Improving Lake Resilience

Prospect Park Alliance and its City partners, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection  and NYC Parks, recently completed a $1.4 million upgrade to the Prospect Park Lake that provides improved control over water levels in the face of more frequent severe storms, providing the capacity to reduce stormwater overflow into the sewer system by up to 12 million gallons each year. This is one of the first infrastructure upgrades supporting the future Prospect Park Bluebelt and Lakeshore restoration, and lays critical groundwork for long‑term stormwater management and ecological improvements.

In the summer months, when evaporation increases, the 60-acre water body—Brooklyn’s only lake—requires potable water to maintain stable levels that support circulation and oxygenation, provide adequate depth for wildlife and aquatic plants, and help limit unsightly and odorous algal blooms, all essential to sustaining the lake’s ecological health and appearance.

The project replaced an aging 8‑inch service line valve that supplies potable water to the lake via a watercourse of falls, pools and streams that wind through the park. Alliance staff, which oversee the care of the park’s natural areas including the Lake, can now temporarily halt inflows as needed—especially ahead of heavy rain events—allowing for more precise management of lake levels and reducing unnecessary water from entering and overwhelming the area’s combined sewer system. With the new valve fully functional, the park is expected to use only 200,000 gallons per day—conserving approximately 800,000 gallons per day.

“Smart, targeted upgrades like this deliver real benefits for water conservation and climate resilience,” said DEP Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia. “By giving Prospect Park the ability to control lake inflows, we’re reducing potable water use, cutting sewer overflows, and strengthening the park’s ability to prepare for heavy rain.”

“This project helps us steward Prospect Park’s natural areas more sustainably,” said Prospect Park Alliance President Morgan Monaco. “The ability to better manage lake levels supports our ecological goals, reduces strain on the sewer system, and complements our long‑term lakeshore restoration work.”

This valve upgrade is an early component of the broader Prospect Park Bluebelt initiative, for which DEP has allocated up to $50 million. Planned improvements include new rain gardens and ponds that will slow and filter stormwater while also capturing and redirecting floodwaters. The investment complements Prospect Park Alliance’s $20 million lakeshore restoration plan, funded by the Mayor and City Council, which will reconstruct the shoreline of Brooklyn’s only lake to improve environmental resiliency and enhance the visitor experience.

Together, these efforts will create a coordinated approach to managing stormwater, strengthening ecological health, and protecting the park, the Prospect Park Zoo, and surrounding neighborhoods from extreme weather driven by climate change.

Learn more about the Alliance’s work to sustain the environment.