Town of Saugerties applies for DEC Permit - Kings Highway

Applicant:

Town of Saugerties 4 High St Saugerties, NY 12477

Facility:

Kings Highway Water District Kings Hwy - St Rte 212 - S 3 Mis Saugerties, NY

Application ID:

3-5148-00382/00001

Permit(s) Applied for:

Article 15 Title 15 Water Supply

Project is Located:

Saugerties, Ulster County

Project Description:

The applicant, the Town of Saugerties, proposes to construct new water supply mains within the Kings Highway corridor in order to supply 58 residential and commercial parcels with potable water in conjunction with the formation of a new water supply district, the Kings Highway Water District. Approximately 138,000 gallons per day (gpd) of potable water will be supplied by the existing Village of Saugerties water supply system. The project will not result in any additional flow, nor require additional water supply, above the currently approved 600,000 gpd of potable water allocated by the inter-municipal agreement between the Town and Village of Saugerties. The project includes the construction of 16,665 linear feet of 14 inch diameter water main and 1,250 linear feet of 12 inch diameter water main. The project is located south of NYS Route 212 and will run concurrently along three miles of the Old Kings Highway (County Route 31) corridor in the Town of Saugerties, Ulster County.

Availability of Application Documents:

Filed application documents, and Department draft permits where applicable, are available for inspection during normal business hours at the address of the contact person. To ensure timely service at the time of inspection, it is recommended that an appointment be made with the contact person.

State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Determination:

Project is a Type I action and will not have a significant effect on the environment. A coordinated review with other agencies was performed and a Negative Declaration is on file.

SEQR Lead Agency: Saugerties Town Board

State Historic Preservation Act (SHPA) Determination:

A cultural resources survey has been completed. Based on information provided in the survey report, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) has determined that the proposed activity will have no impact on registered or eligible archaeological sites or historic structures. No further review in accordance with SHPA is required.

Coastal Management:

This project is not located in a Coastal Management area and is not subject to the Waterfront Revitalization and Coastal Resources Act.

Opportunity for Public Comment:

Comments on this project must be submitted in writing to the Contact Person no later than Aug 21, 2009.

Contact:

R Scott Ballard NYSDEC Region 3 Headquarters 21 South Putt Corners Rd New Paltz, NY 12561 (845)256-3054 r3dep@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Quoted from a recent Behan Planning & Design Report:

The Catskill Mountains in Saugerties also contain several headwater streams, including the Lucas Kill, Fly Kill, and Saxton Creek, which flow into the Plattekill. Headwaters are the area where a stream begins. Headwater streams are often cool mountain streams that support trout and other cold water species. The headwaters also supply food and nutrients to downstream ecological communities. The Lucas Kill and Saxton Creek flow into the Plattekill, which feeds the Blue Mountain Reservoir, a major drinking water source for the Village of Saugerties, as well as many town residents.

The Plattekill originates deep in the Catskills, in the Kaaters Kill Wild Forest. The Plattekill is the largest tributary of the lower Esopus Creek. The Plattekill runs through the Platte Clove, forming a series of waterfalls before making its way to the wetlands at the reservoir. The Plattekill continues into a 30-foot wide creek in the agricultural areas of town before entering the Esopus Creek (the Esopus Creek then enters the Hudson River).

The Plattekill is a Class A trout stream above the Blue Mountain Reservoir and a Class B trout stream below the reservoir. Because the Plattekill enters the Esopus Creek, it is designated as part of the Hudson River Estuary. The Lucas Kill and the Saxton Creek are both Class A streams in this area, with some segments being trout spawning streams, according to the NYSDEC water quality classification standards. The Fly Kill is a Class C trout stream through most of its length in Saugerties.

The Protect the Plattekill Creek & Watershed board (PPCW) is involved in the protection of the Plattekill watershed as well as in coordination between the town and the Hudson River Watershed initiatives. Because the Plattekill is prone to flooding, the PPCW is also involved in flood protection initiatives, working with state and federal agencies. The Plattekill watershed is an important limiting factor to the growth of Saugerties because much of the new development depends on the purchase of water from the village from this essential watershed.

The NY Supreme Court set a limit to the amount of water that can be drawn from the Blue Mt. Reservoir to 1.8 million gallons a day.

Both the Groundwater Protection Plan for the Town of Saugerties (2005) and the Source Water Protection Plan for the Village of Saugerties Public Water Supply address the Plattekill and its watershed as part of a critical water supply.

Interesting Links:

Kings Highway Corridor Infrastructure Improvement Project

Protect the Plattekill Creek & Watershed
Focus: Plattekill Watershed
Contact: Sandra Thorpe 290 Fish Creek Rd. Saugerties, NY 12477
845-246-7174
rthorpe@hvc.rr.net

Saugerties Watershed Council - Joe Damrath (845) 657-6069