Date of Award

2008

Document Type

Open Access

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environmental Science and Policy

Language

English

Keywords

water security, dam, New York State, reservoir

Abstract

The majority of the NYC water supply is provided by a system of dams and reservoirs that have been created in upstate New York. As the owner of this water supply system, NYC is responsible for managing each of the dams and reservoirs within the system. This responsibility includes upholding dam regulations in order to ensure the safety of the citizens of the surrounding area and to lesson any environmental impacts that may occur due to the water supply system. Of the 30 dams owned by NYC, however, 25 of them have been identified at a high-hazard level according the National Inventory of Dams. The Gilboa Dam, which is located in Schoharie County along the Schoharie Creek, is part of the Catskill water supply system of NYC and is one of the NYC dams that has recently been classified at a high-hazard level. The possibility of the Gilboa Dam failing is just one of many problems NYC has had to mitigate with regard to its water supply system. While this thesis will focus primarily on the Gilboa Dam crisis, it will also examine the management of dams at a national level in order to recommend future policies in dam projects.

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Rights Statement

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted.