Riverkeeper

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Riverkeeper Riverkeeper is a member-supported watchdog organization dedicated to restoring the Hudson.

Our Vision
We envision a future in which the Hudson River, its tributaries and watershed, and the New York City drinking watershed are:

restored to ecological health and balance,
free-flowing, resilient, and teeming with life,
reliable sources of safe, clean drinking water,
recovered from historic and inequitable environmental harms,
safe and accessible for swimming, fishing, boating and other recreational activities, and
valued and stewarded by all.

Removing dams can help rivers flow freely again, and sharing what we’ve learned makes our work across the watershed stro...
10/16/2026

Removing dams can help rivers flow freely again, and sharing what we’ve learned makes our work across the watershed stronger.

New York City Department of Parks & Recreation staff joined Riverkeeper for a site visit to three dam removal projects along Quassaick Creek in Newburgh and New Windsor: Holden Dam, next slated for removal; Walsh Road Dam, planned for a future phase; and Strooks Felt Dam, which Riverkeeper removed in 2020.

The visit offered a chance to share lessons from our work and see firsthand the different stages of dam removal.

NYC Parks is advancing four dam removal projects along the Bronx River, which would be the first of their kind in New York City. As they navigate new technical, regulatory, and public education challenges, we’re glad to share our experience to help move these projects forward.

Collaboration like this helps build support for healthier, more connected rivers. We look forward to continuing the conversation and visiting the Bronx River project sites later this year!

Thank you to everyone who took action and contacted the EPA about the Wappinger Creek Superfund cleanup! Your voices mat...
10/15/2026

Thank you to everyone who took action and contacted the EPA about the Wappinger Creek Superfund cleanup! Your voices matter. 💧

The EPA committed $88 million to dredging a portion of the tidal Wappinger Creek, an important step toward cleaning up contamination and protecting the Hudson River.

Riverkeeper supported this cleanup plan and helped educate local governments about the project. But there’s more work ahead. As the cleanup moves into the next phase, we’ll continue pushing to ensure it:
🐟 Reconstructs critical habitat for striped bass, river herring, American eel, and other wildlife.
🚶 Restores public access to the creek and its shorelines.
🧪 Addresses the portion of the creek affected by PCBs from the Hudson River Superfund site, which is not included in this cleanup project.
⚠️ Ensures anglers have clear warnings about the risks of eating contaminated fish.

This decision is an important milestone, but the details matter.

We’ll keep working to ensure the cleanup protects public health, restores habitat, and preserves access to this vital waterway.

Thank you for taking action for a cleaner, healthier Hudson River and its tributaries!

🧂 Before winter arrives, it’s time to rethink how we use road salt.At the NYS Salt Summit hosted by Lake George Associat...
10/14/2026

🧂 Before winter arrives, it’s time to rethink how we use road salt.

At the NYS Salt Summit hosted by Lake George Association, Riverkeeper joined highway departments, waterkeeper partners, and state leaders to explore practical solutions to road salt pollution. Excessive salt in our water also threatens human health, particularly for New Yorkers following low-sodium diets. Beyond equipment upgrades, we need public awareness, training, and policies that protect our waterways.

The good news? Solutions already exist. Putting them into practice at scale means overcoming barriers, supporting municipalities and contractors, and building more awareness that road salt is a serious threat to clean water.

This winter, we can keep our roads safe without over-salting our waterways. 💧

Less salt. Cleaner water. A healthier Hudson River. Stay tuned for more resources and ways to engage in reducing road salt pollution this winter season.

10/13/2026

We’re hiring! 🌊

Riverkeeper is seeking a Government Affairs and Capital Region Coordinator to advance clean water and environmental resilience policies across New York.

Based in Albany during the legislative session, you’ll work closely with regional partners, community organizations, and elected officials to advance policy priorities, coordinate advocacy campaigns, and build relationships throughout the Capital Region and Mohawk Valley.
Help turn local partnerships into action for clean water.

📍 Albany / Capital Region | Hybrid

Apply today: https://ow.ly/x8H250ZXhga

10/12/2026

Today and every day, Riverkeeper honors Indigenous peoples and the enduring relationships between people, rivers, and land.

A powerful new presence has arrived at Storm King. 🐟

Riverkeeper was honored to join a recent knowledge-sharing event for Saif Azzuz’s weych-pues / tàkhòne (where the rivers meet) at Storm King Art Center

“Sturgeons are species that are millions of years old,” Azzuz has said. “They hold so much of our stories and the stories of the land.”

Rooted in Yurok and Lenape stories, the monumental sculpture honors the sturgeon as a symbol of cultural survival, resilience, and our deep connection to rivers and land.

This powerful work reminds us that protecting our rivers also means honoring the people and stories that have sustained them for generations. See the piece at Storm King Art Center through November 9.

This September, the Riverkeeper team joined 125 Waterkeeper Alliance groups from around the world in Ecuador to share kn...
10/08/2026

This September, the Riverkeeper team joined 125 Waterkeeper Alliance groups from around the world in Ecuador to share knowledge, strengthen partnerships, and learn from communities working to protect their waterways. 🌎💧

A highlight was a minga on the San Pedro River, where Waterkeepers and local volunteers cleaned the river, removed invasive plants, celebrated biodiversity, and shared a community meal.

The trip was a powerful reminder that no river exists alone. What happens to one waterway matters to us all. We return to the Hudson with renewed determination and an even stronger global community working for clean water.

From the Hudson to the Amazon, the message is clear: We protect water together.

Read more of Riverkeeper President Tracy Brown’s reflections on the trip here: https://ow.ly/kbWQ50ZVAbo

10/07/2026

Empire State Plaza wants to turn up the heat on the Hudson.🌡️🥵⚠️

To cool its Albany buildings, the Plaza draws water from the river and discharges it back after it has been heated by the cooling process.

Now, the state is seeking permission to discharge up to 92 million gallons a day at temperatures as high as 100°F directly into the Hudson River.

That superheated water can harm fish and other wildlife and disrupt the river’s ecosystem.

Riverkeeper is fighting to protect the Hudson, challenging this request, and calling on the state to invest in solutions that keep harmful hot water out of the river.

Keeping Albany’s state buildings cool shouldn’t come at the Hudson’s expense.

10/06/2026

We’re hiring! 🌊

Riverkeeper is seeking a Government Affairs and Capital Region Coordinator to advance clean water and environmental resilience policies across New York.

Based in Albany during the legislative session, you’ll work closely with regional partners, community organizations, and elected officials to advance policy priorities, coordinate advocacy campaigns, and build relationships throughout the Capital Region and Mohawk Valley.
Help turn local partnerships into action for clean water.

📍 Albany / Capital Region | Hybrid

Apply today: https://ow.ly/s72650ZV5Y1

10/02/2026

From New York City to the Upper Hudson, Riverkeeper’s patrol boat the R. Ian Fletcher often travels more than 1,000 miles each year to protect the river we all depend on. 🚤

From tracking pollution and monitoring water quality to supporting scientific research, investigating spills, and bringing decision-makers out on the water, our patrol helps hold polluters accountable and protect the Hudson’s future.

These efforts have helped strengthen environmental law enforcement, improve compliance, and secure millions of dollars in fines and funding for environmental restoration. They also support critical work to heal habitats, protect wildlife, improve water infrastructure, and keep industrial pollution in check.

Running from early spring through late fall, our patrol is a vital part of how we keep watch over the Hudson and its tributaries. Alongside our community, we’re the eyes and ears of the river.

Learn more about Riverkeeper’s work on the water at https://ow.ly/AoWX50ZU10o

Riverkeeper and our partners in NYC government recently hit the water for a tour of New York Harbor, from Battery Park t...
10/01/2026

Riverkeeper and our partners in NYC government recently hit the water for a tour of New York Harbor, from Battery Park to the East River, down to Red Hook and Sunset Park, around Governors Island, and out to the Statue of Liberty.

Last weekend’s nor’easter reminds us of the risks of coastal flooding — the need for coastal resilience has never been clearer. Most New Yorkers face as much risk from coastal flooding today as they did during Superstorm Sandy.

It’s encouraging to see the Mamdani administration NYC Mayor's Public Engagement Unit NYC Mayor's Office invest $43 million in the Bureau of Coastal Resilience to help protect our communities and prepare for a changing climate.

Thank you to the great crew who joined us to talk about the future of New York’s waterways:
Paul Lozito, Deputy Executive Director, and Carlos Piedad, Policy Advisor, Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) NYC Climate
Alia Soomro, Deputy Director for New York City Policy at New York League of Conservation Voters
Tyler Taba, Director of Policy and Government Affairs at Waterfront Alliance
Victoria Sanders, Climate and Health Programs Manager at New York City Environmental Justice Alliance

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