Environment DEC
From the August 2005 issue
State Announces Completion of Hudson River Swim Study
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) Commissioner Bernadette Castro announced the results of a two-year study to identify potential swimming sites along the Hudson River.
"The revitalization of the Hudson River has been a personal priority for Governor Pataki, and thanks to his commitment, this majestic waterway is cleaner and more vibrant than it has been in decades," Commissioner Sheehan said. "We have dedicated unprecedented resources and effort to bring the Hudson back to its full potential, and this study helps chart a path for the river's future and continued resurgence."
The report, Swimming in the Hudson River Estuary, researched possible sites along the river from the Troy Dam to the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan. The study was completed by LMS Engineers, Pearl River, in partnership with The Hudson Group, Albany. The New York State Department of State (DOS) and the State Department of Health (DOH) also participated.
In his 2004 State of the State Address, Governor Pataki set the ambitious goal of making the Hudson River suitable for swimming from its source high in the Adirondacks all the way to Manhattan and ensuring that every community along the Hudson has at least one new or upgraded access point to the river by 2009-the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage.
Potential Swimming Sites
The study will serve as a guide
for future recreational opportunities
along the Hudson River
The objective of the study was to inventory and investigate sites that could accommodate safe swimming while meeting local and state regulations and other factors that govern the establishment of beaches. A survey of approximately 3,000 residents and organizations in the Hudson River Valley resulted in the identification of 100 swimming locations. These became the basis for further investigation.
This list was narrowed to 22 potential sites. The consultants conducted field reviews of each site based on selected criteria such as size, slope, currents, accessibility and water quality. The consultant report identified 18 potential sites. Five of these sites are currently being operated as local swimming beaches. One of these new swimming beaches operates only sporadically due to the presence of water chestnuts, an invasive plant species. According to the study, the remaining 13 sites possess several characteristics that make them excellent candidates. For public swimming, they also face specific challenges, such as water quality, erosion and land ownership before they can become local swimming beaches.
The study will serve as a guide for future recreational opportunities along the Hudson River. The next steps will be to work with local communities and landowners at the sites that were identified to determine whether there is interest in exploring the potential of these sites further. To view the feasibility report on potential swimming access sites along the Hudson, please use the link below to DEC's Website.
