The Getting to Zero in Dutch Kills project aims to produce a community driven action plan for reducing the ~200 million gallons of combined sewer overflow that discharges annually into the Dutch Kills tributary of Newtown Creek.

This former maritime artery is surrounded by residential towers, commercial and industrial businesses, a community garden, and LaGuardia College which makes it a perfect spot for educational and recreational opportunities. Restoration projects to improve water quality in this section of the creek have already begun and local stakeholders have identified a list of priority projects they believe would help make the waterway a future recreational and educational asset for the community.

The community action plan will draw from GIS analysis of the Dutch Kills drainage area, recommendations made in two recently published community vision plans for both the Brooklyn and Queens sides of Newtown Creek: Bridging the Creek, produced by GreenShores NYC, and Newtown Creek Vision Plan produced by Newtown Creek Alliance and Riverkeeper, and a priority list of projects identified by local stakeholders in the spring of 2018.

At the workshop we will:

review current water quality restoration projects already underway in the project area
prioritize and rank projects identified by community stakeholders in the Bridging the Creek & Newtown Creek Vision Plans and the recent Dutch Kills stakeholders meeting
develop a statement of purpose for the Dutch Kills Community Action Plan and explore next steps for moving key projects forward over the next decade
inform a public art project that will depict the community’s vision for the Dutch Kills tributary

Getting to Zero in Dutch Kills is a collaborative project of Stormwater Infrastructure Matters (SWIM) Coalition, NYC Soil and Water Conservation District, Riverkeeper, Green Shores NYC and Newtown Creek Alliance. The project is supported by a grant from the Hudson River Foundation's Newtown Creek Fund.

Getting to Zero in Dutch Kills Community Action Plan Workshop