Hudson RiverNet
News from the Hudson River Estuary Program

"Big Night" Amphibian Migration Saturday?

After a week of weather that includes record-breaking high temperatures, we may see a very early start to amphibian migrations, possibly as early as Saturday evening. In early spring, after the ground has started to thaw, species like spotted salamander and wood frog emerge from underground winter shelters in the forest and walk overland to breeding pools. In our region, this migration occurs on rainy nights when the night air temperature is above 40F. When these conditions align just so, there can be explosive (“big night”) migrations, with hundreds of amphibians on the move. Currently, the Saturday forecast includes rain during the day and into the evening, with temperatures staying above 40F after nightfall.

Drivers are encouraged to proceed with caution or avoid travel on the first warm, rainy evenings of the season. Amphibians come out after nightfall and are slow moving; mortality can be high even on low-traffic roads. You can help by telling us when and where you see migrations of woodland pool amphibians. To learn more, please visit DEC’s Amphibian Migration and Road Crossings webpage, which includes safety information for volunteers and an amphibian identification guide.

Restoration of Watershed Connectivity Request for Proposals


The New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), in cooperation with DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program, is inviting proposals for projects that will help restore aquatic habitat connectivity for herring and eel, and reduce localized flood risks and conditions on Hudson River estuary tributaries. Approximately $200,000 is available. The deadline for applications is 12 noon on April 14, 2017.

The grant opportunity will fund three project types: field assessments of culverts and bridges where a public road crosses a stream; development of a municipal management plan for  prioritizing and mitigating documented aquatic barriers (dams, bridges and culverts) with at least one 100% shovel-ready design for mitigation; and, 100% shovel-ready engineering designs for mitigating culverts that are barriers to fish migration at priority road-stream crossings. To view and apply for this Request for Proposals, visit the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission website. More information also is available on the Funding Opportunities for the Hudson River Estuary page on DEC's website.

Tributary Restoration and Resiliency Request for Applications

Approximately $1,000,000 in grant funding is available to help communities in the Hudson River Estuary watershed improve water quality, increase flood resiliency, and conserve natural resources.The funding is provided by the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and is administered under DEC’s 2017 Hudson River Estuary Grants Program for Tributary Restoration and Resiliency.

Tributary Restoration and Resiliency grants will fund three specific project types: construction projects to remove dams; engineering and planning to remove dams; and construction projects to remove/ right-size culverts.To be eligible for this funding, projects must conserve and restore aquatic habitat connectivity for American eel and/or river herring found in the tributary streams of the Hudson River estuary watershed. Projects must also be designed to pass, at a minimum, a one percent annual chance storm (100-year flood) to promote flood resiliency.

The DEC Hudson River Estuary Program 2017 Request for Applications (RFA) is available online through the NYS Grants Gateway at https://grantsgateway.ny.gov. General information about these grants are also available on DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5091.html. Completed grant applications must be submitted online through the Grants Gateway by 3 p.m. on April 6, 2017.