It’s a reservoir slog
Activists pan plans to dig into Ridgewood water facility
LOCAL activists are fuming over a city plan to cut culverts into the historic Ridgewood Reservoir in order to stave off the threat of future flooding.
They say the $6 million plan — currently awaiting state environmental approvals — is unnecessary and a waste of money.
“It would have to rain 24 hours a day for months to reach capacity,” said Geoffrey Croft of New York City Park Advocates.
Critics also worry the project will disturb the ecosystems in the defunct reservoir.
“Construction will destroy the natural habitats within the basins, not to mention that it is also a colossal waste of taxpayer money,” said local civic activist Christina Wilkinson. “Furthermore, if this weather event actually were to occur, allowing the basins to drain into a small catch basin on Vermont Place would be pointless as the sewer system would already be overflowing.”
But the Parks Department said d it will ll f face f fines b by the h state if f the work is not done, since the reservoir is considered a flooding hazard.
The only other solution that would satisfy the state — which would ld involve i l extensive t i tree t removal and ongoing maintenance — is more costly and intrusive, parks officials said.
The reservoir, located on the Brooklyn-Queens border, was built in 1858. It supplied water to Brooklyn until 1959.
The Bloomberg administrat tion originally pegged the reservoir and surrounding Highland Park for renovations.
But the $50 million proposal t to clear out 20 acres for ballfields and develop the area for recreation died for lack of funds.
Agency officials said the flood prevention project would not change the condition of the reservoir or reduce public access.
But concerned citizens worried that the culverts could pave the way for future development.
“It is my firm belief that (the Parks Department is) crying crocodile tears when they say that they’d rather not breach the basins but are being forced to by the DEC,” said Rob Jett, who founded the Save the Ridgewood Reservoir website.