New York State Thruway Authority

Water Quality

MS4 Annual Reports | Storm Water Phase II Program | Connecting the Drops Campaign | Waste Water Treatment Plants

Connecting the Drops Campaign

The New York State Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation (Authority/Corporation) are working together to educate the public about protecting clean water.

Connecting the Drops is a public outreach campaign that supports the Authority/Corporation’s Stormwater Program. The goal of this outreach is to remind New Yorkers that water connects everyone, and that what gets dropped in the environment can reach water bodies and put aquatic life, recreation, and even drinking water at risk. The Connecting the Drops effort includes educating Authority/Corporation employees, as well as the motorists and boaters that use the Thruway and Canal Systems.  Find out more about the Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation’s Stormwater Program.

Public Outreach

• CMOST Hudson River Watershed Model
  The Children’s Museum of Science and Technology (CMOST) and the New York State Thruway Authority unveiled their new Hudson River Watershed Model exhibit.  This interactive learning exhibit educates children by demonstrating how stormwater runoff can carry pollution to New York’s waterways.
  
• Canal Clean Sweep
  The Canal Clean Sweep helps to highlight the significance of the Canal System as a recreational and tourist destination by encouraging communities, not-for-profit organizations and volunteers to engage in cleanup and beautification activities along the Canal System and Canalway Trail. Each year, the statewide event continues to grow. In 2009, the 4th Annual Canal Clean Sweep included more than 85 clean up events happening throughout the Canal System in celebration of Earth Day and in preparation for the 184th navigation season.
  
  As part of the 2nd Annual Canal Clean Sweep celebration, The Environmental Clearinghouse, Inc. (ECOS) and the Mabee Farm hosted an Earth Day celebration at Mabee Farm Historical Site.
  
  
• Tug Urger Educational Program
  Each year, the Canal Corporation's flagship vessel, the Tug Urger  , travels throughout the Canal System and hosts thousands of fourth grade schoolchildren for an educational program about the history of the Canal System. The Corporation has developed a program to educate students about the causes of storm water pollution and what they can do to prevent it. 
  
  
• Storm Drain Stenciling
  The New York State Thruway Authority partnered with Science Club students from Albany’s Sheridan Preparatory Academy to demonstrate the connection between everyday activities and potential pollution of waterways. Fourth and fifth grade students participated in a stormwater drain stenciling activity at the Thruway’s Guilderland Travel Plaza. The students painted “Only Rain Down the Drain, Drains to Waterway” by the storm drains to raise awareness that they drain to lakes, rivers and streams.
  
  
• Public Outreach at Travel Plazas
  The Authority/Corporation have promoted their Connecting the Drops campaign by distributing informational materials at regional travel plazas across the Thruway System. The materials below have been made available to the public at the Sloatsburg, New Baltimore, Pembroke and Warners Travel Plazas as part of the Authority/Corporation’s public outreach that seeks to educate Thruway and Canal patrons about actions that everyone can take to protect their local watershed and prevent stormwater pollution.

Connecting the Drops Materials

• Connecting the Drops – The New York State Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation: Working with You to Protect Clean Water
  Describes the Connecting the Drops campaign and the importance of keeping pollution out of the watershed.
• Hudson River Watershed Model
  This interactive hands-on watershed model displays a portion of the Hudson River watershed and illustrates how non-point source pollution can reach waterways. This model can be visited at the Children’s Museum of Science & Technology located in Troy, NY.
• Help Keep the Canal Clean: What you can do to help  
  Outlines proper vessel operation and maintenance practices that will help keep the Canal System clean and informs people how to identify and report illegal discharges and dumping observed while cruising the Canal System.
• Stormwater Pollution Prevention: What you can do to help  
  Describes how stormwater can become polluted and provides an overview of practical ways homeowners, drivers, boaters and pet owners can prevent pollution from entering the watershed.
• Nutrient Brochure  
  Describes the harmful effects of discharging the pollutants phosphorus and nitrogen to the waterways and provides suggestions for nutrient pollution prevention.
• Good Cleaning Practices  
  This poster, geared to employees at Authority Travel Plazas, outlines proper procedures for food service vendors that will help reduce stormwater pollution.
• Good Housekeeping Practices - Thruway  
  Good Housekeeping Practices - Canals  
  These posters outline proper operating proper operating procedures for Canal and Thruway maintenance facilities that will help Authority/Corporation staff to reduce the risk of stormwater pollution.
• Oil Water Separator Poster  
  This poster provides guidance to Authority/Corporation staff on the proper operation and maintenance of oil water separators at Thruway and Canal maintenance facilities.
• Connecting the Drops Children's Activity Pages  
  Children’s coloring book and activity guide for children grade K-6. Word Scramble, word search and coloring pages help teach kids how to keep water clean.
• Clean Water Everyone Can Help! Children's Fact Sheet  
  A fun and informational fact sheet aimed at students grade 3-6 to educate them about the things that we all can do to prevent stormwater pollution from entering waterways.
• Stormwater Video (WMV, 29 Mb) - (For better viewing performance, download the file to your desktop and run)
• Stormwater Video Script (Text explanation of the Stormwater Video)
  

Environmental Stewardship