The Benthic Habitat program of the DEC was charged with the mission to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of the benthic (river floor) habitat in the Hudson, in order to steer policy making regarding the use, conservation, and restoration of our fisheries, parks and waterways. The benthic environment is of critical importance to the entire food chain, and yet until this DEC-sponsored project little was known about our river's benthic characteristics, and importantly, how the Hudson changes with time, storm events, and human intervention.

This giant sturgeon was actually caught 5 miles north of Ossining in Verplank.

The benthic mapping program will:

Provide scientists, engineers, and policy makers with data needed to steward, optimally administer, and further study the river. This data will contribute to research concerning fluid dynamics; particle, pollutant, and nutrient transport; and the time-dependent effects of both engineering projects like dredging, and natural events like hurricanes.

Provide more detailed navigational charting which can speed river commerce and help to prevent ship groundings and associated oil spills.

Provide biologists with the data they need to build models of fish migration, spawning, and population density.

Provide regular folks with the data they need to go find the big fish in the pockets and deep trenches the other guys don't know about. (Your tax dollars at work for you!)

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