MakingWaves - News From the Division of Water

In This Issue:

• A Decade of MakingWaves
• Grants Available for Hudson River Estuary Communities
• 2020 State of the Hudson Report
• Reminder: Water Well Contractor Program Registration
• Celebrate National Groundwater Awareness Week

A Decade of MakingWaves

This month, the Division of Water is proud to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of its weekly newsletter, MakingWaves. On March 18, 2011, the Division distributed its first message to approximately 200 people via a listserv. The number of subscribers slowly climbed over the next two years and then multiplied quickly when the newsletter was switched to GovDelivery in 2013. Today, MakingWaves is distributed to more than 55,000 subscribers.

The Division of Water uses this newsletter to report on water-related grant opportunities, press releases, public comment periods, and so much more. Thank you for being a MakingWaves subscriber. If you find the information in this newsletter useful, we hope you will encourage your colleagues to sign up, too.  

Grants Available for Hudson River Estuary Communities

DEC has announced that $750,000 is available to help communities in the Hudson River Estuary watershed (PDF): increase resiliency to flooding; protect water quality, fish and wildlife habitat; and improve recreational access and education for all, including people with disabilities and in environmental justice communities. 

DEC's Hudson River Estuary program is offering the grants through three Requests for Applications (RFAs): Local Stewardship Planning, River Access, and River Education. These RFAs are available online through the NYS Grants Gateway, New York's web-based grant management system. The deadline for all applications is June 2, 2021, at 3 p.m. 

For more information about these grant opportunities, visit DEC’s Grants Program and Funding Opportunities for the Hudson River Estuary webpage.  

2020 State of the Hudson Report

DEC and the New York - New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program have released the 2020 State of the Hudson. The report documents the status and trends of the Hudson River Estuary’s water quality, its natural communities and inhabitants, and the health of the landscape that nurtures the Hudson and its tributaries. Research for the report is compiled every five years. 

The 2020 State of the Hudson report is available on NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program's website. 

Reminder: Water Well Contractor Program Registration

The DEC Water Well Contractor Program is currently accepting applications for the Certificate of Registration for the period April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022. Registration is required by March 31 each year for all water well contractors who drill or repair water wells in New York State. The on-site contractor must be certified for the work they are conducting (well drilling and/or pump installation). A Preliminary Notice must be filed prior to drilling a well, and a Water Well Completion Report must be filed upon completion of water well drilling. For additional information, contact Water Well Program staff at 877-472-2619 or NYSWaterWells@dec.ny.gov.

Celebrate National Groundwater Awareness Week

The National Groundwater Association has announced that March 7 - 13, 2021 is National Groundwater Awareness Week. Groundwater is an often misunderstood resource that provides a quarter of New Yorkers, and half of all Americans, with their drinking water. Visit DEC's Groundwater webpage to learn more about groundwater in New York State and common groundwater misconceptions.