, construction, operation, and maintenance costs. The
                                                                                   Brandon Road Lock and Dam is a key piece of infrastructure with profound regional and national
                                                                                   significance. This project is intended to prevent invasive carp from migrating up the Mississippi
                                                                                   River and colonizing in the Great Lakes, which could devastate the ecosystem that supports
                                                                                   fisheries for tribal, commercial, and recreational interests. The invasive carp could also reduce
                                                                                   property value and be detrimental to local and regional economies that rely on recreational
                                                                                   tourism.  

Cost Increase Authorization for South Shore of                   This provision increases the federal portion for costs
Staten Island Coastal Storm Risk Management Project         that exceed the estimated project costs from 65% to 90%.

Hudson-Raritan Estuary Feasibility Study:                   This provision authorizes the Army Corps to carry out additional feasibility studies pursuant to
Ecosystem Restoration Projects                                   the recommendations of the Hudson Estuary Ecosystem restoration investigation.

Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations                     This provision authorizes the Army Corps to carry out a research study pilot program at one or
                                                                                   more dams in the eastern United States to assess the viability of the FIRO (Forecast-Informed
                                                                                   Reservoir Operations) program, which monitors reservoirs for drought conditions in the western
                                                                                   United States, being expanded to the eastern United States.

Interior Drainage (Queens)                                          This provision authorizes $119,200,000 for water and wastewater infrastructure, including storm
                                                                                   water management in Queens.

Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency: Expedite                      This provision requires the Army Corps to expedite the completion of Great Lakes Coastal
Completion of the Great Lakes Coastal                         Resiliency Study.
Resiliency Study

Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency: Advance                     This provision requires the Army Corps to adhere to any request from the governor of a Great
Measures Assistance                                                   Lakes state (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin)
                                                                                  for preventative measures to reduce the risk of damage from rising water levels.

Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency: Forecasting                This provision authorizes $10,000,000 for the Army Corps to maintain a model suite to forecast
Models                                                                       water levels and account for water level variability, the impacts of extreme weather events, and
                                                                                  other natural disasters in the Great Lakes.                                                         

Policy changes for Coastal Storm Risk                        This provision directs the Army Corps to formulate project study alternatives that reduce
Management Studies and Ecosystem                          comprehensive flood risk or hurricane and storm damage risk when conducting feasibility
Restoration Investigations                                          studies.

New York and New Jersey Harbor                               This provision authorizes the Army Corps to dredge the harbor floor from 50 ft. to 55 ft., as well
Deepening Channel Improvements                             as widen federal channels for shipping lanes.

Temporary Relocation Assistance                              This provision directs the Army Corps to establish a pilot program to evaluate the effect of
                                                                                 providing temporary relocation assistance when an owner elevates their home to prevent
                                                                                damage from flooding. This request was made in response to the Army Corps' call to raise 14,000
                                                                                homes on Long Island.

Port of Ogdensburg Deepening                                This provision modifies the Port of Ogdensburg feasibility study to include deepening the lower east channel and lower
                                                                                basin.