DEC, Westchester Land Trust Buy 68 Acres To Protect Drinking Water

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Nearly 70 acres of land has been acquired to protect the drinking water sources of New York City’s New Croton Reservoir system and the town of North Castle.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation and Westchester Land Trust announced the acquisition that will protect the two drinking water sources in perpetuity.

Funding came from the DEC’s Water Quality Improvement Project Program which awarded the land trust with more than $1.5 million to buy the lands.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said the state’s Water Quality Improvement Project grants support one of New York’s top priorities: protecting drinking water sources.

“DEC thanks Westchester Land Trust for their valuable partnership on projects that help prevent runoff and other water quality concerns by acquiring land within this watershed and protecting the drinking water for millions of New Yorkers at its source and for the long term,” he said.

Two parcels were acquired by the land trust. The Shadow Lake parcel is just under 5 acres of forested land in the town of Yorktown. Adjacent to Shadow Lake, the parcel was the last unprotected and property that could still be developed around the lake.

Preservation of the parcel will buffer one of New York City’s public drinking water sources, New Croton Reservoir, from impacts of additional development in the future.

Acquisition of this property was made possible not only by the award, but the partnership the land trust has with Teatown Lake Reservation. The property was transferred to Teatown, which will manage the property with the principal purpose of drinking water source protection.

The second project consists of two parcels of land totaling 63 acres in the town of North Castle. The parcels include a pond, wetlands and steep slopes overlaying a large sand and gravel aquifer which supplies public drinking water wells.

The properties were identified as priorities for preservation by the North Castle Open Space Study Committee. The land will be open to the public for passive recreational hiking and nature study once a trail is established.

Westchester Land Trust partnered with the town of North Castle to complete the acquisition, with the town now owning and managing the property as a nature preserve while protecting the underlying groundwater source for generations to come. The land trust holds a perpetual conservation easement over the property.

The 68 total acres will remain undeveloped, allowing for their natural features to protect the drinking water supplies from potential contaminants and stormwater runoff.