Sponge Park is an 1,800 square foot green infrastructure pilot project. Green infrastructure is an approach to water management that mimics the natural water cycle by planting vegetation, including trees, plants, wetlands, and other permeable surfaces that soak up stormwater. Sponge Park captures stormwater that flows down 2nd Street, as water enters through the two inlets in the curb and flows into several underground cisterns, or tanks. This garden can manage up to one million gallons of stormwater! 

Sponge Park was designed by Dland Studio and installed by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). It is stewarded by Gowanus Canal Conservancy.