Understanding Ditch Maintenance Decisions of Local Highway Agencies for Improved Water Resources across New York State

Abstract

Networks of roadside ditches criss-cross the landscape, and have played a significant but previously unrecognized role in flooding and water pollution. This study surveyed town and county highway professionals across New York State (NYS) to determine their ditch management practices. There was a 41% response rate from the 999 highway staff surveyed, representing 54 of the 57 counties statewide. 36.8% of the agencies reported using full scraping or reshaping without reseeding as their primary method of ditch management and half scraped their ditches on average once every 1 to 4 years. It is estimated that one-third to one-half of the roadside ditches across upstate NYS are therefore in fair to poor condition. This translates to thousands of miles of exposed substrate vulnerable to storms, acting as a source of sediment and pollution. Limited resources including time, labor, equipment, and money were the primary reasons given for the practices used. Additional challenges identified included interactions with landowners over rights-of-way, farm-field drainage, and increasing frequency of downpours. A comprehensive, state-wide program will be necessary to actualize ditch improvement. It will require a complete toolbox of strategies, from financial support and training to regulatory mandates and penalties, and needs to include a ditch inventory system. Incentives in the form of grants and shared services should be offered by state agencies working collaboratively with local governments. Valuing highway department managers as water stewards and supporting the improved management of roadside ditches can provide an important new mechanism for protecting NYS’s water resources.