A Tour of Cross River Reservoir
As I’ve stated in previous blogs, my farm is not too far from Cross River Reservoir, one of several reservoirs that feed water to New York City. Betsy Perreten, my stable manager, and I love to go horseback riding along the dirt roads running alongside the reservoir. I’ve always been fascinated by dams and the water they contain and I often wonder what the area was like before being flooded. Here’s a bit of info about one such body of water.
1 Rinze and I at the locked gate off of Maple Ave., which leads to the spillway of the Cross River Reservoir Dam. This reservoir is part of New York City's Croton water supply system. The city is located about 25-miles to the south.
2 The Cross River Reservoir was formed by impounding the Cross River, a tributary of the Croton River, which eventually flows into the Hudson River.
3 The period of construction of this dam was 1906 to 1908, a consequence of New York City's growing demand for water. The Cross River is one of 12 reservoirs in the City's Croton system.
4 When it was decided that a dam was to be built, the original community of Katonah was literally moved to where it stands today.
5 In a community effort, more than 50 wooden structures were hoisted upon logs and, using horse power, were rolled a mile south out of harm's way. No small feat!
6 This is a pen and ink drawing from Wikipedia about the history of Katonah.
7 Unfortunately, the downriver villages of Kirbyville and New Castle Corners, were also condemned to form other reservoirs, but those villages were never moved.
8 At full capacity, this dam holds approximately 10.3 billion gallons of water in its basin.
9 Before 9/11, this roadway on top of the dam was open for public use.
10 For security reasons, vehicles and pedestrians are no longer allowed access.
11 Looking down over the side of the dam at the spillway
12 Considered small in size, this reservoir is approximately 3.2 miles long and has a drainage basin of 30 square miles.
13 The New York City Reservoir systems are open to fishing and boating, but only row boats are allowed, under a special free permit.
14 Restrictions are firmly enforced.
15 The permit stipulates that after steam cleaning to sanitize at an appropriate Department of Environmental Protection Office, the boats must be left at the reservoir year round.
16 Steam cleaning removes organisms, including invasive zebra mussels, and other substances from boats that might otherwise contaminate the water supply.
17 You cannot remove your boat, use it on other waters, and bring it back without having it re-inspected and steam cleaned by an official.
18 After passing inspection, anglers are issued a DEP Boat Tag and have numbers placed on their boats. These numbers are used by DEP staff when inspecting boat storage areas and monitoring compliance with DEP Recreation Rules.
19 Anglers must store their boats at the designated storage areas.
20 Due to overcrowding, some of those boat storage areas may be closed to the placement of new boats.
21 The DEP is not responsible for boats left on City land and you may secure your boat to hitching posts or to living trees greater than 11" in diameter.
22 Boats are allowed on these waters from April 1st to December 1st of each year.
23 That is because this reservoir is usually frozen over all winter.
24 Last year at this time, the ice was about 12-inches thick and ice fishing was a very popular winter sport.
25 This winter has been so mild that only a skin of ice has formed from time to time.
26 In these waters you can find trout, bass, and walleye.
27 Because of all of the regulations, it's said that these reservoirs are under-fished.
28 More boats
29 And more
30 Betsy leading the way along Upper Hook Road to the other end of Cross River Reservoir
31 Another designated rowboat area
32 Nearly there
33 This is the opposite end looking in the direction of the dam.
34 Because there are so many fish here, and no ice this winter, there are quite a few fish-eating birds, including bald eagles, who are frequently spotted swooping down along the water's surface snatching up their next meal.
35 A bait and tackle shop near the reservoir
36 The promise of a good catch
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Hi Martha, Thank you so much for taking us along on this delightful tour around Cross River Reservoir Dam near your Bedford farm! These photos are absolutely fantastic and the information you shared is terrific and so much fun to learn about! How fascinating that Katonah had to actually be moved so the reservoir could be built! All of those row boats sure were fun to see and I'll bet people enjoy fishing! You and Betsy must have had a great time riding Rinze and Ramon through that beautiful area! You sure are having a warm winter just like we are right now-unusual isn't it! Hope you have another great day! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | February 8th, 2012 at 4:22 am
I can only imagine what it took to move The village of Katonah. It makes you wonder if anything was left behind and now at the bottom of the reservoir! Interesting that the reservoir is usually iced over this time of the year. Global warming? It feels like spring here in South Texas! Thanks for sharing pictures of your ride Martha!
Posted by: Cindy F | February 8th, 2012 at 8:48 am
I have rode along this reservoir for years travelling from Mass to NJ and have often wondered about its history.
I lived on a man made reservoir, The Wachusett Reservoir which supplies Boston, in West Boylston Mass where the entire town, schools, factories and churches had to be horse driven out. They even pulled out the tree roots. Luckily someone took glass slides to show the future generations what an incredible feat this was at the turn of the century.
Posted by: Jane | February 8th, 2012 at 10:14 am
Martha,
Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | February 8th, 2012 at 10:27 am
The corp of engineers, in their wisdom, also manages reservoir in Missouri River from Garrison Dam here in Dakota. Much bottom land and many homes were flooded in the 50s and some were moved and some were destroyed. Thanks for these photos and we can handle more of these mild winters.BTW loved your SPRING edition in March Living, and happy that Browning had good inormation in her essay. Like me, she probably didn't stitch up all the burlap.
Posted by: ann | February 8th, 2012 at 10:59 am
Hi Martha,
This is all very interesting. The water is so clean looking – the fish must be very tasty. I’m surprised that more people don’t fish but apparently there are those who don’t like to follow rules and regulations. I guess that means more fish for the wildlife then which is good. Every time I see you on a horse, it makes me want to go riding again. I miss the good old days.
~
The show was great today with Seth Meyers and also Monday with Joan Rivers and I liked the entire sea-bass meal prepared by Chef Jim Botsacos. I’m not much of a fish eater but that looked good cooked in a pan on the grill! Trish
Posted by: Trish | February 8th, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Martha,
We learn so much from your blogs. In the west dams were also built leaving small towns to be covered up with water. That was the nature of the beast and for the sacrifice of some buildings we have drinking and irrigation water. What a deal! One only has to be without water or in a drought without irrigation water to appreciate the willingness and forward thinking of our forfathers.
Posted by: Margie | February 8th, 2012 at 1:43 pm
So interesting. Do you ever go fishing here?
Posted by: sherey | February 8th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
That was kind of educational. I had no idea about steam cleaning the boats etc. It looked like a lovely ride and a beautiful day. Thanks again!
Posted by: Frances | February 8th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Thanks for the great info. I always wondered about those boats.
Posted by: Donna | February 8th, 2012 at 8:18 pm
i live on Lake Ray Hubbard near Dallas, Texas. We are having a terrible time with mussels here. Our lakes are all reservoirs but sailboats & motorboats are allowed.. it is a beautiful place to live but i don't know how they will resolve this issue.. this looks like a lovely and healthy waterway..
Posted by: nancy el | February 8th, 2012 at 9:53 pm
Love your horses, absolutely beautiful. However, I do not agree with boats and people recreating ons the drinking water supply for N.Y. We have a lake that supplies the water for our City. Nothing is allowed on the water. Nice photos, enjoyed them.
Posted by: Sandra L. Morrison | February 8th, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Thank you Martha. You are always so informative and educational. I loved the pictutes and I love that you get out and ride your beautiful horses. Your efforts are much appreciated.
Sherry
Posted by: Sherry Gasparovic | February 8th, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Here in Mass. the 4 towns of Enfield, Dana Prescott, and Greenwich were flooded to create the Quabbin Reservoir to provide water for Boston. As sad as it was for the residents to be uprooted, it has provided a very large scenic area in this part of the state.
Posted by: Louise Sauter | February 9th, 2012 at 12:34 am
Martha, I enjoyed all the pictures you shared with us in your Blog. Seems like you're having an unusual warm winter as we are in the South.
What a beautiful place to ride your horses. You miss all the beautiful tree-lined lanes where you can enjoy such things as riding horses when you live in the City.
Thanks for sharing!!! I love your show...
especially the baking segment on Monday mornings.
Posted by: JB | February 9th, 2012 at 3:29 am
Thank you. I love your outdoors pix, your animals and property, trees and flowers, just beautiful!
Posted by: Karen Neuman | February 9th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
Agree with Trish, loved the sea-bass meal segment with the slow-cooked black-eyed peas! We just returned from the grocery and will be preparing it for tonight's dinner. I came to your blog today to tell you how much I am loving my new Tri-Ply cookware. My new set was a Christmas gift from my husband and I have to say that it has absolutely surpassed all of my expectations! The pieces not only look great, they cook perfectly, and clean up beautifully.
Martha, as always, your blog entries are wonderful and very much appreciated. Your photos are professional quality and you look quite elegant and color coordinated all in black astride Rinze.
Posted by: Kate | February 9th, 2012 at 2:59 pm
Martha: All I can say is that you have become quite a good horsewoman to shoot the camera on horse back especially around those over-turned boats! They would look like scary horse eaters to a horse for sure!!! Well done!
Posted by: Peg Belvin | February 9th, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Martha:
This is an incredible area. Thank you for sharing. I would not have taken the time to look and see. And, I am an avid fisherman.
You're the best. Hugs, B
Posted by: Babbs | February 11th, 2012 at 10:02 am
I just finished a map of the town of Cross River as it looked in 1868 before the dam was built. You can see it here, http://www.flickr.com/photos/amapple/8145964908/in/set-72157627278078362 - I grew up near Kensico Reservoir (also part of the NYC water supply) and have been fascinated by lost towns ever since I heard there was a town named Kensico under the reservoir. That was my first map in the series.
Posted by: Andy Proehl | November 1st, 2012 at 6:05 pm