Newtown Creek is a research site located in New York City.

Follow along to get updates on Newtown Creek research, subscribe here: http://publiclab.org/tag/newtown-creek

Particulate at Pier

At the end of Maspeth Ave in north Brooklyn (MapKnitter map)

Research questions

Is it cement?

• A 2005 EPA fine was levied against a nearby concrete plant for dumping concrete into the creek... Riverkeeper was involved (link?)

Is it bacteria?

more information

From http://www.newtowncreekalliance.org/2013/10/09/this-is-plank-road/:

Above: the launch site for the December 7, 2013 Public Mapping Mission with NBBC, NCA, CUSP, and GovLab. Research Note here

Plank Road (58th Road in Maspeth, Queens) is an underutilized street end with known historic and ecological significance on Newtown Creek. With support from the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program and New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) the Newtown Creek Alliance, in partnership with the North Brooklyn Boat Club, is aiming to transform Plank Road to a destination public space providing access as well as ecological/historical information about the area. Read more about NCA and NBBC's plans for restoration and education.

The earliest set of imagery was collected from the Riverkeeper boat during a shoreline infrastructure assessment in Summer 2011. (In progress map). Newtown Creek is another EPA Superfund site within the five boroughs of NYC.

(Above: A plume of unidentified material in Newtown Creek, photographed with a balloon mapping kit by PLOTS mappers and Riverkeeper in 2011)

Additionally, Aurash Khawarzad led a kite mapping party on site in summer 2012.