10,000 Green Infrastructure Assets

A snapshot of green infrastructure locations in New York City. View an interactive map of our green infrastructure assets.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic hit New York City with full force right when construction season was getting underway, we were able to complete the installation of more than 3,000 green infrastructure assets in 2020, bringing the citywide total to over 10,000! And that is good news for New Yorkers and our waterways.

A rain garden in New York City absorbing stormwater on a rain day. Rain gardens supplement a robust drainage system and are built in city sidewalks.

Infiltration basins mimic existing sidewalk conditions and can have either a concrete top or grass. Like rain gardens, they vary in size and have curb cuts that allow stormwater to enter and overflow if they become saturated.

One reason for 2020’s success was the use of new design options such as infiltration basins. These basins manage stormwater much like a rain garden, but they do not include a tree and are typically capped with either a concrete top or one covered in grass to mimic a typical New York City sidewalk. The addition of infiltration basins vastly increased the number of green infrastructure assets that can be constructed throughout the city.

Monarch caterpillars and chrysalises have been spotted in rain gardens throughout New York City.

Green infrastructure provides more than just stormwater management for New Yorkers. It also provides community and environmental benefits to the city’s neighborhoods and residents. These “co-benefits” include increased urban greening, urban heat island reduction, and more habitat for birds and pollinators around the city. Our gardeners have found monarch butterflies in rain gardens!

We thank our entire green infrastructure team, especially field crews who have continued their critical tasks despite the pandemic. Their commitment to the Green Infrastructure Program ensures its continued success in the years to come!