Urban Rivers
Restoration Initiative
GOWANUS CREEK CANAL AND BAY,
NEW YORK
The Gowanus Creek Canal was constructed in 1881 to
accommodate industrial uses and commercial ship-
pers along the Brooklyn waterfront. This activity de-
posited a significant amount of hazardous material at
the bottom of the canal. The pilot project will show-
case partnerships between the EPA, Corps, local agen-
cies, and the business and non-profit communities by
addressing contaminated sediments, pollution preven-
tion, water quality, restoration of water flow to enhance
aquatic habitat, the creation of wetlands and upland
buffers, and public recreational uses.
Points of Contact:
EPA- Eric Stern
Corps- Thomas Shea
212.637.3806
212.264.5570
FOURCHE CREEK, ARKANSAS
The Fourche Creek basin manages runoff from the Little
Rock, Arkansas, metropolitan area, flowing from west
to east into the Arkansas River. The watershed's abil-
ity to manage this runoff, reduce non-point source pol-
lution, and support aquatic species has been impaired
by overall city growth and encroaching urban sprawl.
This project will promote collaboration among local,
state, and federal agencies, non-profit groups, and the
watershed business community to reduce non-point
source pollution, restore wetland functions, reduce
flooding, and educate the public on ecosystem resto-
ration and sustainable growth.
Points of Contact:
EPA- Michael Cockrell
Corps- Max Frauenthal
CITY CREEK, UTAH
Two miles of City Creek were encased below North
Temple Street in Salt Lake City in 1910. This area now
lies between a 650-acre EPA Brownfields Showcase
Redevelopment project known as "The Gateway" to the
east and the Jordan River to the
west. This pilot will relocate
an existing railroad right of
way so that the creek may
be restored and water
quality improved. Trails
will connect the Gateway
Development to a regional
trail system, with access
points that will promote rec-
reational use and ecological
education. These tasks will be ac-
complished through the cooperative efforts of the EPA,
Corps, Salt Lake City, local, state, and private organi-
zations.
URRI CONTACTS
Points of Contact:
EPA- Judith McCulley
Corps- Scott Stoddard
303.312.6667
801.294.7033
214.665.2124
501.324.5197
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5101T)
EPA 500-F-03-023
October 2003
www.epa.gov/oswer/
landrevitalization
Region 1
Boston, MA
Reg ion 2
New York, NY
Reg ion 3
Philadelphia, PA
Reg ion 4
Atlanta, GA
Regions
Chicago, IL
Regions
Dallas, TX
Region?
Kansas City, KS
Regions
Denver, CO
Reg ion 9
San Francisco, CA
Region 10
Seattle, WA
Office of Water
U.S Army Corps
of Engineers
Cornell Rosiu
617.918.1345
Dan Forger
212.637.4402
Nicholas DiNardo
215.814.3365
Al Hanke
404.562.8954
Bonnie Eleder
312.886.4885
John Meyer
214.665.6742
Craig Smith
913.551.7683
Judith McCulley
303.312.6667
Suzanne Perkins
415.972.3208
Lori Cohen
206.553.6523
Macara Lousberg
202-566-1308
Jane Mergler
202-761-5603
Rennie Sherman
202-761-4495
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency and the U.S Army
-------
RESTORING URBAN RIVERS
Many urban rivers in the United States suffer
from the effects of the industrial age, which has
left behind contaminated sediments, degraded
water quality, and lost habitat and recreational
opportunities. These degraded rivers, long the
lifeblood of our urban centers, are the sources
of pollution that adversely affect human health,
as well as the ecological value of aquatic re-
sources and limit recreational and other eco-
nomic uses.
In July 2002, in response to this environmental
problem, EPA (Office of Solid Waste and Emer-
gency Response and Office of Water) and the
U.S. Army (Corps of Engineers) entered into a
memorandum of understanding to facilitate
cooperation between the two agencies to ad-
dress these critical water quality issues and to
address economic revitalization and public use
and enjoyment of urban rivers. EPA and the
Corps have designated the following eight dem-
onstration pilots for the purpose of coordinat-
ing the planning and execution of urban river
cleanup and restoration.
www.epa.gov/oswer/landrevitalization/
urban rivers/
ANACOSTIA RIVER, WASHINGTON D.C.
AND MARYLAND
TheAnacostia River is an American Heritage River within
the Chesapeake Bay watershed. River sediments con-
tain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, and
heavy metals from industrial and other
activities in the watershed. In
addition, raw sewage from
combined sewer overflows
discharges to the lower
reach of the river during
heavy rainfall. The pilot
project will strengthen ex-
isting partnerships among
more than 25 public agencies
and private non-profit organiza-
tions and enable integration of EPA
and Corps efforts into broader, watershed-based resto-
ration and brownfields revitalization strategies. It will
focus on reducing pollution loads, restoring ecological
integrity, improving fish passage, increasing wetland
acreage, and expanding forest coverage.
Points of Contact:
EPA- Nicholas DiNardo
Corps- Steven Pugh
215.814.3365
410.962.3639
BLACKSTONE-WOONASQUATUCKET
RIVERS, RHODE ISLAND AND
MASSACHUSETTS
The Blackstone and Woonasquatucket Rivers, both
designated as American Heritage Rivers, are contami-
nated from over 200 years of industrial activities. The
pilot will promote collaboration
among EPA, Corps, state de-
partments of the environment,
chambers of commerce,
tourism councils, and pri-
vate non-profit groups within
the watershed. The pilot
aims to advance pollution
prevention, water quality im-
provements, and restoration of
wildlife habitat, and promote re-
use through brownfields cleanup and
improved river access.
Points of Contact:
EPA- Johanna Hunter
Corps- Chris Hatfield
617.918.1041
978.318.8520
ELIZABETH RIVER, VIRGINIA
The Elizabeth River is contaminated from industrial
activities that discharged pollutants directly into the
river and from storm water runoff. The pilot project will
coordinate the efforts of the EPA, Corps, Common-
wealth of Virginia, U.S. Department of Transportation
Maritime Administration, National Oceanic and Atmo-
spheric Administration (NOAA), and community
groups. These efforts will concentrate on the reduction
of toxic materials and nutrients originating from storm
water runoff, pollution prevention, removal of contami-
nated sediments, and restoration of wildlife habitat.
Points of Contact:
EPA- Nicholas DiNardo
Corps- Robert N. Pretlow
215.814.3365
757.441.7385
TRES Rios, ARIZONA
The Tres Rios area is a flood-prone community located
near the Salt and Gila Rivers west of the Phoenix met-
ropolitan area. The Tres Rios pilot will expand the ex-
isting partnership between the Corps and the City of
Phoenix to include other federal, state, and local agen-
cies along with community organizations. The pilot will
restore native riparian habitat, improve water quality,
reduce future flood damage, mitigate damage to cul-
tural resources, and provide educational and recre-
ational opportunities. Pilot partners also hope to char-
acterize and possibly mitigate or clean up a closed
landfill located within project boundaries.
Points of Contact:
EPA- Suzanne Perkins
Corps- Scott Estergard
415.972.3208
602.640.2004
LOWER PASSAIC RIVER, NEW JERSEY
The Lower Passaic River extends 17 miles through
urban northern New Jersey. The river flows into the
Hudson-Raritan Estuary, which has some of the high-
est levels of PCBs and dioxins in sediments in the
United States. The pilot project will develop an appro-
priate remediation and restoration plan through a co-
operative effort among state and federal agencies and
other public and private authorities. This effort will even-
tually lead to restoration of habitats, increases in rec-
reational opportunities, the lifting of fish consumption
bans, contaminant concentration reductions in dredged
materials, and overall economic development for the
region.
Points of Contact:
EPA- Alice Yeh
Corps- Thomas Shea
212.637.4427
212.264.5570
------- |