Schumer to NYC DEP: Short Sighted Plan Puts Region at Risk; Calls on DEP To Reverse Decision to Shut Down Stream Gauges Vital to Flood Prediction in Delaware, Ulster, Greene, Sullivan, Orange and Westchester Counties

Press Release

SCHUMER TO NYC DEP: SHORT SIGHTED PLAN PUTS REGION AT RISK; CALLS ON DEP TO REVERSE DECISION TO SHUT DOWN STREAM GAUGES VITAL TO FLOOD PREDICTION IN DELAWARE, ULSTER, GREENE, SULLIVAN, ORANGE AND WESTCHESTER COUNTIES

In Personal Letter, Schumer Demands That DEP Keep Funding Gauges Used To Monitor Water Levels In Streams and Rivers Throughout Hudson Valley

Gauges Are Used To Predict Flooding, Plan For Disasters And Monitor Water Height And Temperature For Recreational Purposes

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on New York City's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to reverse their decision to cease funding 30 of 96 stream gauges in operation in the Hudson Valley. The gauges monitor streams and rivers throughout New York City's watershed area, providing information to local communities and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The data is critical in forecasting potentially deadly floods. It is also used for disaster planning and water quality monitoring. The data is used when determining how much water to release from NYC reservoirs -water that flows through the Hudson Valley - ensuring water levels are high enough for fishing, boating and other recreational activities, but not high enough to cause flooding. Without these gauges, communities in the Hudson Valley are put in greater danger of unanticipated floods. The USGS considers five of the gauges that are to be shut down essential to monitoring water levels and quality.

In an effort to keep these critical gauges operating, Senator Schumer wrote a letter to DEP ActingCommissionerSteven Lawitts asking him to reverse the proposed cessation of funding for 30 stream gauges within New York City's watershed. New York City brings drinking water through the Hudson Valley and therefore has an obligation to make sure the communities along the rivers and streams in the watershed are not put in danger, noted Schumer. He also noted that there has been an outcry from local communities whose emergency responders rely on the gauges to monitor ice flow and river speed.

"New York City DEP is acting in a thoughtless and irresponsible manner," said Schumer. "Saving a few bucks by eliminating these stream gauges is shortsighted and risky and must be promptly reversed. This decision is penny wise and safety foolish."

Stream gauges, funded by the DEP, ensure a consistent and clean water supply to New York City from reservoirs upstate, and are used by federal, state, and local agencies for regional flood forecasts and local disaster planning. The gauges also assess the environment impact of water flowing into the Hudson River. This information is crucial to the DEP's management of reservoirs in the Catskills.

The DEP is proposing to withdraw funding in the following counties:

* Delaware - 10 out of 29 gauges will loose funding
* Dutchess - The only gauge in Dutchess will lose funding
* Greene - 5 out of 11 gauges will lose funding
* Orange - 2 out of 3 gauges will lose funding
* Ulster - 5 out of 20 gauges will lose funding
* Sullivan - 3 out of 12 gauges will lose funding
* Westchester - 4 out of 11 gauges will lose funding

To ensure that the DEP continues to work with watershed communities to provide clean, safe drinking water and to prevent flooding, Schumer wrote a letter to the DEP urging them to reverse their decision to cut off funding to the stream gauges.

Schumer noted that de-funding the stream gauges undercuts the DEP's mission to provide clean drinking water to the watershed communities and NYC.
He said, "As we enter the peak of the flood season, de-funding the stream gauges is an especially galling and counter-productive move for the residents of the Catskills and Hudson Valley, who live in constant fear of flooding from the NYC watershed's often over-gorged streams."

A full copy of the Senator's letter is below


March 19, 2009

Steven Lawitts
ActingCommissioner
Department of Environmental Protection
59-17 Junction Boulevard, 13th Floor
Flushing, NY 11373


Mr. Lawitts:

I write with great concern regarding the proposed cessation of funding for 30 stream gauges located within the New York City watershed system in flood-prone parts of the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. These gauges, funded by DEP, and maintained to ensure consistent and clean water supply to New York City from reservoirs upstate, are also relied upon by a variety of federal, state, and local agencies for regional flood forecasts, local disaster planning, and to assess the environment impact of water flowing into the Hudson River.

I am aware that economic conditions are difficult and that you face budget cuts and funding shortages, but we can not shortchange programs our neighboring communities rely on to keep their citizens safe and well-informed; nor can we undercut the mission to deliver safe, clean drinking water to the watershed communities and NYC. As recent years' disasters have shown, funding the gauges is a critical and comparatively minor investment relative to the cost of dealing with a flood for which a community did not have time to prepare.

It is important for New York City to maintain positive relationships with the watershed communities. These gauges and the information they provide are important to Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Ulster, Sullivan and Westchester Counties - discontinuing them is short sighted and may generate tremendous ill will. As the gauges are critical to all levels of disaster management, water delivery and environmental monitoring, I stand ready to work with federal, state, and local officials on this matter.

Once again, I am concerned about plans to discontinue funding for these gauges. I urge you to reverse this decision and work with watershed communities to implement strategies to provide clean, safe drinking water and to prevent flooding and promote responsible recreation throughout the system. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator

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