The document summarizes the Staten Island Bluebelt system, which is a network of natural areas that manages stormwater runoff across 10,000 acres of Staten Island. It consists of 16 watersheds that contain constructed wetlands, streams, and detention basins to filter and slow stormwater. Over $350 million has been invested to build 50 best management practices within the watersheds. The Bluebelt provides effective flood control and improves water quality by filtering out pollutants from stormwater before it is released.
1. Presented by Bianca Cardaci, Christina Gioeli,
Kristin Lamonte, Gabriella Leone, & Stefanie
Tozzi
2. What is the Bluebelt?
The Staten Island Bluebelt is a manmade storm
water management system that can be found in
about one third of Staten Island’s land area.
The Bluebelt system consists of 16 individual
watersheds that cover over 10,000 acres of land.
Each watershed contains a variety of Best
Management Practices (BMPs) which are natural
drainage corridors, such as constructed wetlands,
streams and detention basins.
3. Watersheds
A watershed is a geographic area from which water
drains into a particular waterway.
Water enters the regular storm water drains and then
enters the Bluebelt system where it is sifted through
a series of streams and ponds that contain it, purify it
and slow it down.
There are 16 separate watersheds that offer
ecologically sound and cost-effective storm water
management.
5. Best Management Practice
BMPs are engineered facilities that provide flood
control, water quality improvement and habitat
preservation.
Each BMP is individually designed to imitate nature
and preserve all natural processes in its surrounding
area.
There are now fifty completed BMPs, including 22
storm water wetlands with extended detention
basins, 18 outlet stilling basins, 3 pond retrofits, 6
8. How does the Bluebelt work?
A. Restoration/Retrofit – A retrofit is the
incorporation of an already existing pond or riverbed
into the water management system. For example,
Mill Pond was dredged to remove accumulated
sediments, and extensive plantings were installed.
The entire 950-acre Richmond Creek watershed
flows into this one-acre pond.
10. How does the Bluebelt work?
B. Constructed Pocket Wetland - filters storm
water discharge from storm sewer pipes, which
drains into a tributary area.
11. How Does the Bluebelt Work?
C. Outlet Stilling Basin- Accepts water from the
storm sewer system by means of a pipe and reduces
its velocity. This speed reduction minimizes the
danger of water erosion in sections of the stream.
12. How does the Bluebelt work?
D. Culvert - prevents the flooding that plagues
stream crossing. The main culvert, Richmond Town
Bridge, marks the spot where fresh water and tidal
water meet.
13. How Does the Bluebelt Work?
E. Stream Restoration – Stream banks are
stabilized with materials such as boulders and log-
shaped rolls filled with coconut husk fibers. To
reduce velocities of water within the channel, the
stream is reconstructed with a pool/riffle morphology
that also encourages aquatic life.
15. How does the Bluebelt work?
F. Underground Sand Filter – A concrete box that
was built below ground through which storm water is
directed and filtered. The box contains two
chambers, wet and dry. The wet chamber captures
sediment and floatables. Once it’s captured it
overflows through the weir into the sand and gravel
(dry chamber) where it is filtered. Then it flows from
storm sewer into the outlet stilling basin and into
Richmond Creek.
16. How does the Bluebelt work?
G. Extended Detention Basin - helps to manage
the storm water runoff from an area of about 450
acres. The pond, a half-acre in size during dry
weather, expands during heavy storms and detains
the peak of the storm water flow. This basin is a “last
resort” and is located at the end of the Bluebelt
system.
18. Water Quality
Sediments filtered from the water in each BMP are tested for
heavy metals.
RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) gives the
EPA the ability to control hazardous waste such as: silver,
arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead, and
selenium. The Bluebelt water is below the RCRA required
levels.
Traces of barium were found in the storm water, which is
thought to be a result of tire wear.
Although the water is filtered so that it is cleaner when it
exists each BMP into Raritan Bay & the Atlantic Ocean, it is
19. Maintenance
Preservation of watersheds is necessary for them to
perform their functions of conveying, storing, and filtering
storm water.
Maintenance of the Bluebelt BMPs requires controlled
water flow and filtration, aesthetic appeal, safety, and pest
control.
A main component of Bluebelt Maintenance is the vactor
truck. It vacuums debris, and uses a high-powered hose
that is capable of flushing clogged pipes, cleaning
structural chambers and power washing sediment-laden
surfaces.
20. Bluebelt Budget
More than $350 million has been invested in Staten
Island's Bluebelts with more than $220 million currently
planned for the next 10 years.
The City of New York has purchased approximately 325
acres of wetland property on the South Shore for the
system. Since its beginning, $300 million has been
invested in sewer capital projects in the South Shore’s
Bluebelt watersheds, along with $50 million for drainage
improvements and wetland restoration work in the Bluebelt
system itself.
As of 2007, the city of New York has saved over $80 million
dollars as a result of the Bluebelt system.
21. Importance of the Bluebelt
"Through the success of the Bluebelt program, New York
City has adopted this approach in their Plan NYC 2030 as
a means of improving climatic, infrastructural and
demographic challenges in the future." - NYWEA President
Bruce G. Munn
The faster Staten Island urbanizes, the greater the need for
the Bluebelt is. Streets and rooftops increase the rate,
velocity and volume of surface water runoff, meaning there
is more water gathering and less places for it to go.
Watersheds temporarily store the flood waters, while
wetlands help protect adjacent and downstream property
22. Success of the Bluebelt
In 2004, Hurricane Ivan passed through the region without
disrupting the Bluebelt system; this is a testament to its
success.
The Bluebelt can only be overwhelmed by a “Hundred-
Year” storm. Meaning a storm that generates 10 inches of
rain and has a 1% chance of happening every 100 years.
“[The construction of the Bluebelt is] Basically building
something to mimic Mother Nature, and that’s what’s
happening. So that tells us it’s successful…that what we’re
trying to do is actually happening.” – James Rossi, Bluebelt
Field Manager
23. Success of the Bluebelt
Before
After
South Richmond intersection
24. Future Bluebelts
The DEP is projected to install three new
Watersheds in Midland Beach, South Beach and
then Oakwood Beach.
The Midland Beach Watershed (AKA New Creek) is
projected to cost $37.5 million, and has a projected
savings of $39 million in comparison of putting
sewers in for the same area.
On the Northern Shore of Staten Island, there is a
plan to reconstruct wetlands in Snug Harbor.
There are also expansion plans for Queens and the
26. Work Cited
"Clear Waters Magazine Honors DEP’s Staten Island Bluebelt
Program." 25 Jan. 2010.
http://home2.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/press_releases/10-08pr.shtml
Rossi, James, and James Garin. "Successful Maintenance of Green
Infrastructure for Stormwater Management: Staten Island Bluebelt."
Hazen and Sawyer Environmental Engineers & Scientists. 2009.
http://www.hazenandsawyer.com/publications/successful-
maintenance-of-green-infrastructure-for-stormwater-management/.
Gumb, Dana, and Sandeep Mehrotra. "Staten Island Bluebelt
Program: A Natural Solution to Environmental Problems." May-June
2001. http://home2.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/press_releases/10-
08pr.shtml http://www.asla.org/lamag/lam05/november/ecology.html
Rossi, James, Dana Gumb, Sandeep Mehrotra, Deeya Deb, and
Brian Henn. The Staten Island Bluebelt : A Case Study in Urban
Stormwater Management. Rep. NOVATECH, 2007. Print.