Ridgewood Reservoir Gets Historic Recognition!

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Keep NYC Waterways Clean

From our friends at NYC H2O.

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City Council Hearing on Stormwater Infrastructure

This Wednesday December 13, 2017 10 AM

City Council Chambers, New York City Hall

Dear NYC H2O Enthusiast,

Please attend the City Council hearing on sewage infrastructure this Wednesday and consider giving testimony.

The City and State need to hear how concerned waterway advocates are about the lack of transparency in the approval process and the proposed plans for stormwater infrastructure. When finally implemented in 2030, the current plan will leave 20 billion gallons of raw sewage in our waterways each year.

The NYC DEP and NY State (DEC) did not provide the public with an opportunity to voice our concerns about the City's flawed Combined Sewer Overflow Long Term Control Plans before they approved them in March of this year (see the SWIM Coalitions's fact sheet about this here).

We need to call on the City Council to ensure that NYC gets raw sewage out of our waterways.

Please pass the word about the hearing to everyone you can and let us know you're coming by joining the SWIM Coalition's Facebook Event here!

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National Registry Update

I just received the following email. A huge thank you to Matt Malina and the folks at NYC H2O. There have been so many folks from concerned residents to various community organizations, local community boards, city / state / federal politicians who worked to save the Ridgewood Reservoir from development, but NYC H2O gave the final, necessary big burst of energy to get it done:

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From: Jennifer Betsworth (PARKS)
Date: Dec 7, 2017 2:39 PM
Subject: Ridgewood Reservoir

All –

I’m happy to confirm that the State Review Board voted unanimously to recommend the Ridgewood Reservoir for nomination to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Congratulations! Early next week, the structure will be formally listed on the State Register and the package will be mailed out to the National Park Service. You should receive a letter notifying you along the way. It typically takes about 2-3 months to hear back from the NPS, and I’ll let you know once I’ve heard any news.

Matt – it was great to finally meet you, and to have you and Steve speak on behalf of the project. The board always enjoys hearing from the people behind the projects, who have worked diligently and passionately to bring them to fruition.

Have a great weekend!

Jennifer Betsworth
Historic Preservation Specialist
NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation

Peebles Island State Park
P.O. Box 189
Waterford, New York 12188

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Wetlands Update

From the QNS website:

Ridgewood Reservoir will soon be added to the state Wetlands Map, preserving the site
By Anthony Giudice
Monday, November 20, 2017 / 3:15 PM

After years of advocacy by local elected officials, residents, and environmental experts, the Ridgewood Reservoir will soon be added to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Wetlands Maps as a designated wetland.

In a letter to Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, a staunch supporter of making the Ridgewood Reservoir a wetland, DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos notified Nolan that the wetlands within the reservoir are of “unusual local importance,” making them eligible to be added to DEC’s official wetlands map.

“The Reservoir is truly a unique site which consists of natural and largely undisturbed habitats for many species of animals,” Nolan said in a statement. “I welcome the state’s strong interest in preserving this site in its entirety for future generations. Thank you to Governor Andrew Cuomo, NYS Commissioner Basil Seggos, Queens Community Board 5 and all of the residents and organizations that have advocated for the reservoir over the last decade. I look forward to working with DEC and our community as we work through this formal process.”

The wetlands at the Ridgewood Reservoir can be added to the map through the multi-step process of a map amendment.

The map amendment process involves the following steps:

• Publishing a public notice announcing the intent to make the map amendments;
• The availability of the draft maps and supporting documentation;
• A public comment period; and
• A public meeting.

“Following the public hearing, DEC will consider and respond, as appropriate, to all proposed modifications to the wetland boundaries, make any necessary changes, and then finalize and publish the map amendment,” Seggos wrote in the letter to Nolan. “DEC, in association with the NYC Park Department, has completed the wetland delineation on the site, with the intention of adding them to the official DEC Wetland Maps.”

The three basins within the Ridgewood Reservoir are home to more than 100* species of birds — including at least five that have been listed as Threatened or of Special Concern in New York state — several different species of plant and fauna and a wide variety of tree species.

*As of this writing the list is up to 158 bird species

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Pumphouse Location

After looking over some recently acquired photos and drawing I decided edit together this short video. The pumphouse was demolished in the 1960s.



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State and National Register of Historic Places

The Ridgewood Reservoir has passed another hurdle towards historic recognition. Keeping fingers crossed:

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Meeting Reminder

Please note the location correction. Meeting is taking place at the Redeemer Lutheran School not the church.

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