WRI in the Press
Rarefied Podcast - American Eel: Ambassador of the River (Part 2)
April 3, 2025
In part 2, Rarefied host Meredith Meeker continues to talk to WRI's Chris Bowser about cultural significance of eels around the world, practical ways to help protect eels, and success stories.
Hudson River Watershed Alliance: 2025 Watershed WaveMakers
April 8, 2025
Each year, the Hudson River Watershed Alliance recognizes Watershed WaveMaker awardees from a variety of backgrounds to represent the diversity of successful watershed work in the region. Among the 2025 Watershed WaveMakers awardees is WRI's own Beth Roessler for leadership of the Trees for Tribs program!
Rarefied Podcast - American Eel: Ambassador of the River (Part 1)
March 27, 2025
In this week's episode of Rarefied, host Meredith Meeker talks with WRI's Chris Bowser about the fascinating world of the American Eel from lifecycle and unique adaptations to cultural and nutritional importance of eels.
March 17, 2025
Collaborative project by WRI and the Lenni Lenapexkweyok with support from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Einhorn Center for Community Engagement Engaged Opportunity Grant description. For additional projects funded by Einhorn Engaged Opportunity Grants, visit the press release here.
How Tearing Down Small Dams is Helping Restore Northeast Rivers
February 8, 2025
More than 30,000 small dams currently block river tributaries from Maine to Maryland. New initiatives to remove them are aimed at restoring natural flows, improving habitat for aquatic life, and reopening thousands of river miles to migratory fish, from shad to American eels. Featuring WRI's own Jeremy Dietrich and Scott Cuppett.
MyCoast: New York Newsletter (Vol 3: December 2024)
December 31, 2024
Co-Creating Connections: Homelands Visits with Lenape Tribal Nations
December 17, 2024
November 21, 2024
WRI director, Brian Rahm quoted in an ABC News article about the current drought conditions in the Northeast.
Day in the Life Events Connect Students Across New York State with Local Watersheds
October 23, 2024
Annual Day in the Life events continue to expand with help from Cornell Extension partners.
22nd Annual "Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor"
October 8, 2024
On Thursday, October 10th, shorefronts along the Hudson River Estuary and the piers of New York Harbor will be busy with activity as thousands of students equipped with seine nets, minnow pots, and water testing gear collect data on the Hudson's fish and invertebrates, track the river's tides and currents, and examine water chemistry and quality during the 22nd annual celebration of A Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor.
Do New Yorkers really have 'the champagne of tap waters'?
October 2, 2024
WRI director, Brian Rahm is quoted in this article discussing the changes in New York City water treatment due to reduced use of the Delaware aqueduct, the source of the majority of New York City water.
Planting Trees for Tribs at Fern Tor
October 1, 2024
Marist College student writes about the success of the Trees for Tribs program at Fern Tor including comments from WRI's stream buffer coordinator for the Hudson Estuary Trees for Tribs program, Beth Roessler.
NOAA National Estuaries Week - Photo Contest 2024
September 21, 2024
Check out the 2024 National Estuaries Week photo contest winners including several from WRI's own, Chris Bowser.
Little Salmon River Dam Removal Meeting in Mexico, NY
September 6, 2024
How Hudson River homeowners view flood insurance
August 28, 2024
The Global Development Impact Brief series is designed to highlight Global Development's work across disciplines, issues, and geographies in order to give readers insights into how we are advancing development globally in pursuit of a more equitable, sustainable, and food-secure world for all. This issue features work from the staff of the New York State Water Resources Institute and the Hudson River Estuary Program.
Digital murals to dental clinics: Einhorn Center grants support community-based projects
July 18, 2024
Einhorn Center for Community Engagement supports the collaboration between NYSWRI, the Federation of Kettle Lakes Associations, and Onondaga artist Brandon Lazore to create digital murals about climate change in the Kettle Lakes Watershed.
Cornell in the Kettle Lakes Watersheds
July 18, 2024
A collaborative digital mural project to raise awareness about climate change challenges in the Kettle Lakes Watershed through an Einhorn Center for Community Engagement Engaged Opportunity Grant. Full description of the project at the link.
Nature Nuggets: Episode 9 - Chris Bowser talks eels and Hudson River lore!
June 15, 2024
Brianna Cayo Cotter joined us for a special Kingston Pride edition of Nature Nuggets! And we took a deep dive into eels and Hudson River lore with local legend Chris Bowser from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation!
Art brings science to life along the Mohawk River
May 20, 2024
WRI-supported course at Cornell uses ecological art to explore "the science of the river, including hydrology, geology, toxicology and stream restoration in the region before moving on to Indigenous knowledge of the watershed."
First New York State Drought Summit promotes collaboration across the state
May, 2024
WRI-supported NYS Drought Summit published in Cornell CALS news written by WRI's Ben Maracle.
A balancing act above the falls: Assessing two aquatic plant survey designs in the Niagara River
May, 2024
WRI's Lindsay Yoder published in The Nor'easter: A newsletter from the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society.
April 11, 2024
Funding supports four projects addressing critical water resource issues in Hudson River Estuary and Mohawk River Watersheds and seven projects in the Great Lakes Watershed
How citizen scientists are protecting ‘glass eels’ - Popular Science
March 13, 2024
Roughly 1,000 Hudson River Eel project volunteers net, count, and release about two million juvenile American eels per migrating season.
Citizen scientists’ ‘glass eel’ data helps protect Hudson River
March 12, 2024
Education coordinator at Cornell’s New York State Water Resources Institute and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), Chris Bowser, was interviewed about glass eel data being accepted as official data to be entered in the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) peer-reviewed eel stock assessment report which is collected each year by volunteers with the Hudson River Eel Project.
Cornell students help Tarrytown envision waterfront future
February 22, 2023
Taught by Josh Cerra, associate professor of landscape architecture, the Climate-adaptive Design (CaD) studio, a class in the Department of Landscape Architecture in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has been collaborating since 2015 with Libby Zemaitis, climate resilience program coordinator at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Hudson River Estuary Program. Studio students conducted research and produced renderings for the low-laying riverfront Tarrytown, New York. Student travel funded by WRI.
Meet those Giving Eels, and Other Ailing River Fish, a Chance
April 22, 2022
In celebration of Earth Day 2020, Chris Bowser was interviewed about glass eel migration by Andy Revkin of the Columbia Climate School.
Facing high water, Hudson towns reimagine waterfronts
March 29, 2022
Funding for the CAD Studio is provided by New York’s Environmental Protection Fund and is administered by DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program in partnership with the New York State Water Resources Institute at Cornell.
Chris Bowser receives 2020 Leadership Award from NYS Outdoor Education Association
November 16, 2020
Chris Bowser recently received the 2020 Leadership Award from the New York State Outdoor Education Association. In his acceptance video, he highlights the Poughkeepsie community and the work he and his colleagues have done in outdoor education.
Hudson River Estuary video featured in Cornell CALS Newsletter
October 14, 2020
A WRI-published YouTube video on the Hudson River Estuary was featured on the September 10, 2020 issue of the Cornell CALS Facutly/Staff Newsletter.
Cornell Chronicle reports WRI paper on predicting NY flood insurance claims
August 10, 2020
Brian Rahm co-authored the paper "Predicting Flood Insurance Claims with Hydrologic and Socioeconomic Demographics via Machine Learning: Exploring the Roles of Topography, Minority Populations, and Political Dissimilarity," recently published in the Journal of Environmental Management. Krishna Ramanujan of The Cornell Chronicle wrote a press release about the paper, published August 10, 2020, outlining the impacts of the report.
Staff Member Chris Bowser featured on NPR's Morning Edition
May 18, 2020
Chris Bowser, Hudson River Estuary education coordinator for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and CALS NYS Water Resources Institute employee, was interviewed for and featured on NPR's Morning Edition as an expert on eel behavior. He was asked to weigh in on the emotional life of eels.
Students sketch Ossining’s budding waterfront ideas
March 24, 2020
The banks of the Hudson River shore at Ossining, New York, may seem tranquil now, but the Westchester County town – and other villages along the river – face a watery future: Due to projected climate change effects, the Hudson is rising. The Resilient Waterfronts team at the Hudson River Estuary Program, part of the NYS DEC and Cornell’s New York State Water Resources Institute, helps waterfront communities along the river develop a vision, adapt to sea-level rise and flooding over the long term.
Staff member Chris Bowser featured on NPR podcast Radiolab
October 1, 2019
Staff member Chris Bowser featured on NPR podcast Radiolab discussing eels in the Hudson River.
WRI researcher featured in Fisheries Magazine for work linking ecology and historic place names
August 28, 2019
Andrew Meyer uses historical research and toponymy, the study of place names and their origins, to investigate whether an area referred to as “Sturgeon Pool” on a tributary to the Hudson River might be correctly named as historic habitat of Shortnose Sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum.
Community Science In Action: Marist College Highlights Collaborative Eel Research
July 23, 2019
Chris Bowser, WRI staff member and Education Coordinator for the Hudson River Estuary Program and National Estuary and Research Reserve, was profiled by Marist College for his role in blending education and research.
WRI Staff member quoted in article highlighting the mental health risks of rising sea levels
July 9, 2019
Kristin Marcel, WRI staff member and Climate Resilience Program Coordinator for the Hudson River Estuary Program, was quoted based on her experience working with the town of Piermont, NY. Piermont, just north of New York City, is at risk from rising sea level linked to climate change. WRI’s Hudson River Estuary Climate Resilience Program, in partnership with the NY DEC, works with municipalities to adapt to climate related threats. Learn more in this article about the Hudson River Estuary Program.
Press Archive
WRI staff member Chris Bowser profiled in "On the Front Lines" series
November 28, 2018
Chris Bowser, WRI staff member and Education Coordinator for the Hudson River Estuary Program and National Estuary and Research Reserve, was profiled in the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation's "On the Front Lines" video series. The Estuary Program was designed to engage all citizens of the watershed with the management of their natural resources. Chris often gives students of all ages their first encounter with the estuary and inspires them to conservation.
Eel Excitement: At Hudson River NERR, Environmental Monitoring Takes A Slippery Turn
August 17, 2018
Read about how WRI staff member Chris Bowser combines education and environmental monitoring in the Environmental Monitor. Photo credit: Chris Bowser.
Engineers test device for monitoring NY state park water quality
August 17, 2018
Hear WRI summer intern Zsofia Szegletes '19 speak about her research in a Cornell Chronicle interview! Picture credit: Lindsay France/University Photography.
Study of New York Wastewater Treatment Buoy Data Powers Muskegon Lake Hypoxia Research Posted 7 hours ago Facilities Offers Nuanced View
April 16, 2018
Environmental Monitor, written by Karla Lant on April 16, 2018
Students envision future of Hudson River town confronting flooding
December 15, 2017
Cornell landscape architect and watershed engineering students, funded by WRI, help flood-risk communities adapt to climate change.
Hudson River work nets DEC conservation award
July 11, 2017
WRI, along with the Cornell Department of Natural Resources, have earned Cornell and CALS a DEC conservation award.
Sarah Lawrence studies importance of field trips
January 13, 2017
Click on the link for the story and video.
Damian Helbling's research on micropollutants highlighted at press conference
August 19, 2016
See Riverkeeper's press release, as well as a story in Politico
Dry Summer Causes High Iron Levels in Ithaca Tap Water
July 13, 2016
Time Warner Cable News, Central NY
Herring spawn in Upstate NU tributary for first time in 85 years
June 12, 2016
Herring spawn in Upstate NY tributary for first time in 85 years.
For The First Time In Decades, Herring Are Spawning In A Hudson River Tributary
June 11, 2016
Check out news coverage of our dam removal success. We worked with the City of Troy and Riverkeeper to restore migratory fish habitat on the Wynants Kill.
Hudson herring regain historic spawning stream in South Troy
June 3, 2016
Hudson herring regain historic spawning stream in South Troy. See WRI staff member Scott Cuppett on the front page of the Albany Times Union.
Watershed Digest
January 27, 2016
Hudson River Watershed Alliance
April 1, 2015
Register-Star (Hudson, NY).
Winter runoff into streams on par with ocean salinity
April 1, 2015
Cornell Chronicle.
Neighbors Go Two Months Without Water in Niagara Falls
March 31, 2015
WGRZ (Buffalo).
Volunteers wanted for Hudson River Eel Project
February 11, 2015
Volunteers wanted for the Spring 2015 Hudson River Eel Project.
Sanitation scores in India have room for improvement
February 10, 2015
Cornell Chronicle.
WRI Eel expert wins distinguished EPA award
December 9, 2014
WRI staff, Chris Bowser was featured in the Cornell Chronicle for receiving the 2014 Environmental Quality Award by USEPA Region 2.
Election 2014 Recap: Voters Mostly Say ‘Yes’ to Water Spending
November 5, 2014
Circle of Blue.
September 24, 2014
Why surging water consumption could end the shale gale.
March 11, 2014
“Why surging water consumption could end the shale gale” Alberta Oil, interviewee for article written by Alexia Lane, posted March 11th, 2014.
Germantown plans Conservation Advisory Council in 2014
December 30, 2013
Register-Star (Hudson, NY).
December 12, 2013
The New Paltz Oracle.
Nemmeli desalination plant in trouble as locals, environmentalists express concern
November 7, 2013
The Economic Times (India).
NYSWRI researcher testifies in front of a joint US House Subcommittee hearing
July 14, 2013
Media coverage: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Poughkeepsie Journal,
CLMC hosts lake health workshop
May 12, 2013
The Post-Journal.
April 18, 2013
Nature on PBS, screening and live chat with experts.
DEC issues final permit for Cornell University's lake source cooling facility
March 27, 2013
NYSDEC Press Release
Study: Shale gas fracking taints rivers in Pennsylvania
March 21, 2013
Circle of Blue.
Septic maintenance key component to protecting watershed
March 7, 2013
The Post-Journal (Jamestown, NY).
Workshop on wastewater management to be held at BOCES Center Wednesday
March 3, 2013
The Post-Journal (Jamestown, NY).
Private frack water treatment expanding in Marcellus region
March 1, 2013
Innovation Trail/WSKG.
NYSP2I announces recipients of 2012-2013 Community Grants Program
February 22, 2013
NYSP2I Press Release.
As India grows, water supply shrinks
December 6, 2012
Asia Pacific Defense Forum.
DEC, Cornell and local stakeholders to work together on improving the Cayuga Lake water quality
October 19, 2012
NYSDEC Press Release.
A Day in the Life of the Hudson River' event to celebrate ten years of exploring the estuary
October 2, 2012
NYSDEC press release.
Simple and cheap solution to India's grave water crisis: Waste water recycling
September 23, 2012
The Economic Times (India).
Where are the herring? Day out seeks answers
June 27, 2012
The Daily Gazette.
Studying impact of Irene, Lee can lessen future storm damage
June 24, 2012
Poughkeepsie Journal.
Another wastewater treatment facility proposed
June 6, 2012
Morning Times (Sayre, PA).
Eagle Scout plants Trees for Tribs
May 20, 2012
Your News Now.
Sparkill Creek Watershed Alliance readies annual 'Trees for Tribs' planting
May 19, 2012
The Journal News.
Symposium's message: Save water, save money
April 25, 2012
Poughkeepsie Journal.
DEC again hosts 'Trees for Tribs' potting
April 24, 2012
Poughkeepsie Journal.
Green smartphone apps leverage power of citizen scientists
April 20, 2012
The Californian.
NYSWRI-supported American Eel Research Project counts record number of eels this year
April 3, 2012
Media coverage: The New York Times, Poughkeepsie Journal, Staten Island Real-Time News, NY1 News, Times Herald-Record.
March 11, 2012
The Post-Standard.
What is and is NOT in the d-SGEIS
November 29, 2011
WSKG Community Conversation.
Clean Water Starts in Your Backyard: Using Green Infrastructure for Cleaner Stormwater
July 9, 2011
Poughkeepsie Journal.
Expert explains what’s in the fracking water
April 22, 2011
Your News Now (Time Warner Cable).
Turn your infrastructure green
March 27, 2011
Poughkeepsie Journal.
Meeting revisits Marcellus Shale as new rules are drafted
March 16, 2011
Wellsville Daily Reporter.
Shale speaker says neither side correct
March 16, 2011
Olean Times Herald.
Local citizens clamor for final word on fracking
March 10, 2011
The Ithacan.
De l'eau dans le gaz – Partie 3
September 19, 2010
Radio-Canada.