It Happened at Washington Square: Why is the (New) Park Severely Flooding?

Updated — It’s not the first time… this photo of a severely flooded Washington Square Park east of the Fountain from yesterday’s storm:

Recently, on a tour of the park, re-designer George Vellonakis explained how he re-designed the new park so that one side of the pathway to the east sloped up and other side of the pathway to the west sloped down (or vice versa! – this was all about the “sight lines”) but, clearly, there is a problem with the drainage of water. Is all this ‘sloping’ contributing?

This photo from Instagram yesterday by oneandonlyJoyce which got picked up by NBC and CBS News!

As you see in the photo below from 2011, the same area was majorly flooded (and other times as well).

Compounded with the drainage problems impacting the (continually dying) trees around the fountain, it ends up causing additional harm to those trees tho’ perhaps it provides a bird bath for the birds.

On Twitter, Local Ecologist asked:

Does Washington Square Park have cistern? Let’s capture stormwater and use it to irrigate the park.

I had to look up cistern. Cistern is “an underground reservoir for rainwater.”

And, I think the answer is no. But that would be innovative, yes?

Question: Did the ‘old’ park flood?

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Previously at Washington Square Park Blog:

After Rainfall, Flood-like Conditions Impede Pathways — Rocky year for City’s Parks Department August 1, 2011