2022 UPDATE: News about our Stony Creek Reservoir!
October 12, 2022. Town of Colonie Supervisor Peter Crummey recently talked to the Spotlight about his administration’s plans for the Stony Creek Reservoir. “Water is the most valuable asset on the planet and I think what we need to do is manage the acreage up there. I have nearly 1,000 acres of land, with about one third of it holding water, and we think it can hold more, or at least it once did,” he said. “My position is that I plan on maintaining it as a reservoir and I believe there is value in water even if I was able to sell water to others. I’ve no intention of selling the reservoir.”
Your neighbors at SAVE Colonie are delighted that Supervisor Crummey is viewing the Reservoir as an asset going forward, a source of value to investigate. Check below for background information about the Reservoir’s history and potential.
It sounds as if our Supervisor will be taking the hard look this wonderful place and our town deserve!
The Town of Colonie proposed the sale of Stony Creek Reservoir
In January 2021, the Town of Colonie issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking bidders to buy Stony Creek Reservoir, the Town’s backup water supply, located in the Town of Clifton Park. In an effort to provide more information to the public, SAVE Colonie is archiving information about the reservoir, the sale, and the Town’s backup water supply on this page.
watch the save colonie water resources forum
On June 22, 2021 SAVE Colonie hosted an online forum with water resource experts to explore the consequential issue of water supply. The forum panel included:
• Union College Professor of Geology John Garver, Mohawk River expert
• Jen Epstein, Water Quality Program Scientist for Riverkeeper
• Bill Carlos, Poughkeepsie Town Board member and a founder of the Hudson River Drinking Water Intermunicipal Council, or “Hudson 7.”
Read the press release about this forum.
We have questions
Read a series of articles about the proposed sale of Stony Creek Reservoir on SAVE’s blog.
Experts have questions too
Read analysis from John Garver, professor of Geology at Union College, noting the deficiency’s in the town’s process to date, and concerns about liquidating this town asset.
Information about the sale of Stony Creek Reservoir
Read the RFP with addendums
Video recording of the April 20, 2021 public meeting about proposed Stony Creek sale with presentation by Latham Water District
Video recording of the March 11, 2021 Town Board meeting with reservoir discussion during public comment portion of the meeting
Recent news coverage about the sale
Selling Stony Creek Reservoir a Bad Idea, Letter to Editor, Times Union, May 21, 2021
Don’t Sell Stony Creek, Letter to Editor, Spotlight News, May 20, 2021
Sell Stony Creek, But Keep the Water, Editorial, Spotlight News, May 19, 2021
Don’t Sell Stony Creek, Part II, Letter to Editor, Spotlight News, May 13, 2021
Don’t Sell Stony Creek Reservoir, Letter to Editor, Spotlight News, May 13, 2021
Sale of Colonie reservoir raises concerns for residents, opportunities for Clifton Park, Times Union, May 5, 2021
Colonie exploring potential sale of Stony Creek Reservoir, Spotlight News, April 27, 2021
Letter to the Editor: Don’t sell Stony Creek Reservoir, February 10, 2021
Advocacy group questions sale of Colonie’s Stony Creek Reservoir, News 10, February 3, 2021
Town Of Colonie Puts Reservoir Up For Sale, WAMC News, January 27, 2021
Colonie selling off back-up water supply, says it’s obsolete, News 10, January 27, 2021
Information about the water system interconnection with Albany
Read the Albany--Colonie Water System Interconnection Study
Read the Interconnection Agreement
between the Town of Colonie and the Albany Water Board (Signed 2017)
Read the 2019 Latham Water District Annual Drinking Water Report
(see p. 10 for information about the Albany-Colonie Interconnection Project)
Information about Stony Creek Reservoir
January 2020 NYSDEC letter to Colonie about Stony Creek Reservoir Dam
January 2019 NYSDEC letter to Colonie about Stony Creek Reservoir Dam
July 2017 NYSDEC permit for the Stony Creek Reservoir Dam
View a map of the Stony Creek Reservoir
Read about the history of the Reservoir from a chapter in Clifton Park Town Historian John Scherer’s book “More Bits of Clifton Park History.” More information about John’s book can be found here.
View a presentation by the Latham Water District about the town's water system
View a presentation by Friends of Clifton Park Open Space about the Stony Creek Reservoir
View the 2009 RFP for the previous proposed sale of the Stony Creek Reservoir
Latham Water District INFORMATION
Visit the Latham Water District Website
Visit the Latham Water District Stony Creek information page
News coverage ABOUT MOHAWK RIVER WATER QUALITY and other information about Latham Water District
Failure at Amsterdam pump station dumped over one million gallons of sewage into Mohawk, The Recorder, May 7, 2021
State Wants Sewer System Fixes to Protect Mohawk, Times Union, January 17, 2019
(See section regarding DEC directing Colonie to reduce chlorine discharges into the river.)
Environmental Working Group website about Latham Water District
Share your thoughts on this issue
Write to the Colonie Supervisor and Town Board and share your thoughts. Contact information here.
Write a letter to the editor.
Submission instructions for the Albany Times Union
To submit a letter to the Spotlight Newspaper, contact Jim Franco.
Sign the petition calling on colonie to stop the sale of stony creek reservoir!
Photos of Stony Creek Reservoir
