Harm to Esopus Creek understated, officials say
Town leaders are calling for a more in-depth study about the impact of muddy discharges on the waterway.
TOWN OF ULSTER, N.Y. » Town officials are calling for in-depth studies about how the release of muddy water from New York City’s Ashokan Reservoir impacts the Lower Esopus Creek, part of which runs through Ulster.
The city, which is seeking state permission to continue sending up to 600 million gallons of muddy water per day downstream, says studies it submitted with application justify the practice. Town of Ulster officials disagree, saying the studies have been superficial. They also say the city’s practice of sending clear water into the 32mile long Lower Esopus after the discharges is insufficient.
The town, and other opponents of the process, say the muddy discharges erode the creek’s banks, harm wildlife that depends on the waterway and have a negative impact on creekbased recreation.
“You have recreation which has been destroyed,” Ulster Councilman John Morrow said. “Nobody wants to swim in the creek. Very few people want to kayak in the creek anymore because of the turbidity. The fishing has been terrible.”
The city releases the muddy water from the Ashokan into the Lower Esopus Creek in the town of Olive to prevent it from reaching the taps of water users in New York City, as well as to reduce the risk of flooding in Ulster County. The practice turns the creek a chocolate-colored brown as it snakes through several towns before reaching the Hudson River at Saugerties, part of which also is darkened by the releases.
Town of Ulster Supervisor said he has been thwarted in his efforts to get information about the environmental impacts of the discharges. He equated the absence of information to the playbook used by the city to avoid addressing local concerns when constructing the reservoir in the early 1900s.
“I think if someone took the time to study the historical documents as to how the reservoir came about, there would be a long list of grievances by the local people as to how New York City conducted business in assembling the land and then forcing through the ... state Legislature the appropriate legislation to construct the Ashokan system in our community,” Quigley said.
The city constructed the reservoir by displacing about 2,000 residents after winning eminent-domain cases in court.
Comments about the discharges can be submitted until 5 p.m. June 16 to deppermitting@dec. ny.gov or Kristen CadyPoulin, NYS DEC Division of Environmental Permits, 625 Broadway, Albany, N.Y. 12233.