For Management and Planning

Dutchess County Watershed Management Plans

• Casperkill Assessment Document
• Fall Kill Watershed Management Plan
• Fishkill Creek Management Plan
• Wappinger Creek Watershed Management Plan
• Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda 2005-2009, Hudson River Estuary Program, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Land Use Regulations

• Pace University Land Use Law Center: Gaining Ground Database
  A research library intended to be Ground Control for practical and scholarly explorations of innovative land use laws, regulations, and practices.
• DEC: Water Supply & Conservation
  NYS DEC regulations and technical guidance for public water supply wells; the site also registers water well contractors, and provides information to the public about droughts.
• Center for Watershed Protection: Model Ordinances
  Model ordinances that can be used to better protect the environmental resources of a community.

NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program – Code and Ordinance Worksheet for New York State

• NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program - Code and Ordiance Worksheet for New York State
  Adapted from the Center for Watershed Protection's Code and Ordiance Worksheet, this worksheet allows an in-depth review of the standards, local laws, ordinances, and codes that shape how development occurs in your municipality. The worksheet consists of a series of questions that correspond to model development principles, and is intended to guide you through the first two steps of a local site planning roundtable. The worksheet has not yet been updated to reflect the latest state regulations but is still useful as a checklist of areas to consider.
• Stormwater Center: Model Ordinances and Assorted Fact Sheets
  Model ordinances for aquatic resource protection including stream buffer ordinance, illicit detection and elimination measures, erosion and sediment controls, open space design zoning controls, groundwater protection ordinances and more.

Stream and Flooding Management

• Recommendations for Stream and Flooding Management in Dutchess County - Dutchess Environmental Scientific Advisory Network

Better Site Design

• Center for Watershed Protection: Basic Information for Better Site Design
• Model Development Principles to Protect Streams, Lakes and Wetlands
• Low Impact Development Center
• Why Smart Growth: A Primer
  This primer describes the environmental, economic, social, and governmental costs of poorly planned growth and explains why smart growth practices can be more efficient
• EPA: Protecting Water Resources with Smart Growth
  This publication compiles 75 policies to help communities, local governments, and state and regional planners who are already familiar with smart growth and are seeking ideas on how to protect their water resources.
• EPA: Smart Growth Publications page

Stormwater Management

• EPA: The Nonpoint Source Outreach Tool box
  The Nonpoint Source Outreach Tool box includes a searchable catalog of nearly 800 print, radio, and TV ads and outreach materials in the following categories: lawn and garden care, motor vehicle care, pet care, septic system care, household chemicals and waste, and general stormwater and storm drain awareness.
• New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual
• New York Association of Floodplain and Stormwater Managers
• Center for Watershed Protection: Resources on Stormwater Management
• Center for Watershed Protection: The Importance of Imperviousness

Mapping Tools

• DEC Environmental Resource Mapper
  The Environmental Resource Mapper is an interactive mapping application that can be used to identify some of New York State's natural resources and environmental features that are state protected, or of conservation concern.
• County Atlas and Parcel Access

Groundwater

• Municipal Groundwater Assessments: Pleasant Valley Report
  These two municipal groundwater reports from the Chazen Companies in different geologic terrains demonstrate aquifer mapping, landscape photo interpretation, fracture trace analysis, stream flow analysis identifying groundwater use impacts, unsewered areas with undersized parcels. Each report closes with specific water resource planning recommendations.
• Regional Aquifer Recharge Rate Study
  This study by the Chazen Companies describes a streamlined method to assess regional aquifer recharge rates using stream flow records, hydrologic soil groups, and precipitation data. Aquifer recharge rates are used in water budget studies, groundwater allocation plans and ecological service evaluations.
• Sustainable Septic System Density: Density Planning Model
  This recharge rate study by the Chazen Companies presents a model to recommend sustainable average parcel sizes for areas using septic systems and domestic wells. The accuracy of the model was recently validated by 250 domestic well water samples on large and undersized parcels. Wells with elevated nitrate coming from septic systems may also contain other wastewater constituents, including pharmaceutical residues, endocrine disruptors, and personal care chemicals.
• Hydrogeologic Conditions Summary Report for Northern Westchester County
  This cost-effective regional groundwater inventory was prepared by the Chazen Companies based on interviews with municipal planners and engineers, existing reports, and analysis of published and GIS-based aquifer mapping. The resulting report summarized known aquifer conditions and threats, details missing hydrogeologic data needed for sustainable planning initiatives, and recommends groundwater utilization objectives.
• Model Ordinances:
  Generic Model Two-Zone Model
  Two versions of a model local ordinance are available from the Chazen Companies to protect and allocate aquifer water quality. The generic version provides uniform regional protection. The two-zone version allows users to focus protection on recharge areas and wellhead protection areas and reduce administrative burdens elsewhere. Both model laws include cluster subdivision layout guidance, stormwater infiltration requirements, and pumping test protocols.
• Putnam County Groundwater Protection & Utilization Plan
  This County-wide aquifer study by the Chazen Companies included GIS-based aquifer mapping analysis, stream flow analysis, statistical analysis of depth and yield data from 5,000+ well logs, a regional water budget assessment, and groundwater protection and allocation recommendations finalized through a public process including significant stakeholder input.

Wetlands

• Wetland and Watershed Protection Toolkit: Guidance for Local Governments in New York State

Riparian Buffers

• Chagrin River Watershed Partners – Riparian Setbacks: Technical Information for Decision-makers
• Design Recommendations for Riparian Corridors and Vegetated Buffer Strips
• Model Stream Buffer/Wetland Ordinance prepared by the State of Rhode Island
• Pace Land Use Law Center Model Ordinance Example

Road Salt Impacts & Alternatives

• Salt in Dutchess County Waters - Presentation by Stuart Findlay at Road Salt Information Session, February 5th, 2011
• Moving Toward The Solution - Presentation by Vicky Kelly at Road Salt Information Session, February 5th, 2011