Catskill Streams Website Launched

MARGARETVILLE, N.Y., May 9, 2007 - A useful new website, www.CatskillStreams.org, is now available.

The website builds on introductory information provided by the guide, Catskill Streams and You: Living Streamside in the Catskill Region. It provides advice and contacts for planting streamside areas, proper yard waste disposal, invasive species removal, preventing erosion and contamination of waterways, and reducing the hazards of living in a floodplain.

The website also includes a calendar of stream-related activities and events, as well as a library of stream management plans and other documents. There are separate pages with descriptions, maps, links to specific, active USGS gages and other information specific to major stream basins in the Catskills (East and West Branches of the Delaware River, the Schoharie, Esopus and Rondout Creeks, and the Neversink River).

"It is exciting to offer complementary information to the previously released Catskill Streams guide," said Jenn Grieser of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). "The website enables viewers to tailor their visit to their needs. If someone owns property in the Esopus Creek watershed they can visit the page made specifically for that watershed and learn about what stream stewardship activities are taking place."

It also encourages residents to get involved in community and watershed stewardship programs and activities, from joining a watershed association to tree planting. The website introduces watershed programs and assistance that are available for farmers, foresters, private landowners, businesses, municipalities and teachers.

Catskill Streams was a joint production of the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC), the DEP, the Watershed Agricultural Council, the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Ulster and Greene Counties, the Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) of Delaware and Greene Counties and Trout Unlimited.

"The vision for Catskill Streams is to provide a resource for streamside landowners in the Catskill region that links diverse entities working towards a common goal - to protect healthy streams and livelihoods," said Alan Rosa of CWC.