Local activists are fuming over a city plan to cut culverts into the historic Ridgewood Reservoir in order to stave off the threat of future flooding.
They say the $6 million plan — currently awaiting state environmental approvals — is unnecessary and wasteful of money.
“It would have to rain 24 hours a day for months to reach capacity,” said Geoffrey Croft of New York City Park Advocates.
Critics also worry the project will disturb the ecosystems in the defunct reservoir.
“Construction will destroy the natural habitats within the basins, not to mention that it is also a colossal waste of taxpayer money,” said local civic activist Christina Wilkinson. “Furthermore, if this weather event actually were to occur, allowing the basins to drain into a small catch basin on Vermont Place would be pointless as the sewer system would already be overflowing.”
But the Parks Department said it will face fines by the state Department of Environmental Conservation if the work is not done, since the reservoir is considered a flooding hazard.
Let me get this straight...a bunch of large bowls meant to hold a bajillion tons of water are a flooding hazard? Isn't that where we would want water to stay, at least temporarily, if there was a huge storm?
And what's with the DEC? I thought the Cuomo administration was pro-environment and against wasteful spending?
15 comments:
The inmates have taken over the asylum or someones cousin stands to make a huge buck on this project.
NOBODY but the city (and maybe some unknown entity that stands to profit from it) wants this.
When something as stupid as this idea continues to move forward you know that there HAS to be some sort of shady deal behind it.
State fines? B.S. The reservoir can always be re-reviewed and reclassified such that the fines don't apply.
If this nonsense thing DOES happen, perhaps the city plans use some contractor(s)/subcontractor(s) that was promised some favor in return for another favor in the past.
Something about this really stinks and it's worth paying close attention to who would ultimately get city $ out of it. That's the driving force behind this idiot project and it's gotta be illegal.
The reservoir was created by blasting into the side of a hill. So these folks expect the bedrock to fall apart?
Glib dismissals aside, dormant dams are a problem because their condition isn't monitored and they can fail catastrophically. That's a problem for the folks living downhill.
I'm not familiar with the conditions @ Highland, but suspect that is what is driving the state's policy.
Bring on the magic buses full of HIPSTERS!
Yes but there's no dam here. The basins are empty save for a foot or two of water in the middle one. The pumps were taken out of commission years ago. The only way water could fill the basins up now is via rain. A LOT of rain. Like a year of rain non-stop.
Here you go, Bugleg. Google Earth. It's full of trees and plants.
The first step to slowly give this place the same future as those development threats facing Flushing Meadows.
You need someone with deep pockets to make this usable, and get this off the city rolls.
Giving developers tax incentives, and give outs to attracting the 3rd world servant class is very expensive.
I might be off base, but I've heard it's a dam in the eyes of DEC. I'm aware there is not a large body of water behind the 'dam'.
Keep on eye on this. This city and its elected are shady m*th*r f**kers. The plan for NYC is to demolish and destroy any natural habitat and any old architecture.
Yes, dear, that was the whole point of the article. It's a dam in the eyes of the DEC, under rules that the DEC created. Anything that potentially can hold water is considered a dam. Never mind that the basins haven't held water in decades. They can just as easily uncreate these stupid rules.
What I told the Daily News:
The responsibility for this lies on the shoulders of Governor Andrew Cuomo. It is his appointed commissioner that came up with the dam hazard classification system that is unnecessarily being applied to the empty basins of the Ridgewood Reservoir, which has been defunct for decades.
Why is the Governor allowing this potential environmental disaster in the making to occur on his watch? Construction will destroy the natural habitats within the basins, not to mention that it is also a colossal waste of taxpayer money.
There would have to be a months-long rainstorm in order to produce the level of water in the basins that DEC claims would threaten the public should the walls of the basins fail. Furthermore, if this weather event actually were to occur, allowing the basins to drain into a small catch basin on Vermont Place would be pointless as the sewer system would already be overflowing.
Off topic but related:'appointed commissioner'
These appointments and seats are being abused with unqualified hacks and its becoming a hot topic.
One of the reasons that we are stuck fighting something like this instead of working cooperatively with someone on the state level who actually understands the issues being discussed.
Something for Crappie to look into.
Also since we brought up the issue of non-qualified boards perhaps we should revisit that festering sore of the library board -- Tony's Housecleaning vs the Machines Whitewash in Albany. Even Katz (when Springer is not looking) wants to minimize the cleanup.
Follow the money. Contracts will go out to create the culverts. The contractors don't care about the environment and the waste as long as the checks clear.
Cuomo is a tyrant,plain and simple.He is a true symbol and player in the new era of elected democrats.He got rid of the moreland commission so all this irrational dirty dealing can continue unabated.But it's ok because the democrats are doing it and not republicans.
Cuomo must get out of office.
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