Flood Risk Modeling in the Saw Mill River Watershed

Team: Pablo Herreros Cantis, Timon McPhearson, Chris Kennedy

Partners: Groundwork Hudson Valley, Westchester County, Kresge Foundation

The Saw Mill River Watershed Flood Vulnerability Modeling Project was initiated by the Saw Mill River Coalition (SMRC) as a core priority of its 5-Year Action Plan to address increasing flood risks due to climate change. Supported by the Hudson River Estuary Program and conducted by The New School’s Urban Systems Lab, the project models future precipitation impacts and identifies vulnerable areas across the watershed. These insights inform strategies for flood mitigation and land-use planning, with co-benefits for habitat health, public access, and community engagement—particularly in environmental justice communities such as Southwest Yonkers.

Organized by Groundwork Hudson Valley, the SMRC is a long-standing collaborative dedicated to restoring the health of the 25-mile-long watershed. Over the past two decades, the coalition has spearheaded major achievements including river daylighting, invasive species removal, public trail development, and youth employment through the Green Team. Building on this legacy, the current modeling initiative supports strategic planning and resilience-building in a region already experiencing more frequent and intense storm events.