ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced funding for seven projects in the Mohawk Basin to help reduce flood risks, improve habitat, and protect wildlife.
“The Mohawk River basin is an environmental, recreational, and economic asset that will benefit from the projects announced today and the ongoing partnerships we are helping to strengthen,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “This funding will help reduce flooding due to climate change, increase habitat, and improve water quality, ensuring the preservation and protection of the Mohawk watershed and the communities that depend on it.”
Over half a million dollars goes to the seven projects below, intended to help mitigate the impacts of climate change:
| Project | Location | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Main Street Floodplain Creation and Preservation Project | Dolgeville | $100,000 |
| 2 | Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy: A Pathway from the Catskills to the Adirondacks | Sprakers/Glenville | $88,744 |
| 3 | Mohawk Watershed Educational Videos | Niskayuna | $50,000 |
| 4 | Onondaga Environmental Institute: Engaging Students in Flood Resiliency Projects in the Age of Climate Change | Dewitt | $64,185 |
| 5 | Trout Unlimited: Big Creek Stream Restoration and Flood Mitigation Project | Marshall/Waterville | $100,000 |
| 6 | Utica Zoological Society: Beavers, Wetlands and Watershed Protection | Oppenheim | $54,868 |
| 7 | Sauquoit Creek Channel & Floodplain Restoration Project (Phase 2) | Whitestown | $85,000 |
| Total: | $542,797 |
As the Hudson’s largest tributary, the Mohawk’s water quality directly affects the Hudson River. It winds through 14 counties and 175 municipalities.
The grants come from New York’s Environmental Protection Fund, and are aligned with the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda, prioritizing:
- Conservation, protection, and restoration of fish, wildlife, and their habitats
- Protecting and improvement of water quality in the Mohawk River Basin area
- Promotion of flood hazard risk reduction and enhanced flood resiliency
- Revitalization of Mohawk River Basin communities through sustainable development
- Maintainence of working landscapes by supporting well-managed farms and forest lands