Officials have reminded communities that the Croton River water level rise begins today.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection begins lowering water levels in New Croton Reservoir to allow for regular operational inspections of New Croton Dam and spillway.
As the DEP begins to lower the water level in the reservoir, the flow of water into the Croton River increases significantly.
Reservoir emissions could reach 405 MGD, up from the current 5.5 million gallons per day (MGD), significantly increasing river flows and requiring more attention to recreational activities.
The public should be especially careful while the increased water is released into rivers. Activities such as wade fishing and kayaking are not recommended due to unstable river currents.
Silver Lake Park, Mayo’s Landing, Black Rock Park and Echo Canoe Launch were closed today as a precautionary measure to assess the potential impact of a significant increase in river flow.
The drawdown is expected to last until approximately September 27th.