The New York State Canal Corporation today announced the approval of plans to transfer approximately 719 acres of New York State Canal Corporation-owned lands in the Town of Ohio, Herkimer County, to the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to expand the Black River Wild Forest.

The lands, known as Twin Lakes Reservoir and Chub Lake Reservoir, are no longer needed for maintenance and operation of the Canal System and offer numerous opportunities to expand recreation in the region. The properties are situated within the Adirondack Park and completely surrounded by Forest Preserve lands currently owned and maintained by DEC as part of the Black River Wild Forest.

New York State Thruway Authority Canal Corporation Board Chairman John L. Buono said, “The transfer of the Twin Lakes and Chub Lake Reservoirs to DEC is a step in the right direction to promote tourism in the area and in turn boost the local economy. This partnership with DEC is an example of the Governor's vision for a revitalized Canal System at work.”

State Senator James Seward said, “The transfer of more than 700 acres of canal lands in Herkimer County to the State's forest preserve means conservation of lands for future generations and additional recreational opportunities for outdoors enthusiasts, particularly those who will enjoy the use of the reservoirs. I applaud the Canal Corporation for taking positive steps to shed lands it does not need and to do so with outdoor conservation in mind, and the governor for his leadership in making the preservation of open space a priority of his administration.”

Carmella Mantello, Director of the New York State Canal Corporation, said, “The Canal Corporation is proud to partner with DEC as we advance the Governor's vision for a renewed and revitalized Canal System and the creation of the Erie Canal and Empire State Greenways. The transfer of the Twin Lakes and Chub Lake reservoirs is further evidence of the new direction and vision of the canal Corporation. This transfer will help increase tourism in the region and promote the local economy by opening up new recreational opportunities for the public to enjoy, while ensuring the protection of these critical resources for generations to come.”

Michael Fleischer, Executive Director of the State Thruway Authority, said, “The environment is a valuable commodity here in New York and giving the Twin Lakes and Chub Lake Reservoirs to DEC is sure to have positive impact for years to come. Such partnerships are right in line with the Governor's vision for the Canal System.”

DEC Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan said, “Protecting sensitive natural areas has been a cornerstone of Governor Pataki's environmental philosophy. DEC has worked for many years in partnership with the Thruway Authority and the Canal Corporation to manage these lands, which are surrounded by the magnificent State Forest Preserve. The Black River Wild Forest Area has long been one of the Adirondacks most diverse and important ecosystems. I appreciate the collaborative efforts of DEC staff and the Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation. We look forward to including these lands in the Forest Preserve.”

The Twin Lakes Reservoir is located about three miles south of North Lake Reservoir and twenty miles above Forestport on a small tributary of the Black River. It was completed in 1881 and originally consisted of two small lakes which were joined into a larger lake with the placement of a low earth dam with a timber core wall at their outlet. The Canal Corporation no longer performs water-control activities or maintenance on any remaining structures at this old reservoir site. This reservoir still functions naturally as a contributor of water to the Canal System. The reservoir does this by rising to receive and store water from freshets, showers, and snow melt and subsequently slowly releasing these waters through its natural outlet over an extended period of time.

Subject to a survey, there are approximately 175 acres of Canal lands above water, and 38 acres of Canal lands below water to be transferred.

Chub Lake Reservoir is located about three miles southwest of Sand Lake Reservoir, and approximately twenty miles above Forestport on a small tributary of the Black River. Chub Lake Reservoir was completed in 1855 with an average depth of four feet. The Canal Corporation no longer performs water-control activities or maintenance on any remaining structures at this old reservoir site. The lake still functions naturally as a contributor of water to the Canal System. It does this by rising to receive and store water from freshets, showers, and snow melt similar to Twin Lakes Reservoir. Subject to survey, there is approximately 354 acres above water at this location and an additional 152 below water to be transferred.

Both water bodies and surrounding streams offer excellent trout fishing opportunities and include lean-tos, foot trails and a snowmobile trail system. Diverse wildlife can be seen in the extensive wetland areas near Chub Lake and Twin Lakes Reservoir.

The Black River Wild Forest is a 121,506-acre area located in the southwestern foothills of the Adirondack Park. There is a total of 39 lakes and ponds and 129 miles of streams within the Wild Forest area and numerous wetland areas that contribute to the region's diverse wildlife.

The significant habitat within the Black River Wild Forest offer rare plants including Canada mayflower, cloud sedge, Pickering's reedgrass, trout lily and pink azalea. The ecosystem also supports a variety of wildlife species including black bear, white-tailed deer, otter and mink. Moose also have been spotted in recent years near the complex's wetland areas.

The Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation Board has approved a resolution supporting the transfer of jurisdiction over the lands from the Canal Corporation to the DEC. In accordance with State regulations, following the performance of necessary preliminary actions, the lands will be formally abandoned to the State Office of General Services (OGS), who in turn, would transfer the lands to DEC.

Legislation signed into law in 1992, mandated the Canal Corporation, in consultation with DEC, to prepare survey maps and a study of Canal lands within the Adirondack Park. The Canalway Recreation Commission was charged with reviewing and analyzing the surveys and developing a set of recommendations for future use of these lands. Among the recommendations, the Commission proposed that lands not needed for canal purposes be transferred to DEC to be managed as part of the Forest Preserve.

Today's announcement furthers the longstanding environmental goals set by Governor Pataki that have made New York a national leader in open space protection and natural resource stewardship. In his 2002 State of the State address, the Governor committed to preserving an additional one million acres of open space over the next ten years. Since 1995, the State has protected more than 924,000 acres throughout New York.

The New York State Canal System is comprised of four historic waterways, the Erie, the Champlain, the Oswego and the Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Spanning 524 miles across New York State, the waterway links the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes and the Niagara River with communities rich in history and culture.

In late May 2005, Governor Pataki unveiled his vision for establishing the Erie Canal Greenway and, ultimately, the Empire State Greenway, connecting the Niagara, Erie and Hudson River Greenways. The Canal Corporation and an interagency task force are currently conducting an outreach campaign to gather input and ideas, and develop a comprehensive set of recommendations to create the new Erie and Empire State Greenways and examine certain roles and responsibilities currently assigned to the Canal Corporation. The recommendations will be delivered in a report to the Governor by December 2005.