MakingWaves - News From the Division of Water

In This Issue:

• Grants Available to Implement Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda
• Water Well Contractor Program Registration
• Annual Water Withdrawal Reporting
• 2020 - 2022 Report on Health of New York's Great Lakes
• Use the MyCoast App to Document Flooding in Your Community

Grants Available to Implement Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos has announced approximately $600,000 in grant funding is now available to help municipalities, soil and water conservation districts, school districts, colleges and universities, and not-for-profit organizations to implement the goals and objectives of the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda 2021-2026 (PDF), a five-year plan advancing efforts to conserve, preserve, and restore the Mohawk River and its watershed. 

Grant awards ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 are available. All projects must be located within the geographic boundaries of the Mohawk River watershed and have defined project objectives that can be completed within a two-year contract term.

Submit applications online through the New York State Grants Gateway no later than 3 p.m. on Friday, March 3, 2023. Visit DEC's Mohawk River Watershed Grants webpage for more information.

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, 2023 through March 31, 2024. The application and payment may be completed online. 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 that 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.

Annual Water Withdrawal Reporting

The DEC Water Withdrawal Reporting Program is accepting water withdrawal reporting data for 2022. Reporting is required by March 31 each year for non-agricultural facilities that have a withdrawal capacity of 100,000 gallons or more per day and for all agricultural facilities that registered or reported their existing withdrawals to DEC prior to February 15, 2012.

For additional information, contact Water Withdrawal Reporting staff at 518-402-8182 or AWQRSDEC@dec.ny.gov. 

2020 - 2022 Report on Health of New York's Great Lakes

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos has released the 2020-2022 Great Lakes Program Report (PDF) that highlights collaborative efforts to conserve, restore, protect, and enhance New York's Great Lakes land and water resources. The report is prepared every two years and highlights partnerships and achievements completed during the prior two years that support New York's Great Lakes Action Agenda, including: improving shoreline and tributary resilience; restoring and connecting aquatic habitats; educating the next generation of environmentally literate, stewardship-minded citizens and environmental professionals; and building capacity in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by environmental pollution, also known as Environmental Justice communities.

DEC encourages interested individuals and organizations to get involved. To learn more and sign up for email updates, visit DEC's Great Lakes webpage, or email greatlakes@dec.ny.gov.

Use the MyCoast App to Document Flooding in Your Community 

New York Sea Grant and the NYS Water Resources Institute have developed an application to document flooding throughout the state with your help. The MyCoast New York portal is used to collect and analyze photos of flooding, changing shorelines, and hazardous weather impacts across New York’s various coasts and waterbodies. Reports developed from this flooding documentation can be beneficial for emergency managers, local planners, residents, and state agencies to understand our changing environment and the impacts of flooding on every New York community.

Do you have photos of recent flooding events near you? Download the MyCoast app or visit the MyCoast portal for more information about local flooding and how you can report it.