The city finished a major flood mitigation project in East Flatbush and Canarsie, installing hundreds of rain gardens, infiltration basins and trees to prevent future floods.
In honor of Earth Day, New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced the completion of a $42.3 million safety project in East Flatbush and Canarsie, which includes adding 906 infiltration basins and 291 rain gardens, which will capture approximately 122.5 million gallons of stormwater annually — enough to fill 184 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
“Protecting New Yorkers from the clear and present danger to life and property that flooding poses is critical to keeping New Yorkers safe on Earth Day and every day,” said Adams.
Rain gardens resemble typical curbside tree beds, but are engineered to capture and store up to 2,500 gallons of rainwater that then percolate into the ground, preventing flooding. Infiltration basins are similarly designed to store and absorb rainwater, but at sidewalk level they have a walkable surface that blends into the surrounding conditions.
As part of the project, the city also planted 223 trees across the two neighborhoods, which have historically been two of New York’s most heat-vulnerable neighborhoods.
“Every storm is a reminder that climate change is here and hitting New York City hard,” said New York City Chief Climate Officer and New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “This new green infrastructure in East Flatbush and Canarsie will soak up stormwater to ease flooding and reduce pollution. Green infrastructure like this can be delivered to New Yorkers quickly and with little construction disruption.”
