Connecting the Drops Campaign

The New York State Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation are working together to educate the public about protecting clean water.

Connecting the Drops
Connecting the Drops is a public outreach campaign that supports the New York State Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation’s Stormwater Program. The goal of this outreach is to remind New Yorkers that water connects everyone, and that what gets dropped in the environment can reach water bodies and put aquatic life, recreation, and even drinking water at risk. The Connecting the Drops effort includes educating Authority/Corporation employees, as well as the motorists and boaters that use the Thruway and Canal System.  Find out more about the Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation’s Stormwater Program.

Fact Sheets and Public Brochures

Fact Sheets:

• Connecting the Drops – The New York State Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation: Working with You to Protect Clean Water
  Describes the Connecting the Drops campaign and the importance of keeping pollution out of the watershed using frequently asked questions and answers.
• Hudson River Watershed Model
  This new interactive, hands on watershed model displays a portion of the Hudson River watershed and illustrates how non-point source pollution can reach waterways. This model can be visited at the Children’s Museum of Science & Technology located in Troy, NY.

Brochures:

• Help Keep the Canal Clean: What you can do to help (PDF, 2 pages/827 Kb)
  Outlines proper vessel operation and maintenance practices that will help keep the Canal System clean and informs people how to identify and report illegal discharges and dumping that you may see while cruising the Canal System.
• Stormwater Pollution Prevention: What you can do to help (PDF, 2 pages/850 Kb)
  Describes how stormwater can become polluted and provides an overview of practical ways homeowners, drivers, boaters and pet owners can prevent pollution from entering the watershed.

Posters

• Good Cleaning Practices (PDF, 1 page/1.12 Mb)
  This poster, geared to employees at Authority Travel Plazas, outlines proper procedures for food service vendors that will help reduce stormwater pollution.
• Good Housekeeping Practices - Thruway (PDF, 1 page/787 Kb)
  Good Housekeeping Practices - Canals (PDF, 1 page/668 Kb)
  This poster outlines proper operating procedures for Canal and Thruway maintenance facilities that will help Authority and Corporation staff to reduce the risk of stormwater pollution.
• Oil Water Separator Poster (PDF, 1 page/470 Kb)
  This poster provides guidance to Authority and Corporation staff on the proper operation and maintenance of oil water separators at Thruway and Canal maintenance facilities.

Public Events

• CMOST Hudson River Watershed Model
  The Children’s Museum of Science and Technology (CMOST) and the New York State Thruway Authority unveiled their new Hudson River Watershed Model exhibit at CMOST.  This interactive learning exhibit educates children by demonstrating how stormwater runoff can carry pollution to New York’s waterways.
  
  • See Connecting the Drops Press Release (4/4/07)
  • See Hudson River Watershed Model Fact Sheet
    
    
• Canal Clean Sweep
  The Canal Clean Sweep helps to highlight the significance of the Canal System as a recreational and tourist destination by encouraging communities, not-for-profit organizations and volunteers to engage in cleanup and beautification activities along the Canal System and Canalway Trail. This year more than 45 communities and trail groups across the Canal System participated in the Canal Clean Sweep by hosting local cleanup activities in Canal parks, along public promenades and on Canalway Trail segments in their region.
  
  • See Canal Clean Sweep Press Release (4/17/07)
  • See ECOS/Mabee Farm Press Release (4/22/07)
  • See Spencerport Press Release (4/28/07)

  
  
  
  As part of the 2nd Annual Canal Clean Sweep celebration, The Environmental Clearinghouse, Inc. (ECOS) and the Mabee Farm hosted an Earth Day celebration at Mabee Farm Historical Site.

• Canal Kick-Off
  In May, the New York State Canal Corporation announced the official opening of the Canal System for the 182nd consecutive navigation season. As part of the opening, the Canal Corporation and the Thruway Authority promoted their Connecting the Drops campaign, seeking to educate boaters about the importance of keeping pollution out of New York State’s waterways.
  
  • See Canal Kick-Off Press Release (5/4/07)
    
    
• Storm Drain Stenciling
  The New York State Thruway Authority partnered with Science Club students from Albany’s Sheridan Preparatory Academy to demonstrate the connection between everyday activities and potential pollution of waterways. Fourth and fifth grade students participated in a stormwater drain stenciling activity at the Thruway’s Guilderland Travel Plaza. The students painted “Only Rain Down the Drain, Drains to Waterway” by the storm drains to raise awareness that they drain to lakes, rivers and streams.
  
  • See Clean Water, Everyone Can Help! Children’s Fact Sheet (PDF, 2 pages/2.41 Mb)
    
    
• Public Outreach at Travel Plazas
  Over the summer the Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation promoted their Connecting the Drops campaign by distributing informational materials at regional travel plazas across the ThruwaySystem. The following materials were made available to the public at the Sloatsburg, New Baltimore, Pembroke and Warners Travel Plazas as part of the Authority/Corporation’s public outreach that seeks to educate Thruway and Canal patrons about actions that everyone can take to protect their local watershed and prevent stormwater pollution:
  • Connecting the Drops Fact Sheet
  • Stormwater Pollution Prevention Brochure (PDF, 2 pages/850 Kb)
  • Children’s Activity Workbook Pages (PDF, 7 pages/1.26 Mb)

Kids Corner

• Connecting the Drops Children's Activity Pages (PDF, 7 pages/1.26 Mb)
  Children’s coloring book and activity guide for children grade K-6. Word Scramble, word search and coloring pages help teach kids how to keep water clean.
• Clean Water Everyone Can Help! Children's Fact Sheet (PDF, 2 pages/2.41 Mb)
  A fun and informational fact sheet aimed at students grade 3-6 to educate them about the things that we all can do to prevent stormwater pollution from entering waterways.

Stormwater Video

• Stormwater Video (WMV, 19.7 Mb)
  (For better viewing performance, download the file to your desktop and run from there.)