FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 17-11
March 3, 2017
deppressoffice@dep.nyc.gov, (845) 334-7868

Department Of Environmental Protection Releases 2017 Watershed Recreation Newsletter

Annual Newsletter Provides Updates on Hiking, Fishing, Boating and Other Recreational Activities on City Lands in the Watershed

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced the release of its annual Watershed Recreation Newsletter, which serves as a source of information for thousands of watershed residents and visitors who enjoy recreating on City-owned lands and waters. The 2017 edition includes a calendar of outdoor events such as family fishing days, boater safety courses, and guided hikes. It also includes stories about DEP’s new RecMapper utility, a volunteer program for watershed stewardship, and profiles on two unique recreation units in Sullivan and Westchester counties.

“Our annual recreation newsletter provides a wealth of information for anglers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy recreating on New York City’s reservoirs and watershed lands,” DEP Acting Commissioner Vincent Sapienza said. “The newsletter also highlights the City’s efforts to make recreation areas throughout the watershed easier to find and access. We hope New Yorkers will join our DEP staff at watershed recreation events throughout the year to enjoy the protected lands and reservoirs that comprise our world-class water supply.”

The Watershed Recreation Newsletter this year provides information about the interactive RecMapper utility that was developed by DEP to help watershed residents and visitors find recreation areas more easily. After using the interactive map to zoom in to recreation areas, users of the RecMapper can also print or download aerial, road or topographic maps of each parcel. The newsletter also includes stories on water supply properties that have been repurposed for recreation, upcoming revisions to DEP’s recreation rules, and partnerships that are helping to expand outdoor offerings in the Catskills. Those who regularly use City-owned property for recreation will also find a helpful directory of DEP phone numbers and other contact information to renew permits and boat tags, or ask questions about accessible properties.

Central to this year’s newsletter is a calendar of events that DEP will host throughout spring and the first part of summer. Additional events will be planned for summer and fall. More information on all these events will be posted throughout the year on DEP’s watershed Facebook page. Some upcoming events include:

• April 29, Family Fishing Day at Kensico Reservoir: This is a great family event only 15 miles north of New York City. Experts will be at the reservoir to teach kids how to fish. Bait and tackle will be provided for those who don’t have their own. The event is co-sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The event will be held from 9 a.m. till 2 p.m.
• May 6, Boater Safety Event at Pepacton Reservoir: Officers from the DEP Police will teach boater safety for those who fish and paddle on reservoirs in the Catskills. The event starts at 10 a.m. at the Shavertown boat launch off Route 30 in Andes, Delaware County.
• May 13, Boater Safety Event at New Croton Reservoir: Officers from the DEP Police will teach boater safety for those who fish on reservoirs east of the Hudson River. The event starts at 10 a.m. and an exact location at the reservoir will be announced on the DEP Facebook page.
• May 27, Family Fishing Day at Pepacton Reservoir: Experts will teach kids how to fish at this fun family event in the Catskills. Bait and tackle will be provided for those who don’t have their own. This event will held from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. It is co-sponsored by the state DEC. An exact location at the reservoir will be announced on DEP’s Facebook page.
• June 3, Safety & Survival Hike at Pepacton Reservoir: Join DEP Police at the Shavertown Trail in Andes, NY, to learn navigation, safety and survival techniques that can be helpful while hiking. The event, which begins at 10 a.m., will be followed by a Q&A session and an optional 2-mile hike with spectacular views of Pepacton Reservoir.
• June 24, Family Fishing Day at Rondout Reservoir: Families will love this fishing event along the border of Ulster and Sullivan counties. Bait and tackle will be provided for those who don’t have their own. This event is also co-sponsored by the state DEC. The exact time and location for the event will be posted to DEP’s Facebook page.

There are now more than 133,000 acres of city-owned land open for recreation in the watershed. Of that, more than 69,000 acres of land are in public access areas that are open to recreation without a DEP permit. For those areas that require a permit, the free-of-charge DEP Access Permit can be obtained online.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than 1 billion gallons of high-quality water each day to more than 9.5 million New Yorkers. This includes more than 70 upstate communities and institutions in Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester counties who consume an average of 110 million total gallons of drinking water daily from New York City’s water supply system. This water comes from the Catskill, Delaware, and Croton watersheds that extend more than 125 miles from the City, and the system comprises 19 reservoirs, three controlled lakes, and numerous tunnels and aqueducts. DEP has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 scientists, engineers, surveyors, watershed maintainers and other professionals in the watershed. In addition to its $70 million payroll and $166 million in annual taxes paid in upstate counties, DEP has invested more than $1.7 billion in watershed protection programs—including partnership organizations such as the Catskill Watershed Corporation and the Watershed Agricultural Council—that support sustainable farming practices, environmentally sensitive economic development, and local economic opportunity. In addition, DEP has a robust capital program with $20.7 billion in investments planned over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.