The Ashokan Release Channel was increased today from 300 to approximately 600 MGD. The increases were made in approximately 40 MGD increments starting at 8:00AM and completed at 11:00AM on 12/10/11.
Category Archives: News
Release channel reopened
The Ashokan Release Channel was increased today from 0 to approximately 300 MGD. The increases were made in approximately 20 and 40 MGD increments starting at 9:00AM and completed at 3:00PM on 12/09/11.
Release Channel closed
The Ashokan Release Channel was shut down at 1:30AM today from 600 MGD to 0 MGD. This was due to Mt. Marion reaching action level. The protocol for the release channel stipulates that the channel be closed whenever the Mt. Marion gauge reaches 17-feet to prevent reservoir releases from adding to flooding threats. Levels on the Esopus Creek at Mt. Marion rose overnight due to rainfall runoff.
DEP balks on December public forum
Yesterday, DEP stated through a spokesperson that it cannot make a public forum before year’s end, reported Adam Bosch of the Times Herald-Record. On Thursday, Ulster County Executive Mike Hein emerged from a meeting with the DEP and announced the prospect of a public forum in December to address ongoing issues with DEP operations in Ulster County. DEP said it did not agree to the abrupt timeline for the forum but is nevertheless willing to participate in a public forum. Read more…
County Exec meets with DEP and calls for public forum
Ulster County Executive Mike Hein met with DEP officials today to discuss ongoing issues in the watershed, reports Adam Bosch of the Times Herald-Record. Hein is calling for a public forum before the end of the year with representatives of the NYC DEP, NYS DEC, and US EPA. Read more…
Storage objective eludes DEP
DEP was close to achieving the 90% storage objective last week before recent rains delayed achieving the objective. At 90.1% before recent rainfall, the Ashokan Reservoir was at 92.1% today. Once the storage objective is achieved, the DEP will adjust the release flow rate to sustain that objective, which will depend on inflow into the reservoir, snowpack snow water equivalent and the diversion to the Catskill Aqueduct. DEP is still releasing 600 MGD into the lower Esopus Creek, diverting 300 MGD into the Catskill Aquaduct, and treating the Catskill water with Alum at the Kensico Reservoir. The latest water quality report measured the turbidity level from the release channel at 120 NTUs. Turbidity was 130 to 140 NTUs throughout the reservoir’s West Basin and 33 NTUs in the East Basin. At Saugerties Beach, turbidity was 110 NTUs. Upstream of the reservoir, the Esopus Creek was 15 NTUs.
Releases increased to 600 MGD
The Ashokan Release Channel was increased today from 80 to approximately 600 MGD. The increases were made in approximately 40 MGD increments starting at 0900hrs and completed at 1600hrs.
1100hrs to 1600hrs steps were completed in 1/2hr increments.
Release Channel reopened
The Ashokan Release Channel was increased today from 0 to approximately 80 MGD. The increases were made in approximately 20 MGD increments starting at 1400hrs and completed at 1700hrs.
Release Channel closed
The Ashokan Release Channel was decreased today from 600 to 0 MGD. The decrease was made in on step at 1100hrs. This decrease was due to Mt. Marion Stream Gauge reaching 17 feet.
DEC/DEP published Interim Release Protocol
In October, the DEC and DEP agreed upon an Interim Ashokan Reservoir Release Protocol (Protocol), which is available here for download.
Interim Release Protocol (135.8 KiB, 1,928 hits)
DEC/DEP Interim Ashokan Release Protocol
Water Quality Monitoring for Releases (68.7 KiB, 1,641 hits)
Water Quality Monitoring Plan for Release Channel Operations
The Lower Esopus Watershed Partnership, as part of the Ashokan Release Working Group, is compiling comments on the protocol from participating municipalities to provide DEC and DEP with feedback.
The protocol includes provisions for community beneficial releases, flood mitigation releases, and turbidity control releases. The interim protocol is driving recent reservoir releases as the DEP aims for a 90% Conditional Seasonal Storage Objective outlined in the protocol to create a void in the reservoir for flood mitigation and turbidity control. Since storms Irene and Lee filled the reservoir with turbid runoff, recent releases in the lower Esopus Creek have been noticeably turbid with fine colloidal clay sediment.