- Working with the Department of Public Works and other experts to identify and characterize the historical system performance of Hudson's water supply system as well as determine the desired performance metrics and system vulnerabilities.
- Engaging with stakeholders to help reveal problematic climate and non-climate scenarios using "decision scaling" (a method for tailoring data to best inform water decisions).
- Conducting a source risk analysis to identify areas more likely to generate run-off and prone to transporting pollutants under poor land management to help determine source water protection with the highest return on investment.
COPYRIGHT 2017 CAROLE OSTERINK
While doing mapping our watersheds, it was a surprise to discover that the federal USGS maps are sometimes wrong. Then I found that other federal agencies, and then the states, base their own research on the original mistakes, and errors proliferate like space junk. The feds call it "bad static data," and it's nearly impossible to correct.
ReplyDeleteThis is not to cast doubt on The Nature Conservancy, however, which is doing a great thing for Hudson.
I live quite close to the Reservoir. The biggest potential threats to water quality there are (A) the former Snydertown landfill, which was closed in the 80s after it was discovered to be scandalously mismanaged, with lots of toxic crap dumped there illegally. The Reservoir is downhill from the old dump, and there is at least one seasonal stream which moves down that slope; (B) a neighboring property which was extremely messy for many years, full of junk, old cars, etc. It seems to have finally gotten a little better, but word locally was that decades of complaints and requests for a cleanup were shrugged at by DEC. Overall, however, it is pretty remote from much activity. The bigger threat to water quality is probably the large number of Canada geese which seasonally hangout there—but presumably the water is treated to eliminate giardia.
ReplyDeleteI live close to the reservoir. The biggest potential threats to water quality there are:
ReplyDelete(A) The former Snydertown landfill, which was closed in the ’80s after it was discovered to be scandalously mismanaged, with lots of toxic crap dumped there indiscriminately. The County engineer had to resign over it. What exactly was done to contain/cap/excavate it before it was closed, I don’t know... The reservoir is downhill from the old dump, and there appears to be at least one seasonal stream which moves down that slope.
(B) A neighboring property along County Route 27 which was extremely messy for many years, full of junk, old cars, etc. It seems to have finally gotten a little better, but word locally was that decades of complaints and requests for a cleanup were shrugged at by DEC. Overall, however, it is pretty remote from much activity;
(C) The large number of Canada geese which seasonally hangout there... But presumably the water is treated to eliminate giardia.
The other question I suppose would be to ascertain the condition and materials of the very long conduit which brings the water all the way into Hudson.
Note that some years ago a false hysteria was raised about the supposed threat of terrorists poisoning the reservoir... This was a pretext for trying to shut down Reservoir Road, which runs along one side of it. The idea was preposterous on many levels. With hope this won’t come up again, as the road is both pretty, and important as an alternate route for fire/emergency vehicles in the event that section of 27 gets shut down by a downed tree, accident, etc.
Lastly, it remains that in theory Hudson should have access to the very large backup reservoir on Newman Road, which contains water from the same superabundant acquifer which many parts of Greenport rely upon... However, the City some years ago under Scalera very foolishly gave Colarusso the right to mine all around the reservoir, putting its viability at potential risk.