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November 25, 2008, town board work session Representatives of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) gave a power point presentation on a $100 million plan to rehabilitate the New Croton Dam that is new Yorktown and Cortlandt. This dam is the last dam in the Croton system to undergo rehabilitation. The presentation stressed that the dam is safe and that the rehabilitation plan is routine. As part of the plan, the level of the reservoir will be lifted approximately 4 feet. This will enhance the reservoir's storage capacity in the event of a major storm but also increase the DEP's ability to deliver more water to NYC in the event of droughts or changes in other parts of its water distribution system. The plan will re-inundate approximately 24 linear miles of shoreline along the reservoir (a total of and 12.1 acres) which will lead to cutting 7,800 trees with a diameter of at least 6”. In response to comments from Councilman Martorano that the town is currently considering an ordinance to preserve trees, a DEP representative said that there had been an internal debate within the agency over the tree removal issue. He explained that the trees would likely die once the reservoir level was raised and that with few exceptions, they felt it was safer to remove the trees rather than leave dead trees. The agency will be reviewing environmental issues associated with getting the tree cutting equipment on site. As part of the plan, the DEP will improve and upgrade Arcady St. which is in the town of Yorktown. Vehicle access across the dam will continue to be prohibited as a security measure. The plan will undergo review and public hearings during 2009 and 2010 with construction scheduled to begin in 2011. |