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Flushing Creek
Flushing Creek, a one mile-long open channel, is located in the northern part of central Queens. It flows north from its head located 300 yards south of the Van Wyck Expressway and discharges into the southern end of Flushing Bay just downstream of its crossing under the Whitestone Expressway. In total 9,954 acres drain into Flushing Creek, of which 7,830 acres are served by combined sewers draining to either the Tallman Island or to the Bowery Bay Wastewater Resource Recovery Facilities. There are a total of three CSOs that can discharge to the Creek.
The present character of Flushing Creek and its drainage area is considerably different than the character of its pre-urbanized condition. In preparation for the 1939 World’s Fair, a large tidal marsh was filled in to construct Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, and Willow and Meadows Lakes were formed in the process. Over the years, three principal open stream tributaries to Flushing Creek, in addition to their attendant wetlands, have been lost.
Long Term Control Plan
DEP completed a Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) to better understand CSO impacts on water quality within Flushing Creek. Throughout the LTCP’s development the City collected water quality data, performed extensive modeling, held multiple public meeting and analyzed potential projects based on costs and anticipated water quality. To learn more about the Flushing Creek LTCP and other improvement projects, download the factsheet.
The Flushing Creek Long Term Control Plan was submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on December 2014. DEC approved the plan on December 2014.
Public Meetings
Flushing Creek Kickoff Meeting
June 11, 2014 – P.S. 020 John Bowne, Queens
- Flushing Creek Kickoff Meeting Advertisement
- Flushing Creek Kickoff Presentation
- Flushing Creek Kickoff Summary and Comments
Flushing Creek LTCP Public Meeting 2
October 23, 2014 – Al Oerter Recreational Center, Queens
- Flushing Creek 2nd Meeting Advertisement
- Flushing Creek 2nd Meeting Presentation
- Flushing Creek 2nd Meeting Summary and Comments
Flushing Creek LTCP Public Meeting 3
September 30, 2015 – Al Oerter Recreational Center, Queens
Waterbody/Watershed Facility Plan
The Flushing Creek Waterbody/Watershed Facility Plan was submitted to DEC on August 2011.
Additional Materials
- Friends of Flushing Creek Comments on Flushing Creek LTCP Options
- Flushing Creek LTCP Retained Alternatives Comments
- SWIM Coalition Comments on Flushing Creek 2nd Meeting Presentation
- Flushing Creek LTCP - DEC Comments 3/23/15
- Flushing Creek LTCP - DEP Response to DEC Comments 5/22/15
- Flushing Creek LTCP - DEC Comments 6/10/15
- Flushing Creek LTCP - DEP Response to DEC Comments 8/7/15
- Flushing Creek LTCP - DEP Response to DEC Comments 8/9/15
- Flushing Creek LTCP - Supplemental Documentation May 2015
- Flushing Creek LTCP - Supplemental Documentation June 2015
- Flushing Creek LTCP - Public Comment Response Summary
Get Involved
For more information, please email ltcp@dep.nyc.gov and visit our LTCP Program webpage.