Category Archives: Events

Events, News

Celebrate the Esopus Creek During the 26th Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble

The Lower Esopus Creek Advisory Council (LECAC) invites community members to Esopus Creek Day on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Presented as part of the 26th Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble, this special dual-event celebration highlights ongoing efforts to protect, study, and enjoy the Esopus Creek.

Featuring two distinct sessions, one downstream in Saugerties and one upstream in Marbletown, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from local experts, participate in hands-on science activities, and explore the creek.

Morning Session in Saugerties

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Location: Saugerties Village Beach, 43 South Partition Street, Saugerties, NY

Details: Learn about Riverkeeper’s historic, ongoing, and future water quality monitoring efforts along the creek. Following the talk, participants can join a guided kayak excursion led by the Esopus Creek Conservancy, with kayaks provided by I Paddle NY.

Afternoon Session in Marbletown

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Location: Marbletown Park Pavilion, 350 Tongore Road, Marbletown, NY

Details: Hudsonia will present thier work safeguarding environmental health, wildlife habitat, and water quality along the Lower Esopus. Attendees will get an up-close look at benthic macroinvertebrates and hear the latest updates from local municipal leaders on projects shaping the watershed’s future.

About the Lower Esopus Creek Advisory Council

The Lower Esopus Creek Advisory Council works to ensure that the Lower Esopus is a clean and vibrant creek that provides value to all the communities along its course and can be safely enjoyed.

For more information about events or to learn more about the Lower Esopus Creek Advisory Council, please contact loweresopuscreek@gmail.com.

About the Hudson River Valley Ramble

The Hudson River Valley Ramble is an annual series of celebratory events celebrating the history, culture, and natural resources of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.

Events, News

Get your feet wet: Join the Lower Esopus Community Stream Monitoring Program

Local community members have a unique opportunity to dive into environmental science this summer by joining the newly launched Lower Esopus Community Stream Monitoring Program.

 Co-led by Hudsonia and Manhattan University, in collaboration with Riverkeeper and local community groups, this program will train volunteers to collect meaningful biological, chemical, and physical data along the Lower Esopus stream corridor.

 The data collected by volunteers will help inform stream restoration and protection efforts, while establishing a crucial, long-term dataset to track water quality trends throughout the Lower Esopus watershed.

 Starting this July, community members can give hands-on help through two main monitoring efforts:

Biological Monitoring: Conducted every summer, volunteers will assist with habitat assessments and benthic macroinvertebrate sampling to gauge stream health.

Chemical Monitoring: In addition to automated sensors that will track data continuously, volunteers will gather monthly water chemistry samples. Parameters will include temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, nutrients, chloride, and E. coli.

The resulting data will be managed by Hudsonia and Manhattan University, uploaded to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WQX database, and shared with the public through online reports and public presentations.

A recording of the introductory information session and the  biological monitoring training are available to watch. Those interested in volunteering can fill out a general interest form and sign up for biological sampling.

Reach out to Kristi MacDonald at Hudsonia with questions, kmacdonald@bard.edu.

Events, News

Lower Esopus Creek Day in Saugerties, Saturday, June 8th

To celebrate Lower Esopus Creek Day, the Saugerties Public Library will host educational activities for children featuring fish puppets and word crafts at the Saugerties Farmers Market (115 Main Street) from 10 AM to 2 PM, led by Jill Olesker of the Water Stories Project.

At 1 PM in the library (91 Washington Avenue), Ben Gannon of the Ulster County Department of the Environment will discuss the Lower Esopus Management Plan. A great way to learn about the creek!

Events

Esopus Creek Story Sharing at the Saugerties Public Library, May 15th

Jill Olesker of the Water Stories Project will be facilitating an event in the backyard of the Saugerties Public Library on Wednesday, May 15th at 7:45PM. Bring stories to share about life along the Esopus Creek. Come to listen too! This is a family event that will include a campfire.

Who: Jill Olesker, Water Stories Project

What: Esopus Creek Story Sharing around a campfire for families

Where: Saugerties Public Library backyard

When: May 15th, 7:45 PM (Rain date: May 22nd)

Events, News

Community Forum for Lower Esopus Implementation Plan

Share your thoughts and discuss upcoming plans!

When: March 28th at 6:00PM

Where: Town of Ulster Senior Center, 1 Town Hall Drive
Lake Katrine, NY 12449

How: Please register via Eventbrite to attend in-person or online.

This forum aims to gather your valuable feedback on future projects for the Lower Esopus Creek. Two million dollars in funding is available to support these projects, and your input will help guide which projects these funds will support. Ulster County, along with consultants and an advisory council, has integrated insights from the summer outdoor and winter indoor workshops, public survey, stream assessment and resulting stream management plan. A draft list has been prepared of priority projects that will improve the health of the Creek. This latest input session presents another opportunity learn about the plan and to contribute to the future of the Creek.

Events, News

Public Workshop for the Draft Stream Management Plan

December 5th, 2023

Let your voice be heard for the future of the Lower Esopus Creek!

Join Ulster County and the Lower Esopus Creek Advisory Council for a community workshop, hosted both in-person and virtually, on Tuesday, December 5 to learn more about the current conditions of the Lower Esopus Creek and hear updates about the Stream Management Plan, which is currently under development.

The workshop will be held from 6:00-8:00 PM both in-person at the Ulster County Restorative Justice Center, 733 Broadway, Kingston, NY, 12401, as well as on Zoom.

Please indicate which workshop format you plan to attend (in-person or virtual) when registering.

Events

Walkshop, August 31st

Join Ulster County for a community walkshop—a walking workshop—at the Marbletown Town Park to discuss the Stream Management Plan for the Lower Esopus Creek. Share your thoughts and input to help shape the Plan, which will be a guide to protect and enhance the creek.

WHERE: MARBLETOWN TOWN PARK
350 Tongore Road, Kingston, NY 12401

WHEN: THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 10:30-11:30 AM
Rain or shine
(in case of severe inclement weather the event will be held on Thursday, September 7)

Please register in advance (recommended but not required)

REGISTER
Events, News

Public Survey for Stream Management Plan

We invite you to take a survey to help shape our community’s vision for the lower Esopus Creek. Take the online survey and offer your views on issues like recreational access, natural habitats, and educational opportunities. Ulster County and an advisory council of local organizations are collaborating on a Stream Management Plan for the Lower Esopus. Public input is an important part of the planning process. The public survey is available here: https://loweresopussmp-ulstercounty.hub.arcgis.com/pages/survey

For reference, here is an interactive map of the lower Esopus Creek: https://loweresopussmp-ulstercounty.hub.arcgis.com/datasets/ulstercounty::lower-esopus-mainstem/explore

Ashokan Release Channel Operations, Events

JOIN US for an information session

DEP and towns along the lower Esopus Creek will co-host a public information session on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. The meeting will happen at the Frank D. Greco Memorial Senior Center in Saugerties, at 207 Market Street. DEP will share information about Ashokan Reservoir, its operations during the ongoing Catskill Aqueduct shutdown, and an overview of the rules that currently govern releases from the reservoir. Those in attendance will also learn about helpful tools for creekside residents, including real-time gage data that can be found online.

Registration is required for in-person attendance at the senior center. You can register at the following link: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=zl6cbwuab&oeidk=a07eisnopqi82676906

The info session will be broadcast live online for those who want watch but cannot attend in person. The following link will take you to the broadcast on the night of the meeting: https://cantineveteranscomplex.webex.com/cantineveteranscomplex/j.php?MTID=mdb23091ef19fbeb0854eb25ed50201af