Review of the New York City Watershed Protection Program

New York City's municipal water supply system provides about 1 billion gallons of drinking water a day to over 8.5 million people in New York City and about 1 million people living in nearby Westchester, Putnam, Ulster, and Orange counties. The combined water supply system includes 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes with a total storage capacity of approximately 580 billion gallons. The city's Watershed Protection Program is intended to maintain and enhance the high quality of these surface water sources. Review of the New York City Watershed Protection Program assesses the efficacy and future of New York City's watershed management activities. The report identifies program areas that may require future change or action, including continued efforts to address turbidity and responding to changes in reservoir water quality as a result of climate change. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 The Land and the People - Ecological, Historical, and Cultural Antecedents 3 New York City's Water Supply System: Past, Present, and Future 4 Current Conditions, Trends, and Future Stressors 5 Watershed Agricultural Program 6 Stream Management Program 7 Land Protection and Management Programs 8 Wastewater Programs 9 Stormwater Programs 10 Ecosystem Protection and Management Programs 11 Public Health Systems 12 Understanding the Watershed: Monitoring, Assessment, and Modeling 13 Understanding and Assessing Community Vitality 14 Frameworks for Balancing and Improved Integration Acronyms Appendix A: Technical Appendix on Trend Analysis Appendix B: Critique and Suggestions Regarding Current Water Quality Trend Reporting Approaches Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff