At a Glance
The Bronx River Fluvial Geomorphic Assessment provided Westchester County with a solid foundation for developing a watershed management plan.
Project Description
The Bronx River watershed measures 48.3 square miles and includes portions of 13 municipalities in Westchester County, NY. In an effort to improve the quality of Long Island Sound, including the Bronx River, and help local municipalities comply with new stormwater regulations, the County turned to Biohabitats and the Center for Watershed Protection.
The team joined forces to help this intermunicipal effort by identifying stream restoration, pollution prevention, and stormwater retrofit opportunities and crafting a watershed management plan for the Upper Bronx River Watershed.
Biohabitats’ tasks included a fluvial geomorphic assessment of over 20 miles of stream within the watershed using the Unified Stream Assessment protocol and a riparian corridor restoration assessment to identify existing problems and possible opportunities for improvement. Using data collected from these assessments and from the Center for Watershed Protection, a watershed assessment and management report was developed. The report helped prepare Westchester County to meet its goal for better water quality in Long Island Sound and the Bronx River Watershed by setting priorities for restoration efforts and providing a framework to develop management plans.