14/12/2025
Brooklyn’s First Bluebelt to Reduce Flooding
https://worldlandscapearchitect.com/brooklyns-first-bluebelt-to-reduce-flooding/ New York City, in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, recently revealed the city’s plan to protect Brooklyn from flash flooding driven by climate change. The City has dedicated $68 million to develop Brooklyn’s inaugural Bluebelt in Prospect Park and to further restore the park’s lakeshore. This Bluebelt will leverage nature-based solutions (NbS) to improve the lake and wetlands, helping them better handle heavy rainfall. With up to $50 million from DEP allocated for the Bluebelt, this effort complements the Alliance’s ongoing $20 million lakeshore restoration project. Collectively, these initiatives aim to safeguard Prospect Park, the Prospect Park Zoo, and nearby neighborhoods from severe weather events.
About the Bluebelt System
Implemented initially by DEP on Staten Island, the Bluebelt program preserves natural drainage corridors, including streams, ponds, and wetlands, and revitalizes and enhances them to optimize their functions of conveying, storing, and filtering stormwater. Bluebelts have proven to be an excellent mechanism for reducing urban flooding, while creating a rich, natural environment for the local community. As New York City prepares for rising sea levels and heavier rainfall due to climate change, Bluebelts offer a natural and effective solution for stable, sound stormwater management. As detailed in PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done, DEP is working to expand the Bluebelt system, where feasible, across the five boroughs. The agency currently manages 545 acres of Bluebelts and natural areas in the Bronx, Queens, and on Staten Island.
