NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Kristin Marcell, NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program/Cornell WRI

Climate Smart Waterfronts: Balancing Waterfront Revitalization 

and Waterfront Flooding 

Betsy Blair, NYSDEC Marine Habitat Protection/Hudson River NERR

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

• Define vulnerable areas (now and future)

• Design waterfronts to provide – Economic benefits– Environmental benefits– Be safe!

Can we build climate smart?

Ossining Waterfront Hurricane Sandy - Jerry Faiella

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

What is the lifespan of infrastructure?

What is the long term vision for the waterfront?

What assets do we want to conserve?

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Protection: Shoreline armoring

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Seawalls Hamburg, Germany

Surge barrierRotterdam, Netherlands

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

For good reason

Oil terminals

Cultural landmarks

Infrastructure

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Can we do better?

Don’t do this if you don’t have to!

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Accommodation: Elevating ordesigning to flood

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Elevated structures with flood gates, Hamburg, Germany

Wave attenuation, Brooklyn Bridge Park

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Allow Room for RiversVillage of Tarrytown• Shoreline “eco-corridor”

with swales and nativegrasses

• www.scenichudson.org

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Strategic Relocation: Keeping or moving structures out of

harm’s way

NYS Department of Environmental ConservationPiermont

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Iona Island

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

In the long term in many areas parks may be better uses of the shore than buildings.

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Limit development in highest risk areas

Town of Pleasant Valley– Zoning code limits uses in 100 yr floodplain to

those minimally affected by high waterTown of East Hampton

– Prohibits new bulkheads that would block wetland movement.

– 150’ setback and no build zones in high hazard floodplains

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Considerations at the site level

• Economic• Visual• Environmental• Technical

• Social• Political• Funding/Administration

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Ossining waterfront

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Ossining waterfront

Simulation: elevated sea level (4’) at high tide

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Ossining waterfront

Simulation: elevated sea level (4’) at high tide, armored protection

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Ossining waterfront

Simulation: elevated sea level (4’) at high tide, partial retreat, elevated land, floodproofed building

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Ossining waterfront

Simulation: elevated sea level (4’) at high tide, elevated rail, strategic retreat

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Main Questions:

1. Physical stresses now? In future? 2. Management options? Ecological,

Functional, and Cost Trade-offs?3. Do shoreline options work?

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Physical Forces

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Shoreline option tradeoffs

Ecological benefits

Continuing benefits over

time

Structural stability

AdaptabilityFailure risk

Construction cost

Maintenance cost

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

10 Steps to better shore zones

• Preserve physical diversity

• Resist tidiness• Don’t squeeze the

zone• Prevent pollution• Reduce wave

damage

• Tread lightly• Don’t make dead

ends• Don’t make it so hard• Give shores room to

move• Be careful about

building

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Study of 10 shore treatments

Standard Treatments Ecologically Enhanced

Steel bulkheadWood bulkhead

Green or bio wall

Rock revetmentRiprap

Live stakes / joint planting

Timber cribbing Live crib wall

Sill

Vegetated geogrid

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Engineering Lessons• Almost any structure can be ecologically

enhanced. • Lifecycle costs of “ecologically

enhanced” shorelines are cost competitive with some of the traditional approaches.

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Demo Site Network

• Web resource• Lists sites Hudson ecologically enhanced sites• Includes case study, design docs, photos, contacts• Currently: 3 finalized case studies, 5 being drafted

Esopus Meadows Preserve

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Esopus Meadows Preserve after several storms

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Eroding Shoreline

Coxsackie Boat Launch Demonstration Site

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

http://bronx.mit.edu/meet-your-waterfront-plan

Dept of Urban Studies and Planning, School of Architecture + Planning at MIT

“…the gabions are arranged in an undulating pattern along the riparian edge to disperse wave motion and slow water speeds.”

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

www.hrnerr.org

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Questions?

Kristin MarcellHudson River Estuary ProgramPhone: (845) 256-3017Email: kamarcel@gw.dec.state.ny.us