August 2025

WATERSHED DIGEST
monthly newsletter

Update from the Hudson River Watershed Alliance

Save the Date: Annual Watershed Conference

Tuesday, October 28

The Hudson River Watershed Alliance’s 2025 conference theme is Collaborating Across Boundaries.


This year’s Annual Watershed Conference will focus on building strong and sustainable watershed collaborations for clean water and healthy communities. The conference will share strategies and case studies to support connections across geographic boundaries, sectors, and silos, building capacity within and across communities to implement shared goals. 


The conference will have two components:

  • virtual session: via webinar (to be scheduled)
  • in-person session: on Tuesday, October 28 from 9 am to 3 pm at the Henry A. Wallace Center, FDR Presidential Library & Museum in Hyde Park, NY.


Registration will open soon. Please save the date!


An example of last year’s conference format and agenda is available here. Photos from the 2024 in-person conference session are available in the Flikr album here.

Sponsor the Annual Watershed Conference

Sponsors make the Annual Watershed Conference possible. More information on sponsorship opportunities is available in the form here and our 2025 sponsorship deck. If you’d like to pay for sponsorship by credit card, you can use our online form.


We anticipate strong participation from watershed communities from throughout the Hudson Valley. Over 200 people participated in our hybrid conference in 2024. We are working to make the conference as accessible as possible for participants. Your sponsorship will fund the conference proceedings and support the attendance of individuals and groups in need of financial assistance. 

Thank you to Our Sponsors!


Watershed Sponsor

Brook Sponsor

Adams Fairacre Farms

Hudson River Watershed Alliance Fall Mixer

Gather with friends and the Hudson River Watershed Alliance!


Join the Hudson River Watershed Alliance for a Fall Mixer on Thursday, September 18, 2025, from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. at the HRWA Office at 36 Saint James Street, Unit E, Kingston, NY (behind Camp Kingston, next to Keegan Ales).


We’re excited to host a fall mixer to celebrate another year of collaboration and protection of our shared waters. Drop by to catch up (in person!) with watershed friends, enjoy light refreshments, and check out our new HRWA merchandise. This free event is for Hudson Valley watershed group members and partners, local friends and neighbors, and anyone interested in learning more about the Watershed Alliance. 


RSVP for the HRWA Fall Mixer here


Photos of the 2024 Office Open House by Gloria Waslyn

New merch! Support the Hudson River Watershed Alliance as a Sustaining Donor at the Mixer, and receive a special hat as a thank you! 


Support our work to unite and empower communities as a Sustaining Donor! With as low as a $10 per month donation, you’ll receive a new Alliance hat as a token of our thanks. Continuous support from monthly donations sustains the Alliance’s work across the region and throughout the year.


You’ll get to choose from:

  • White cotton hat with corduroy bill and HRWA logo
  • Gray hemp/cotton blend hat with curved bill and HRWA logo

Support the Hudson River Watershed Alliance, receive a special tote bag!

You can help us unite and empower communities to protect our waters.


For a gift of $30 or more, we are delighted to offer you a special Hudson River Watershed Alliance tote bag as a token of our appreciation. The tote bag is made of recycled cotton, and features a beautiful map of the Hudson River watershed by local designer Fabia Wargin. Your gift makes a real difference in supporting clean water and healthy streams across our watershed!


NEW! Make an online donation to receive a tote bag through our secure website here: https://hudsonwatershed.org/tote/


We'll also have the tote bags on hand at the Fall Mixer on September 18.

Ulster County Watershed Roundtable

On August 11, the Hudson River Watershed Alliance and Ulster County held the 2025 Ulster County Watershed Roundtable. This meeting convened over 35 people from watershed groups, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and agencies working on watershed issues in Ulster County to connect and learn more about each other's work.


The meeting includes briefing presentations from watershed groups; roundtable sharing from all attendees; and small group discussions on current work, needs, and emerging issues. Our goal was to inspire increased collaboration and support for watershed activities in Ulster County.


With important waterways like the Hudson River, Wallkill River, Rondout Creek, Esopus Creek, Quassaick Creek, and so many more, it's so important that we can work together to keep our waters healthy.


The last Ulster County Watershed Roundtable was held in 2020, and it was so exciting to see how much progress has been made since then! Thanks to the Ulster County Water Quality Coordinating Committee for partnering on this program, and for supporting ongoing collaboration on water issues across the county.

This program is supported by funding from the Hudson River Estuary Program, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, with support from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund, in cooperation with NEIWPCC.

Hudson River Fish Advisory Signs: Tell Us What You Think

The Hudson River Fish Advisory Outreach Project is updating the language and design of Hudson River fish advisory signs posted at public access fishing locations. The goal of the project is to ensure Hudson River anglers are aware of New York State Department of Health's advice on eating fish you catch. Which sign is most helpful? Testing will be conducted this summer through surveys and an on-the-ground pilot project. 


More information about the Outreach Project and the Hudson River Fish Advisory (PDF) can be found on our website. The Department of Health manages signage at 160 separate access sites between the Federal Dam in Troy and the NYC Battery.

 

Link to 10-minute Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HudsonSignSurvey

Opportunities

GRANTS & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:


NYS EFC: State Water Grants: Water Infrastructure Improvement (WIIA) & Intermunicipal Water Infrastructure Grants (IMG)

Deadline: September 12

More information

The NYS EFC Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) is offering grants for clean and drinking water projects to selected municipalities with infrastructure projects that protect public health and/or water quality.


NYS DEC: Community Forest Conservation Grant

Deadline: September 17

More information

This grant program funds municipal land acquisition for community forests. Community forests are publicly owned or publicly accessible open space properties that are vital for wildlife habitat, flood mitigation, recreational opportunities, public health, air quality, water quality, and to meet the obligations outlined in New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.


Hudson River Valley Greenway: Greenway Communities Grant Program

Deadline: October 31

More information

Greenway Communities are eligible to receive funding to develop plans or projects consistent with the five Greenway criteria: natural and cultural resource protection, economic development, public access, regional planning, and heritage and environmental education. This grant program provides grant funding to help communities develop and implement a vision for their future that balances Greenway criteria of economic development considerations with resource protection and promotion objectives.


NYS HCR: Resilient Retrofit program

Deadline: N/A

More information

New York State Homes and Community Renewal has expanded the Resilient Retrofit program and will make available a combination of low-interest loans and grants to low and moderate income single-family homeowners whose homes are located in flood-prone areas or have been damaged due to heavy rainfall, enabling them to render their homes more resilient to flood damage and if, desired, to decrease their greenhouse gas emission consumption by improving the energy efficiency of the home and/or electrification of the home’s heating and cooling systems.    


DAM: Source Water Buffer Program

Deadline: Rolling

More information

The Source Water Buffer Program is administered by the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee, in coordination with the Department. The goal of the program is to protect public drinking water and to enhance water quality protection. It funds the purchase of conservation easements and projects that establish riparian buffers on farmland that borders critical water sources.


NYS DEC/DOH: Septic System Replacement Fund

Deadline: Rolling; county dependent

More information

This program provides funds to counties to help homeowners replace cesspools and septic systems that are adversely impacting designated water bodies. Eligible projects include replacement of a cesspool with a septic system, installation, replacement, or upgrade of a septic system, or installation of enhanced treatment technologies.


EDA: FY 2023 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program

Deadline: Rolling

More information

Through this Disaster Supplemental Program, EDA will award investments in regions experiencing severe economic distress or other economic harm resulting from Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, and of wildfires, flooding, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2021 and 2022.


EDA: FY 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program

Deadline: Rolling

More information

This grant program supports economic recovery activities in areas that received major disaster declarations because of hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms and flooding, tornadoes, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2023 and 2024. It aims to support communities recovering from major disasters and set them on a path to exceed pre-disaster conditions and transform their local economies in new and vibrant ways.


EPA: Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program

Deadline: Rolling

More information

EPA announced $6.5B in New Funding Available for Water Infrastructure Projects and released notices of funding availability for the agency’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program and the State Infrastructure Financing Authority WIFIA (SWIFIA) Program. Letters of interest will be accepted on a rolling basis until all funds are expended.


NYS EFC: Emergency Financial Assistance

Deadline: Rolling

More information

Emergency financial assistance is available to municipalities for wastewater and drinking water system issues that pose hazards to public health, public welfare or the environment. Eligible facilities include publicly-owned treatment works, publicly-owned sewer system, and municipally-owned public water systems.


USDA: Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants

Deadline: Rolling

More information

This program helps eligible communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Rurally located public bodies, Nonprofit organizations, and Federally recognized tribes are eligible. Funding may be used for construction of waterline extensions, new wells, reservoirs, transmission lines, treatments, repair breaks or leaks, and address related maintenance necessary to replenish the water supply.


USDA: Water & Waste Disposal Pre Development Planning Grants

Deadline: Rolling

More information

This program helps eligible low-income communities plan and develop applications for proposed USDA Rural Development water or waste disposal projects. Most state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and Federally-recognized Tribes are eligible. The area must have a median household income below the poverty line or less than 80 percent of the statewide non-metropolitan median household income.

 

USDA: Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program

Deadline: Rolling

More information

Long-term, low-interest loans are available for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas. Funding may be used to finance the acquisition, construction, or improvement of drinking water sourcing, treatment, storage, and distribution, sewer collection, transmission, treatment, and disposal, solid waste collection, disposal and closure, and stormwater collection, transmission and disposal. Funding may also be available for related activities such as legal and engineering fees, land acquisition, permits and equipment, start-up operations and maintenance, and other costs determined to be necessary for completion of the project.

JOB POSTINGS


NYC DEP: Chief, Green Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance (Brooklyn, NY)

More information


Kingston Water Department: Water Treatment Plant Operator (Kingston, NY)

More information


Nelson Pope Voorhis: Senior Planner (Suffern or Kingston, NY)

More information


Riverkeeper: Habitat Restoration Project Manager (Ossining, NY - hybrid)

More information


Rockland County Government: Sustainability Coordinator (Rockland County, NY)

More information


Village of Nyack Water Department: Assistant Operator, Water Treatment (Village of Nyack, NY)

More information

The Hudson River Watershed Alliance unites and empowers communities to protect our shared waters.

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