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About the CWDC
The Mission of the Catskill Water Discovery Center is to educate people of all ages about the precious nature of, and threats to our planet’s most vital resource — pure water.
Using the Catskill/Delaware Watershed as a living classroom, and the history and experience of those connected to this watershed, we will inspire people through programs, exhibits and events to care for, conserve and protect their water resources for the benefit of generations to come.
The Water Discovery Center is an educational organization that tells the story, past and present, of the New York City water supply system —
one of the most extraordinary municipal water systems in the world, one that promotes sound management of a working watershed, open to recreation, while protecting the precious natural resource of the Catskill Mountains. It tells the story of community sacrifice that came with the building of this water system; a story of the cultural heritage of the watershed communities; a story of the wondrous bounty that nature has bestowed on the Catskills and the care that must be taken to access, harvest, distribute, preserve and protect that bounty and fresh water everywhere.
Open 12pm-4pm Saturdays and Sundays
Watershed History
Since the Early 1900s when New York City began using the mountain streams and lakes as a water source, the environment of the Catskill Watershed region has been protected. Prior to that, loggers and tanners all but stripped the mountains bare through much of the 1800s, prompting an outcry from naturalists and environmentalists. In 1885, the Catskill Forest Preserve was created to reclaim and protect this important ecological resource.
Today, about 40 percent of the lands in the Catskills are publicly owned “forest preserve.” The mountains are an indispensable watershed, providing drinking water for local people as well as millions of others in the lower Hudson Valley.
The Catskill Watershed Region is an area of 1,600 square miles that includes all or parts of five counties, dozens of towns, villages, and hamlets. A collection of 6 man-made reservoirs hold water from mountain rivers and streams until it travels through a century-old gravity-fed system of aqueducts, tunnels and pipes to New York City.
East Branch Nature Preserve
The East Branch Nature Preserve with trails and interpretive stations is now open, covering 33 acres between the East Branch of the Delaware River and the historic Delaware & Ulster train’s railroad tracks in Arkville.
Geologists define the Catskills as an ancient raised river delta. The East Branch of the Delaware River, with its headwaters in neighboring Roxbury, is part of the watershed that supplies NYC’s water. From here it flows into the Pepacton Reservoir and from there continues its journey downstream to the Delaware Bay south of Philadelphia.
Pioneer species of trees and shrubs filled in this abandoned agricultural land. Some are native like oak and dogwood, but some are non-native and invasive. Invasive species interfere with the desired progression of plant life that provides the best habitat for native wildlife. Among difficult to eradicate invasive plants is the abundant Shrub Honeysuckle. We are working with partners to control these invasives. Inhabitants of the land will change as vegetation and habitats change. Here rabbits are successful making homes in the thick underbrush.
CWDC Programs
Public Programs
ECOLOGY EXPERTS is our online video program feature where you can learn from ecology experts about various aspects of the nature preserve which is a microcosm of our watershed and its ecosystem.
CONFERENCES AND SPEAKERS for public engagement about issues of watersheds and community.
“TRASH” ART Children create their own masterpieces out of recyclable and natural materials.
School Programs
Currently our CAMP H2O school programs engage students in Margaretville and Roxbury. In addition, we’re hard at work to grow our school programs and expand into more districts in the future.
CAMP H20, a program for school groups about the issues related to living in a watershed
SEASONAL ACTIVITIES, specially planned hands-on activities based on NYS Learning Standards. These activities will give children the opportunity to experience our living classroom on the East Branch Nature Preserve (EBNP) trail as well as our wonderful museum space.
WORKING IN THE WATERSHED, Career Conversations for 8th grade students which will give them a head start into thinking about their future here in the Watershed Communities.
THE WATERSHED GAME, an active hands-on simulation that helps groups learn how land use impacts water quality and natural resources. Guided by coaches whose real jobs deal with Watershed management issues, this simulation is presently being paired with the Career Conversations in our WORKING IN THE WATERSHED program.
