DEP completes construction of curbside rain gardens
to reduce fl ooding in southeast Queens neighborhoods
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.20 COM | DEC. 11-DEC. 17, 2020
drainage system as well
as green infrastructure,
including rain gardens,
to naturally absorb
stormwater,” Sapienza
said.
Councilman Daneek
Miller said he’s pleased
that the DEP is continuing
to make progress
installing flood mitigation
tools during the
pandemic.
“Southeast Queens
residents have struggled
for years with routine
flooding, and it’s
more important than
ever that we address
these quality-of-life issues
and support our
homeowners in every
way we can,” Miller
said.
Senator Leroy Comrie
said stormwater
management is a core
solution to the issue
of chronic flooding in
southeast Queens.
“I thank Commissioner
Sapienza and his
team at DEP for developing
and installing these
curbside stormwater
absorption resources
in our communities,”
Comrie said.
Rain gardens supplement
a robust drainage
system and are built in
city sidewalks and do
not result in the loss of
any parking spaces.
Infiltration basins
mimic existing sidewalk
conditions and
can have either a grass
or concrete top. Like
rain gardens, they vary
in size, have curb cuts
that allow stormwater
to enter and overflow if
they become saturated,
and have been designed
in a way that will allow
them to manage up to
2,500 gallons each during
a storm.
In partnership with
the Departments of
Transportation and
Parks and Recreation,
DEP conducts an extensive
site selection
process that includes
geotechnical investigations
and surveys.
During construction,
the rain gardens
and infiltration basins
are excavated to a depth
of about 5 feet and are
then backfilled with
layers of stone and engineered
soil. These layers
contain void spaces
that store the stormwater
and promote infiltration.
The addition of hardy
plants further encourages
infiltration
through root growth
and increases the capacity
of the rain garden
through evapotranspiration.
Green Infrastructure
is specifically designed
so that all the
stormwater is absorbed
in less than 48 hours
and dedicated maintenance
crews ensure
that they are functioning
properly, including
removing any trash
that may have accumulated
and pruning the
trees and plants.
DEP has also conducted
extensive outreach
in the Jamaica
Bay watershed area,
including briefing City
Council members, community
boards and
numerous other neighborhood
and environmental
organizations.
These meetings help
to inform communities
about the purpose of
green infrastructure
and the benefits it will
bring to their neighborhoods,
as well as
plans for future
construction
Mark McMillan,
district manager of
Community Board 13,
said they welcome the
attention of DEP with
the rain gardens and
infiltration systems as
innovative and unobtrusive
ways to address
the flooding issue.
“Being part of the
Jamaica basin, it is
important that these
remedial measures are
put in place to protect
property and to assure
that residents can comfortably
enjoy the biggest
investments most
people have — their
homes,” McMillian
said.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by email
at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4526.
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
The city Department
of Environmental Protection
(DEP) has completed
construction of
170 specially designed
curbside rain gardens
and infiltration basins
to reduce roadway
flooding in southeast
Queens neighborhoods.
Each installation in
the neighborhoods of
Queens Village, Wayanda
and Cambria Heights
has the capacity to collect
and absorb up to
2,500 gallons of stormwater
during each rainstorm,
according to the
DEP. It is estimated that
in total, over 17 million
gallons of stormwater
can be captured annually.
DEP Commissioner
Vincent Sapienza said
the department is investing
$1.9 billion in
a comprehensive draining
system to combat
flooding and improve
the quality of life for
residents and businesses
in southeast Queens.
The program consists of
45 sewer projects overall,
including 10 that
are substantially completed
and 11 that are in
active construction.
“Stormwater management
in New York
City requires a multifaceted
approach, which
is why we are building
out a comprehensive
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