Daylighting sd 051513_cisc__extended

STREAM DAYLIGHTING IN
NYC:
BENEFITS, OPPORTUNITIE
S, CHALLENGESCUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities:
http://www.cunysustainablecities.org/
Director, Dr. William Solecki
Phone: 212.772.5450
Professor, Department of Geography, Hunter
College
Phone: 212-772-4536
E-mail: wsolecki@hunter.cuny.edu
CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities:
John Waldman, PhD
Professor, Queens College
Office: NSB D-320, Tel: (718) 997-3603;
Laboratory: NSB E-335, Tel: (718) 997-3529
E-mail: john.waldman@qc.cuny.edu
Steve Duncan, PhD Candidate, CUNY Grad
Center
Earth & Environmental Sciences/Urban
Geography
CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities (CISC)

2
 Introduction & definition of stream daylighting
 Benefits of daylighting
 Exemplary case studies
 Proposals and opportunities in NYC region
Outline/Objectives for Discussion

3
 Definition - 'Daylighting' is a term used to
describe restoration projects that redirect
waterways that have been previously buried in
pipes into an above-ground channel.
 Recent examples - Stream daylighting projects
are present in Seoul, Korea, Seattle, WA,
Providence, RI, and Yonkers, NY. Such
projects are known to have significant
ecological, recreational, cultural, and economic
benefits to the communities in which they are
located.
Stream Daylighting

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1. CSO Reduction/Separation-at-Source for
stormwater management
2. Water Quality Improvement
3. Connectivity
4. Visibility
5. Open Space/Neighborhood Amenity
6. Historic Preservation/Cultural Resource
Preservation
7. Resilience
Benefits of Daylighting: Summary
Benefits of Daylighting

5
 In New York City‟s combined sewer system
(CSS), sanitary sewage is mixed with rainwater runoff
and groundwater flow. During rainfall, wastewater
often exceeds the capacity of interceptor sewers and
treatment plants and is discharged in Combined
Sewer Overflow (CSO) events.
 Daylighting streams allows the separation of runoff or
groundwater from sanitary sewage at the
sources, reducing both wet-weather and dry-weather
flows to treatment plants. In combined-sewer
areas, this can reduce or eliminate the problem of
CSO discharges.
 Daylighting is one of the methods for source
separation currently advocated by the NYC DEP, the
NYDEC, and the NYC Mayor's office (NYC
Vision2020; New York City Sustainable Stormwater
Management Plan, 2007; New York City Green
Infrastructure Plan, 2010).
1. CSO Reduction/Separation-at-Source
Example of daylighting
in Combined-Sewer
area:
Ravenna Creek,
Seattle (2004-2006)
As part of Ravenna
Creek‟s daylighting in
Ravenna Park, the
creek flow was
disconnected from the
combined sewer
system, redirecting
estimated 2 mgd from
King County's West
Point Treatment Plant
in northwest Seattle.
New York City‟s Drainage
Area types:
Combined Sewer (Red)
Direct Drainage (Blue)
Separated Sewers (Green)

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 Daylighting simultaneously engages in infiltration and filtration
practices, when used as a stormwater management BMP.
 Infiltration: Waterflow through a daylight channel can infiltrate through permeable
streambeds.
 Filtration: Exposing water to sunlight, vegetation, and soil can help filter, bind up,
or neutralize pollutants.
 Permeable streambeds and curving flow paths (simulating naturally meandering
streams) reduce flow speed and offer more time for both filtration and infiltration.
 Living ecologies can begin to develop in daylit, slower-flowing streambeds.
 Daylighting helps in processing Nitrogen.
 Nitrogen is a major factor in waterway impairment. Current research
suggests that daylit streams have significant advantages in controlling
nitrogen.
 “„So far what we found is that the daylighted streams are far more effective than
buried streams at processing nitrogen, up to 23 times more effective,‟ says
ecologist Dr. Paul Mayer.” (EPA: http://www.epa.gov/ord/gems/buriedstream.htm)
2. Water Quality Improvement

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 Daylighting is the only GI/stormwater BMP practice that also
makes the actual flow of water visible as a networked system.
 Visibility raises awareness of the processes at work and
encourages community awareness, stewardship, and
understanding of urban systems.
 Many daylighting projects “serve as an „outdoor laboratory‟ for local
schools” or “create educational sites” that “reconnect people” with nature
and hydrological processes. [Pinkham, “Daylighting: New Life for Buried
Streams,” 2000]
3. Visibility
Other ways to make urban hydrology more
visible:
1) Clear plexiglass “window” manhole cover
above historic underground river tunnel –
in Brescia, Italy, created by Brescia
Underground www.bresciaunderground.com
2) Concept design for “Sewer Viewer
Periscope”, a Street Viewing station for
underground rivers flowing in mainline
sewers underneath NYC streets (e.g. Canal
Street, Carmine Street) – Steve Duncan

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 Daylighting directly connects runoff and
groundwater sources to streamflow routes.
Daylighting along stream routes also offers
best connections for pedestrian, bicycle, and
recreation routes.
4. Connectivity
EXAMPLE: DAYLIGHTING
HARLEM CREEK IN EAST
HARLEM
In East Harlem, the FDR
Drive creates a barrier
between the community and
the East River Esplanade
park space along the Harlem
River.
Network analysis through
GIS allows accurate
assessments of pedestrian
Current access for pedestrians is
only via two pedestrian overpasses,
at 102nd Street and 111th Street.
(Area within ¼ mile walking route
shown in green)
Adding a new overpass at 106th
Street (route of Harlem Creek)
would expand the area within ¼ mile
walk (in yellow). However, the
switchbacks of the elevated
overpass make the walking
distances longer and limit the
access.
Daylighting the former Harlem Creek
would offer an at-grade route (by
slightly elevating the highway over
the creek & walking path). As
pedestrians follow the creek to the
Esplanade, this would more than
double the area within a ¼ mile
walk.

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 Daylighting streams can offer neighborhood
amenities of increased accessible or vegetated
open space.
 Visible waterways contribute to “sense of
place” and daylighting projects are linked to
increase property values and economic benefits.
 Daylighting projects “revitalize surrounding
neighborhoods” and “Planning and implementing
daylighting projects can bring communities, businesses,
and governments together.” [Pinkham, “Daylighting:
New Life for Buried Streams,” 2000]
 “Stream restoration is neighborhood restoration.” [Ann
Riley, “Urban Stream Restoration” 1998]
5. Open Space/Neighborhood Amenity

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 Natural landscape features like streams are an important part of the cultural
heritage of urban residents. Recent work such as Eric Sanderson‟s
Mannahatta Project has emphasized the historic/cultural resource value of
physical landscape elements.
 “Stream daylighting is not only an important water quality practice, but it is
also a powerful economic development and community revitalization tool.”
[NY State Environmental Facilities Corporation, “Restoring Natural Stream
Morphology”]
 Many successful daylighting projects emphasize the historic and cultural
value of waterways as unique, historically significant landscape
elements, although this is not quantifiable in the same way hydrologic benefits
are.
6. Historic Preservation/Cultural Resource Value
Daylight stream as cultural resource & landscape
amenity: Neglinnaya Stream, Moscow, Russia
The Neglinnaya stream is an example of a daylighting
project with solely historic and cultural benefits, rather
than hydrologic benefits. The stream was recreated
outside the walls of the Kremlin using municipal water
supply, while the actual watershed‟s flow remains in
the combined sewers below. Although it does not
alleviate sewage volumes, the project‟s intangible
values made it worthwhile for the city to build and
maintain.

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 Daylit, above-ground stream channels that simulate “natural” stream
patterns can offer greater environmental resiliency than closed
culverts.
 Separating “clean” water from sanitary sewage means less risk of
sewage contamination in floods.
 Daylit channels reduce likelihood of network “choke points” from low-
capacity culverts and sewers
 Open channels offer higher capacity for peak flow (over culverts) by
reproducing “bankful” flow capacity of natural streams.
7. Resilience
East Harlem flood-risk
map: Daylighting will
not reduce storm-
surge flood risk in low
elevations, but the
separation of sanitary
sewage from storm
runoff will reduce the
risk factor of bacterial
contaminants, thus
increasing resilience
to flood hazards.
Gowanus area flooding
from Sandy (Local
resident points to high-
water mark in home):
Inundation with
untreated sewage (high
bacterial content) was a
major contaminant in
Sandy
flooding, according to
EPA testing.

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Examples of Successful Daylighting Projects
Cheonggyecheon Recovery
Project
Seoul, South Korea
Thornton Creek, Seattle
(foreground: holding ponds filter runoff)
Examples of Successful Daylighting

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Examples of Successful Daylighting: Sawmill
River, Yonkers, NY
Above: Sawmill River, Yonkers,
NY
River walk with park amenities
and ecological restoration
(800 feet - $20 million USD)
Below: Underground diversion
chamber for Sawmill daylighting.
Culverted stream exits through gate
(center background) and flows into
daylit channel. In case of flood
levels, water will run over dam
regulator (in foreground) and will
drain through original culvert to
right.

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Seattle: Madrona Park Creek Berkeley, CA: Strawberry Cree
(original daylighting
1984, additional sections
proposed)
Philadelphia, PA: Indian Creek
“Constructing a stream channel to
connect the West Branch of Indian Creek
with the East Branch prior to the
combined sewer will reduce the number
of sewage overflows and lead to a
healthier stream…”
Portland, OR
“Stream Diversion 1995-2005:
Environmental Services built pipelines to
divert the large Tanner Creek stream
system from the combined sewer system
and let this relatively clean water flow
directly to the Willamette River. Stream
diversion projects remove about 300
million gallons of water annually from
combined sewers.”

DAYLIGHTING IN NYC -
POTENTIAL SITES AND
EXISTING PROPOSALS
Photo: the Canal Street Sewer today. This was constructed around 1812
to contain the Canal Street drainage ditch (route shown in map) and
serving today as combined sewer and drainage for groundwater flow.

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Proposal for daylighting Flushing River, Flushing Meadows/Corona Park, Queens
Source: Flushing Meadows Corona Park : Strategic Framework Plan for The New
York City Department of Parks and Recreation; prepared by Quennell Rothschild &
Partners | Smith-Miller + Hawkinson Architects.
Flushing River, Flushing Meadows/Corona Park,
Queens
Opportunities & Existing Proposals in NYC

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Source: Friends of Brook Park (community group).
Study phase funded by: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA); South Bronx Waterfront Partnership funded by Congressman José E.
Serrano; In Partnership with The Gaia Institute and others.
Brook Restoration/ Mill Brook (Brook
Park, Bronx)
"The Brook Restoration
project includes
planning a wetland
system in the Mott
Haven neighborhood of
the South Bronx with
native plantings to
support fauna… Our
South Bronx community
needs and wants more
green and aquatic open
space to provide a
more natural
landscape.”Further information: http://www.friendsofbrookpark.org/brook-park/brook-
daylighting/

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The Denton‟s Spring/Denton Mill Creek proposal is an example of a small-scale, community-led project
combining historic resource conservation and hydrological sustainability efforts. The former spring is
next to the Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn.
Source: Eymund Diegel; Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG); Gowanus Canal
Conservancy (GCC)
Denton‟s Spring/Denton Mill Creek, Brooklyn
“We are interested in improving water quality and
have been researching sites that can help the City
achieve it’s Green Infrastructure and water quality
goals… [this] is one of those sites because it still
has historic streams running under it.”
-From “LOST STREAM OF THE GOWANUS:
Community Research Resource”

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 Historic waterway that flows through Tibbetts Brook Park (north of NYC city line)
and supplies the Van Cortlandt Park pond. The waterflow remains separated until
south of Van Cortlandt Park, flowing through an 1899 tunnel before entering a
combined sewer.
 NYC‟s Vision2020 calls for ““Coordinate with DEP in long term plan to daylight
Tibbets Brook” (Chapt 4, Reach 6). Local groups have also discussed daylighting
for Tibbetts Brook, but no coherent plan or assessement exists.
Tibbetts Brook, Bronx
Further information:
http://cooper.edu/isd/projects/tibbetts
http://riverdalepress.com/stories/A-river-runs-through-Kingsbridge,48267?page=1&
http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/VanCortlandtPark/highlights/8183
• The existing separated waterflow
from Van Cortland park offers
optimal conditions for daylighting.
• This would reduce load on Ward‟s
Island Wastewater Treatment
Plant in both wet weather and dry
weather.
Histori
c
route

20

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Under Van Cortlandt park: separated flow, clean streamwater
flow from Van Cortlandt Park Pond

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Downstream of park: flows into combined sewer under
Broadway in the Bronx (Wards Island WPCP) and mixes with
sanitary sewage.

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Project by Mary Miss/City as Living Laboratory (CaLL), Inc
Focus on historic & cultural resource development; completed pilot projects include self-guided audio
tour using site installations along route & 2012 exhibit at Socrates Sculpture Park, Queens.
About CaLL: “City as Living Laboratory (CaLL) is a framework for connecting the arts with sustainability
to help image and create cities that redefine how we live our lives, use our resources, communicate,
educate and work…”
Sunswick Creek, Queens: CHALLENGES IN
CSS
http://cityaslivinglab.org/ravenswoo
d/sunswick-creek/
http://watercourses.typepad.com/w
atercourses/sunswick_creek/
SUNSWICK
CREEK = HIGH
HISTORIC/CULTU
RAL VALUE…..

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Sunswick Creek, Queens: CHALLENGES IN
CSS
…BUT A DIFFICULT-TO-IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGE OF
SEPARATION OF SANITARY SEWAGE FROM CLEAN
STREAMFLOW.
Sunswick Creek 1880s (Above)
and today (below)

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 Kissena Creek was the major tributary to the Flushing Creek, and is contained today within a very large
storm sewer channel under the Kissena Park Corridor. It outlets into the area of Flushing Meadows/Corana
Park. Upstream regulators for combined-sewer discharge within this storm sewer make it a priority
sewershed for DEP efforts to reduce CSO discharge.
 The major project of the Flushing River Detention Tank (completed 2007), located under the Al Oerter
Recreation Center, 131-40 Fowler Avenue, receives the flow from the Kissena Corridor drainage and the
former Kissena Creek.
 There are no existing plans or assessments for daylighting Kissemns Creek.
Kissena Creek, Queens
Two sources of water for daylighting:
1) Inflow from Kissena Pond, in Kissena Park (photo on
left)
2) Groundwater infiltration into storm sewer (photo on
right)

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Kissena Creek, Queens
Two sources of water for daylighting:
1)Inflow from Kissena Pond, in Kissena Park
(left)
2)Groundwater infiltration into storm sewer
(below)

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Kissena Creek, Queens- Tributary to
Flushing Creeek

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Flushing Creeek

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Flushing Creeek
Above: Cleaner separated stormwater/natural
streamflow/lake runoff upstream in Kissena Drain.
Right: combined sewer network next to Kissena Drain, with
underground regulator – just a short dam, a wall 1/3 the
height of the tunnel – allowing any higher flows of
combined sewage to overflow and mix with the storm drain
water. Bottom right: looking upstream at the sewage
regulator dam.

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Hendrix Creek is one of several historic stream drainage routes into Jamaica bay.
The stormwater drainage routes into Jamaica Bay currently are primarily through storm sewer lines that receive significant CSO
discharge from upsteam combined-sewer overflow regulators (i.e. check dams within sewers). Existing efforts to combat CSO
discharge have focused on “hard” infrastructure, such as the massive Paerdegat Basin Detention basin.
Currently, there are no public proposals for daylighting these streams or for reliably assessing the impacts of daylighting.
Hendrix Creek, Brooklyn
http://www.nycgovparks.org/greening/natural-resources-group/restoration-sites
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/press_releases/10-79pr.shtml
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/nyregion/24oysters.html?_r=0
From NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation “Restoration sites”
Brooklyn Restoration Sites:
1. Hendrix Creek - Freshwater wetland and salt marsh restoration,
10 Acres
2. Paerdegat Basin - CSO Abatement, 92 Acres
3. White Island - Grassland mitigation, 77 Acres
4. Gerritsen Creek - Maritime restoration, 16 Acres
5. Dreier - Offerman - Salt Marsh restoration, 4 Acres
6. Four Sparrow Marsh Habitat Restoration
The shoreline areas of southern Brooklyn and Queens are primarily
served by separated storm sewers. Current efforts (1990s-present) by
the DEP have focused on eliminating CSO discharges through
detention basins, along with pilot GI projects.
Below: groundwater is currently pumped from the
Flatbush Well Field of the MTA, through a discharge line
that drains into Hendrix Creek. Estimated flow is 3,000-
5,000 gpm.

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Below: groundwater is currently pumped from the
Flatbush Well Field of the MTA, through a discharge line
that drains into Hendrix Creek. Estimated flow is 3,000-
5,000 gpm.

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ELEVATION ANALYSIS –
route contour via google earth
– widely accessible tool

34
Harlem Creek‟s watershed currently drains into the combined sewer network of the
Ward‟s Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, primarily through the combined
sewersheds of WI-24 and WI-25. These discharge into Harlem River during rain
through CSOs.
Waterflow in the former Harlem Creek area includes:
1. 1. groundwater pumped from the MTA well sites along Lenox Ave, and
1) 2. overflow and drainage from the Harlem Meer in Central Park. Overflow from the
Harlem Meer flows through 19th-entury drainage tunnels into the combined sewer
system under 5th Ave. There are no existing reliable assessments or proposals for
daylighting or source-separation.
Harlem Creek, Manhattan

35
Left: the MTA currently pumps out an
estimated 300-500 gpm of
groundwater from well sites near
Lenox Ave. Discharge line drains to
Harlem River.
Right: the historic flow of Harlem Creek mapped out
over current combined sewersheds (left) and land-use
types (right). Most of the former Harlem Creek
watershed is currently within the combined
sewersheds of WI-24 and WI-25, leading to CSO
discharges during wet weather.

36

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DRAINAGE FROM CENTRAL PARK RESERVOIR
AND HARLEM MEER

38

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John Waldman, PhD
CUNY Institute for Sustainable
Cities
NAC-CESU (North Atlantic Coastal-
Cooperative Ecosystems Study
Unit)
Queens College
Dr. William Solecki
Professor and Director, CUNY Institute
for Sustainable Cities.
Department of Geography,
Hunter College
Steve Duncan
Urban Geog. Program, CUNY
Graduate Center
Graduate Teaching Fellow,
Hunter College, Dept. of Urban
Planning
This presentation was developed for the CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities (CISC) to stimulate
discussion on daylighting as a tool in hydro-ecological sustainability efforts.
Detail from the “Sanitary & Topographical Map of the City and Island of New York,” created Egbert L. Vielé in 1865,
showing the natural pre-urban streams, ponds, springs, and drainage routes mapped to the contemporary (19th/20th
century) street grid.
This version of this presentation (April/May 2013) was developed by Steve Duncan, based on initial project conceptualizations and prior work by Dr.
William Solecki and Dr. John Waldman, and additional previous work by CISC on stream daylighting. (see slide notes for additional notes on
sources)

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