Walking the Bluebelt... an exclusive tour of New York City's largest storm water management system

Across 19 watersheds, the Bluebelt system covers nearly a third of the entire borough of Staten Island. A world renowned groundbreaking natural storm water management system that’s been active in some parts for over 30 years, the Bluebelt is probably the single most effective system to mitigate flooding in the entire region. We invite you to come check out one of the largest and most public facing of the Bluebelts- New Creek, with an exclusive look behind locked gates, under manholes, and into the storm water management system with Robert (Rob) Brauman, the Deputy Chief of Bluebelt Operations and Maintenance, who has worked on the sustainable stormwater and wetland management program since its inception in 1996. Join us early from Manhattan, where we’ll jump on the Ferry together to Staten Island discussing the wider watershed and flood mitigation practices, and will have a chance to enter the usually closed trails of the upper part of the Creek, called Last Chance Pond. At the public entrance to New Creek, we’ll be joined by members of the DEP to guide us through the scavenger hunt route and photojournalist Nathan Kensinger, who will lead a group (limited spots!) through New Creek and down to Midland Beach, where we’ll have a screening of his 2018 film Managed Retreat one block from where the film was shot, and chronicling the purposeful relocation and demotion of homes in the severely flood prone coastal community of Oakwood beach in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. ** Pack your own lunch and waterbottle. We’ll provide snacks and back upwater. ** Made in partnership with Holes in the Wall Collective and the DEP This is part of Imagined Futures: This Must be the Place scavenger hunt, connecting you deeper to 7 waterways across the city. More info at holesinthewallcollective/imaginedfutures Made possible with support from NYC Cultural Affairs and NYC Tourism Foundation.