Beginning in 2009, a team of program staff and volunteer Committee members drawn from local government and citizens joined in the community process of developing management recommendations for each “stream neighborhood” on Rondout Creek, Neversink River and Chestnut Creek.  

HOW THE COMMUNITY WORKs TOGETHER: 

  • Mail surveys and public meetings documented river-related concerns on a wide range of topics reaching over 600 landowners, government officials and recreationists.

  • Each river is divided into a stream reach based in hydrology and geography and is described as an individual management unit (M.U.)in the Stream Management Plan

  • Careful study of the conditions of stream channels and nearby floodplains took place over several years including observations of record floods of 2011 Tropical Storm Irene) and 2012 (Neversink September 18 event)

  • Recommendations for each unit were presented, discussed and enhanced with local knowledge from nearby landowners to result in a catalog of the river units showing areas in need of restoration, areas best left to natural stream process and areas requiring a closer look due to complex hydrology and/or lasting human impacts. 

  • The municipalities of Denning and Neversink adopted the recommendatioe ns of the Stream Management Plans (Chestnut, 2004, Rondout, 2010, Neversink 2013).

  • A list of the Committee members for each group below is here.

watershed advisory group

Provides primary oversight and guidance to the Rondout Neversink Stream Program; meets 2-3 times per year to approve Annual Action Plan, Implementation Grants and provide input for improvements. 

DENNING NEVERSINK LOCAL FLOOD ANALYSIS COMMITTEE

Town appointees work together with Program staff and professional engineering subconsultants to complete a Local Flood Hazard Mitigation Analysis for the Towns' participation in grants programs provided through Sullivan County Soil & Water Conservation District and Catskill Watershed Corporation. Meets monthly. The Denning Neversink Local Flood Analysis Committee was delegated in 2014 by their respective Town Boards to coordinate this process which seeks to identify a range of flood hazard mitigation solutions. Members represent Town Zoning, Planning and Code Enforcement officials, and technical and outreach staff of the District and watershed partners. Meets monthly as needed. 

HIGHWAYS & INFRASTRUCTURE subCOMMITTEE

Highway departments of Denning, Neversink, Sullivan County DPW, Ulster County DPW and program staff prioritize potential implementation grants for improvement of river function around areas of road and bridge infrastructure. Education and training is provided to DPW workers in best practices for invasive species control, emergency flood response and culvert design/installation. Meets twice yearly. 

EDucation & Outreach Subcommittee

Program staff and regional public and non-profit education partners coordinate education activities for multiple audiences to further the outreach and education about stream stewardship. Meets twice yearly. 

Science Research SubCommittee

Scientific researchers and landowner stakeholders convene to guide the distribution of grant funding to support studies on the health of watershed biota. Meets twice yearly.

Please contact Stacie Howell at showell@rondoutneversink.org to learn more about participating in these stakeholder Committees.