Category Archives: 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)

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

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

Public hearing March 3rd, comment period extended

A second public hearing on the permit application and the Draft EIS, including Ashokan Reservoir operations and releases, will be held at 4:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, through the Webex Events electronic webinar platform. For instructions for attending the hearing, visit: https://www.dec.ny.gov/enb/122281.html

The deadline for written comments has been extended to June 16, 2021. All interested parties may submit written comment concerning the Draft EIS and permit applications to the DEC Contact Person listed below by June 16, 2021. Comments sent by regular mail must be postmarked no later than June 16, 2021. E-mail comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. June 16, 2021.

DEC CONTACT PERSON: Kristen Cady-Poulin, Environmental Analyst, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233, Phone: 518-402-9167, E-mail: DEPPermitting@dec.ny.gov

For more information, please visit the DEC website at https://www.dec.ny.gov/enb/122281.html

Ulster County’s Creek Week events planned for Esopus Creek

Kayak Tour of the Tidal Lower Esopus
9/14 11AM; Saugerties
Riverkeeper and the Lower Esopus Watershed Partnership are hosting a kayak tour of the tidal Lower Esopus in Saugerties to share information about the natural history and environmental issues facing the creek. Tour guides include Riverkeeper’s Kate Hudson, and Lower Esopus Watershed Partnership’s Mary McNamara. The tour will include the tidal Lower Esopus creek, and lunch on the grounds of the Saugerties Lighthouse (note: the lighthouse will not be open to the public that day). The tour is suitable for those who have experience in a kayak. Participants may bring their own kayak or canoe, or rent one from I Paddle New York. Space is limited. RSVP required to Dan Shapley at dshapley@riverkeeper.org. Pack a lunch, water and sun protection. Meet at Tina Chorvas Park in Saugerties, NY.

Kayak Tour, Esopus Bend Nature Preserve
9/21 9AM; Saugerties
Esopus Creek Conservancy is sponsoring a guided kayak and canoe tour of Esopus Bend Nature Preserve in conjunction with the annual Ulster County Creek Week. Participants will paddle the tranquil waters of the Esopus Creek above the dam in Saugerties, visiting the coves and wetlands of Esopus Bend Nature Preserve, and the shoreline to the south. Meet 9AM. at the Saugerties Village Beach parking lot on Rte. 9W, just north of the Esopus Creek bridge, at the foot of Partition Street in the Village of Saugerties. Participants will put-in at the beach. Bring your own kayak or canoe. All participants MUST wear a personal floatation device (life vest). Rain or thunderstorms will cancel the paddle. Children are welcome and encouraged if accompanied by a responsible adult, but please do not bring pets. Pre-registration is required. This ECC Environmental Education paddle is free and open to the public, but limited to a maximum of ten watercraft. For additional information about upcoming ECC Nature Walks and Paddles, please visit www.esopuscreekconservancy.org. Contact the paddle leader, Steve Hart (kayak642000@yahoo.com) to register, or for additional information.

Kids Fishing Day at the Ashokan Reservoir
9/22 9AM – 2PM; Ashokan Reservoir in West Hurley
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection and state Department of Environmental Conservation will host a fishing event for children and their parents. Poles and bait will be supplied, but feel free to bring your own. As part of the state’s “I Fish NY Program,” the New York State fishing license requirement is waived for adults who want to fish during this event. Come and relax, bond with your children, and enjoy the beautiful scenery and fantastic fishing the Ashokan Reservoir has to offer! DEP and DEC staff will be available to teach participants how to fish and assist as needed. If adults don’t have a free DEP Access Permit, applications will be available at the event or they can be obtained online anytime at:http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/recreation/access.shtml. The free event will be held at the Woodstock Dike on the Ashokan Reservoir. A parking lot is located on a gravel road off Route 28, just east of the West Hurley Post Office. For more information on the event, you may contact DEP at 845-340-7873.

See full listing of Ulster County’s Annual Creek Week: http://ucenvironment.org/ulster-county-creek-week/

Watershed mapping workshop postposed to Jan 22nd

The exploration of and training on the Lower Esopus digital watershed sub-basin mapping tool has been pushed back 1 week.

Originally scheduled for Jan 15th, the workshop and training will now be on January 22nd, from 9am til noon.

The event is taking place at Cornell Cooperative Extension offices in the Kingston Plaza.
You are welcome to attend!

Workshop: TUESDAY, JANUARY 22nd, 9 am-12 noon

The digital sub-basin maps were created by the CCEDC GIS Lab in coordination with Hudsonia Ltd. for the Lower Esopus Watershed Partnership. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provided funding for this project from the Environmental Protection Fund through the Hudson River Estuary Program in partnership with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission.

September 22nd: Kayak Tour of tidal Esopus

Saturday, September 22

Kayak Tour of the Tidal Lower Esopus – 9:30AM – 1PM

As part of Ulster County Creek Week, Riverkeeper and the Lower Esopus Watershed Partnership, with TrailCross.com and Kenco are hosting a kayak tour of the tidal Lower Esopus Creek. The tour is suitable for those who have experience in a kayak.

Learn about the natural history and environmental issues facing the Lower Esopus Creek, with Riverkeeper’s Watershed Program Director Kate Hudson, naturalist Richard Parisio and other experts. The tour will include the tidal Lower Esopus creek, as well as a tour of the Saugerties Lighthouse. Riverkeeper has been working protect the creek from muddy discharges from the Ashokan Reservoir, and to test water quality as part of our Hudson River water quality study.

A limited number of kayaks, paddles and life preservers will be provided free of charge by TrailCross.com and Kenco. RSVP to Dan Shapley at dshapley@riverkeeper.org to reserve a spot on the trip and request equipment. Rentals are also available from Kencoand Saugerties Marina. If you bring your own kayak, be sure to bring all necessary paddling and safety equipment as well. Everyone should pack a snack or lunch, water and sun protection. Meet at Tina Chorvas Park, East Bridge Street, Saugerties, N.Y.

This event is part of Ulster County Creek Week, September 15-23.
For a complete list of activities please visit:
http://ucenvironment.org/ulster-county-creek-week/

September 15th: Muddy Waters! presentation in Marbletown

Saturday September 15th

Muddy Waters! Ashokan Reservoir Releases into the Lower Esopus Creek – 9:30-11:30AM

The Marbletown Environmental Conservation is hosting a dynamic presentation on the environmental impact and legal status of the Ashokan Reservoir releases into the Lower Esopus Creek. Whether you live nearby the creek, use it for recreation, or are just plain concerned, this presentation will provide you with the latest information in order to understand and act on this complex issue. Presenters will include: Ulster County Department of the Environment, Riverkeeper, and the Lower Esopus Watershed Partnership.

The event is free and open to the public. Registration begins at 9AM. Location is the Marbletown Community Center, Route 209, Stone Ridge. For additional information, contact the Marbletown Environmental Conservation at marbletownecc@yahoo.com.

This event is part of Ulster County Creek Week, September 15-23.
For a complete list of events/activities please visit their website:
http://ucenvironment.org/ulster-county-creek-week/

Reservoir Release Workshop

The Lower Esopus Ashokan Reservoir Release Workshop
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
6:30 – 8:30 pm
@ Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County
In their new Kingston Plaza location at 232 Plaza Road
RSVP cbalmer@rcapsolutions.org

Thank you to all who were able to attend the LEWP-sponsored Lower Esopus Positive Action Workshop at the end of January. We are in the process of confirming and revising the priority projects that were identified during the workshop. One of the major activities we have been pursuing since then is the removal of log/ debris jams along the stream. LEWP is helping coordinate a funding application that is being submitted by Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District in early April. This funding is for debris sites that did not meet the imminent threat criteria required for funding through the Emergency Watershed Protection Program.

For many of you, the biggest concern is with water quality and quantity associated with releases from the Ashokan Reservoir. LEWP is holding a workshop to provide updates on this issue, including details of NYSDEC/ NYCDEP’s Interim Release Protocol; and to document your concerns and identify community action steps. Please save the date and email RSVP to Candace Balmer cbalmer@rcapsolutions.org.