November 22, 2019

Rain Gardens also Beautify Neighborhoods and Reduce Air Pollution; Part of $1.9 Billion Effort to Reduce Flooding in southeast Queens

A Map of Rain Garden Locations and Photos are Available on DEP’s Flickr page

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that work is under way to add approximately 200 specially designed curbside rain gardens to the southeast Queens neighborhoods of Cambria Heights and Queens Village in order to reduce roadway flooding and improve the health of Jamaica Bay. Each rain garden has the capacity to collect and absorb up to 2,500 gallons of stormwater each time it rains, thereby reducing the volume of stormwater runoff draining to Jamaica Bay. It is estimated that the 200 rain gardens will capture over 20 million gallons of stormwater annually. Construction began earlier this year and it is anticipated that work will be completed in 2021. Over the last several years more than 4,000 rain gardens have been built across the city.

“We are investing $1.9 billion to combat flooding and improve the quality of life for residents and businesses in southeast Queens,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “Stormwater management in New York City requires a multi-faceted approach, which is why we are building out a comprehensive drainage system as well as green infrastructure, such as rain gardens, to naturally absorb stormwater.”

“Southeast Queens has dealt with flooding for decades,” said Council Member I. Daneek Miller. “We're glad to see DEP using their full toolbox of flood mitigation measures to alleviate this persistent problem for our residents, and look forward to seeing their full implementation throughout Cambria Heights and Queens Village. Our residents deserve an enhanced quality of life, and any efforts to reduce the burden that homeowners in our community face is welcome.”

“Southeast Queens has been plagued by generations with flooding. There are many factors that are the cause of this problem; but its residents have still suffered with their homes and streets being overrun with water whenever there is a storm. The de Blasio Administration, through the Department of Environmental Protection, has presently allocated $1.9 billion for various projects—big and small—that address flooding issues. Rain gardens are an example of an environmentally friendly way that both beautifies communities while providing drainage in flood prone areas. The community of Wayanda in the southern portion of Queens Village enthusiastically welcome this mitigation,” said Community Board 13 District Manager Mark McMillan.

The de Blasio Administration is investing $1.9 billion to build a comprehensive drainage system and alleviate flooding in neighborhoods throughout southeast Queens, including Cambria Heights and Queens Village. The program, the largest of its kind, consists of 45 sewer projects overall, including 10 that are substantially completed and 11 that are in active construction.

Rain gardens supplement a robust drainage system and are built in city sidewalks and do not result in the loss of any parking spaces. They resemble standard street tree pits, except that they vary in size, have curb cuts that allow stormwater to enter and overflow if it becomes saturated, and have been designed in a way that will allow them to manage up to 2,500 gallons each during a storm.

In partnership with the Departments of Transportation and Parks and Recreation, DEP conducts an extensive site selection process that includes geotechnical investigations and surveys. During construction, the rain gardens are excavated to a depth of about five feet and are then backfilled with layers of stone and engineered soil. These layers contain void spaces that store the stormwater and promote infiltration. The addition of hardy plants further encourages infiltration through root growth and increases the capacity of the rain garden through evapotranspiration. The rain gardens are designed so that all the stormwater is absorbed in less than 48 hours and dedicated maintenance crews ensure that they are functioning properly, including removing any trash that may have accumulated and pruning the trees and plants. The crews are active seven days a week, visit each rain garden approximately once a week and additional crews will continue to be added as the program expands.

DEP has conducted extensive outreach in the Jamaica Bay watershed area, including briefing City Council members, Community Boards 13, the Cambria Heights and Wayanda Park Civic Associations, and numerous other neighborhood and environmental organizations. These meetings help to inform communities about the purpose of green infrastructure and the benefits it will bring to their neighborhoods, as well as plans for future construction.

To date, more than 4,000 rain gardens have been built across New York City, with approximately 5,500 more going into construction in 2019 and thousands more planned for the next several years. More information about the site selection and construction process as well as Frequently Asked Questions is available here. A video of a rain garden in action is available here, photos are available here and a map is available here.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to more than 9.6 million residents, including 8.6 million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 in the upstate watershed. In addition, DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $20.1 billion in investments over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.