WATER

QUALITY

in the Sparkill Creek Watershed

Presented by
Laurie Seeman, Chair
Sparkill Creek Watershed Alliance

www.SparkillCreek.org
SparkillCreekWatershedAlliance@gmail.com
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Vision

Through our personal relaFonships with places in the

watershed we help the creek

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The Hudson River

Watershed

The Sparkill Creek Watershed lies in

the south end of the wide bays area
of the Hudson, a secFon of the river
that is rich with aquaFc life.

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Clausland Mountain

Headwaters area of the Sparkill Creek

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Sparkill Creek is a 9 mile,

bi-state, waterway that
begins on the top of
Clausland Mountain. It
then ows west downhill
to the base, turns south,
and conFnues
meandering through
Orangeburg, Sparkill, and
Tappan.
The creek dips into New
Jersey then ows back
north, owing through
Sparkill and Piermont, and
nally through the
Piermont Marsh and out
into the Hudson River.

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Sparkill Creek
mostly meanders
behind homes and
businesses, with a few
open stretches.

Mostly people only see
glimpses of the creek
when driving.

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At the base of Clausland Mountain

Along business corridor Rt. 303

Through Tappan - channelized and natural edges

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Sparkill dam and spillway

Piermont bridge where head of Fde ows in

Sparkill Creek in Piermont Marsh

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Piermont Marsh - Northern secFon of the 275 acre marsh

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The First Steps in Learning About Sparkill Creek Water Quality

Outdoor classroom
on the Sparkill
Creek with youth

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SPARKILL CREEK CITIZEN ACTION BEGINS - A RESPONSE to SEWAGE

IN 2010, at the Strawtown Studio summer waterway program, students complained of the smell
of sewage in the Sparkill Creek. John Lipscomb of Riverkeeper was called. The rst sample (seen
above) revealed there was a high level of bacteria from sewage in the creek. AcFve concern
prompted a chain of phone calls, which led to a community meeFng. Photo: Tracy Brown
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SPARKILL CREEK WATERSHED ALLIANCE. Est. 2010

Meets the 3rd Monday of every month in the Christ
Church Parish Hall, Sparkill
ALL ARE WELCOME!

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Group members with John Lipscomb

from Riverkeeper,
- selecFng sampling sites.

16 Sampling sites were chosen.
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Sampling is conducted 1x month,

May thru October

5 Teams cover the 16 sites

Sampling includes: Enterococcus, Phosphates, Nitrates, Chlorides,

Dissolved Oxygen, PH, ConducFvity. OpFcal Brighteners and DNA
markers for ID of enterococcus source recently added.

Sampling science partners include: Riverkeeper, EPA, St. Thomas

Aquinas College, Dominican College, Rutgers University, Rockland
County Soil & Water District.

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Water Quality study in the Sparkill has

opened up learning opportuniFes.

Students from STAC, Dominican and
Rutgers take part in sampling

To the lej: Dominican student
handing bohle to group member

The hand o of
sample bohles to
John Lipscomb,
with Riverkeeper
for incubaFon on
the boat.

Enterococcus
incubaFon trays
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Members also conduct chemical monitoring in

partnership with the County CiFzen Science Program:
Nitrates, Phosphates, Dissolved Oxygen, PH, ConducFvity, and
Temperature

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Stream Life - Macroinvertebrate Study

with MarFn (Butch) Rosenfeld, AquaFc Taxonomist

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The AquaFc Insect

community,
(assemblage) tells
a lot about the
health of the
creek.

It can serve to
idenFfy sources of
harmful impacts
from surroundings.

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In Search of the Harmful

Impacts on Sparkill Creek

Known and Unknown

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SEWAGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

14 to 17 Billions gallons of treated wastewater are released oukall from the County and
Orangetown water treatment plants into the Hudson River each year.

Sewage inow pipelines follow the creek closely, and in many place are under the creek.
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Flooding is a major problem in the Sparkill Watershed

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Heavy SiltaFon from Flooding

is the number one harmful impact on the

Sparkill Creek, and Rockland streams overall.

Flooding leads to Increased erosion of
stream banks and siltaFon.
Heavy stormwater rips out stream banks
and causes high speed water ow.

SiltaFon buries life of the stream.

AquaFc insects, sh, amphibians,
plants, algae are all suocated by
stormwater siltaFon.
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Loss of Forested Area :

Sparkill Creek Watershed is Heavily Developed and Building ConFnues

Stormwater heavily owing o a de-vegetated slope is

muddy. If it reaches the creek it lls the creek with silt.

Stormwater naturally owing o a woodland slope

with du layer. Less water is ooding and it runs clear.

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Human Impacts on the Watershed

include:

Pavement to edge of creek

Allows stormwater to dash into the
creek with no buering.

Lawn up to edge of creek

No riparian buer
protecFon

Increases ooding

Allows lawn products to

ood into creek

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Garbage ows
into streams

Dumping drains
into streams

Lawn CulFvaFon Impacts

Lawn CulFvaFon with FerFlizers,

PesFcides, and Herbicides impacts the
creek.

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 EducaFng the public about healthy lawn

culFvaFon is key for creek protecFon

The misuse of lawn products is a big

concern in the watershed.
Stormwater ows the products into
the creek.

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Environmental Laws and Ordinances

CiFzens ask How do we:

IdenFfy exisFng laws that protect
the creek?

Ensure Compliance.

Advocate for new ordinances,
and ciFzen monitoring?

Become more watchful, and work
with laws in defense of the creek?

SIGN: No Riding in Wetland Area

Motor bikes have heavily

damaged the wetland habitat that
is pictured above
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RESPONDING TO THE IMPACTS

through

Building Community, Science and

Government Partnerships

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Partnership:
Government AcFon

Riverkeeper responds to sewage

contaminaFon in the Hudson and tributaries
and iniFates the Sewage Right to Know Bill.
Sparkill Creek Watershed Alliance takes
supporFng acFon and directs Rockland
electeds to write lehers of support.
The Sewage Right to Know bill is passed.

Partnership with Wastewater Facility

CiFzens tour the Orangetown

wastewater treatment plant to learn
of the goals and limitaFons of the
plant operaFons.

Open dialogue begins with plant sta
about the presence of enterococcus
in the creek and strategies for
troubleshooFng.
Data sharing begins

Green Infrastructure InstallaQon

PlanFngs along the creek help slow
down storm water, stabilize the banks,
and prevent contaminants from
reaching the creek.

PlanFng 2013, a project with DEC

Trees for Tribs

Conceptual Plan for the Industrial Corridor

Green Infrastructure Tour

In Partnership with
Orangetown Supervisior

Sites

St. Thomas Aquinas College

Catchment for Capturing Storm
Water

Piermont Library
Rain Garden
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Green Infrastructure Tour

Rain Barrels

New Drainage Cisterns

Orangetown Highway Department

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GOVERNMENT TRAININGS CITIZEN SCIENCE

CiFzens with
DEC estuary
educaFon
leader
Installing Fyke
net for
American Eel
MigraFon
Monitoring
study

NYS Department of Environmental

ConservaFon Provides Training for:
Water Quality Monitoring
Stream Assessment
Eel MigraFon Monitoring
Trees for Tribs

EPA Provides Training for:

Enterococcus Monitoring

Piermont Marsh

Currently there is no ciQzen science program.

What can CiQzen, Science and Government
Partnerships do to support the life of the
Piermont Marsh ?

www.sparkillcreek.org
SparkillCreekWatershedAlliance@gmail.com




Useful Links and Contacts:

hhp://rocklandgov.com/departments/environmental-resources/
protecFng-our-streams-and-waterways/


SparkillCreekWatershedAlliance@gmail.com




SparkillCreek.org