pageA-XI

Stewardship Goals for the
New York – New Jersey
Highlands

This 2002 Update of the 1992 New York – New Jersey Highlands Regional Study embodies the following goals for the long-term stewardship of the Highlands:

1. Manage future growth that is compatible with the region’s ecological constraints;
2. Maintain an adequate surface and ground water supply that meets the needs of local and downstream users;
3. Conserve contiguous forests using management practices that are consistent with private property rights and regional resources;
4. Provide appropriate recreational opportunities; and

5. Promote economic prosperity that is compatible with goals 1-4.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Contents I
List of Figures IV
List of Illustrations VI
List of Tables VII

Acknowledgments IX

Contents

Section 1. Introduction

Background 2
Conservation Successes Since 1992 3
Need to Update the 1992 Study 3
Study Area 4
Study Process 6
Pre-Draft Input 8
Input on the Draft Report 9
About This Report 10

Section 1 References 11

Section 2. Resource Assessment and Conservation Values

Water 14

Ground Water—Aquifers and Wells 15
Aquifer Types 15
Bedrock Aquifers 15
Glacial Aquifers 17
Aquifer Recharge 17
Ground Water Use 19
High-Capacity Wells 19
Domestic Wells 19
Monitoring Ground Water Levels 22
Key Findings 24
Surface Water—Streams, Rivers, and Reservoirs 24
Surface Water Use 26
Reservoir Storage and Transfer 28
Key Findings 30
Water Quality 31
Ground Water 31
Surface Water 32
Biological Indicators 34
Key Findings 38
Water Budget 39
Analysis at a Regional Scale 39
Analysis at a Watershed Scale 42
Watershed Conditions 44

Key Findings 47

Forest 48

Forest Land Ownership and Management 48
Forest Health 49

Key Findings 50

Biodiversity 51
Fish and Wildlife 51
Endangered and Threatened Species 51
Natural Communities 54
Migratory Flyway 58
Invasive Species 58

Key Findings 59

Farmland 60

Key Findings 62

Recreation 63

Key Findings 68

Conservation Values Assessment 70

Key Findings 78

Section 2 References 80

Section 3. Potential Changes and Resources at Risk

Population Growth 84

Key Findings 89

Future Change Scenarios—Build-Out Analysis and Econometric Modeling 92
Build-Out Analysis 93
Limitations of Build-Out Analysis 93
Criteria for the Low-Constraint Scenario 96
Criteria for the High-Constraint Scenario 97
Results of the Build-Out Analysis 98
Econometric Analysis 104
Limitations of Econometric Analysis 105

Results of the Econometric Analysis 106
Key Findings 106

Possible Consequences of Future Change to Resources 108
Changes in Land Use and Land Cover 108
Key Findings 111
Landscape Indicators of Forest and Watershed Integrity 112
Key Findings 119
Changes in Water Resources 121
Water Budget 121
Available Water 122

Key Findings 128

Resources at Risk 129

Key Findings 135

Section 3 References 136

Section 4. Resource Summary and Conservation Strategies

Resource Condition 138

Land Stewardship in the Highlands 140
Land Management Challenges 141

Land Stewardship Opportunities 142

Land Management Framework 143
Existing Partner Roles 143
Potential Partner Roles 145
USDA Forest Service 145
Other Federal Partners 146
State Partners 146
Local Government Partners 146

Organizations and Citizens 147

Conservation Goals and Strategies 148
Stewardship Goals 148
Partnership Model 148

Conservation Strategies 149

Section 4 References 154

Section 5. A Fragile Future

A Fragile Future 156

Appendixes
Appendix A. Legislative Language for the New York – New Jersey
Highlands Regional Study and Update 160
Appendix B. Municipalities and Counties in the Highlands Study Area 163
Appendix C. Ecosystem-Based Management and Ecological
Classification 167
Appendix D. Work Plan and Budget for the Study Update 172
Appendix E. Study Team Members 173
Appendix F. Work Group Members 174
Appendix G. Public Comments on the Draft Report 178
Appendix H. Topics in the New York – New Jersey Highlands
Technical Report 183
Appendix I. Resource Assistance Programs 186
Appendix J. History of Conservation Successes in the Highlands 195
Appendix K. Land Conservation Projects 200

List of Figures

Section 1. Introduction

Study Area

Figure 1-1. Highlands study area 5

Figure 1-2. Areas ecologically similar to the study area 7

Section 2. Resource Assessment and Conservation Values

Water

Figure 2-1. Aquifer types 16
Figure 2-2. Withdrawals from high-capacity wells 20
Figure 2-3. Withdrawals from domestic wells by township 21
Figure 2-4. Trends in ground water levels 23
Figure 2-5. Major reservoirs 25
Figure 2-6. Surface water withdrawals 27
Figure 2-7. Condition of macroinvertebrate communities in streams 35
Figure 2-8. Land use and biological status of streams 37
Figure 2-9. Highlands regional water budget 41
Figure 2-10. Relationship of streamflow and precipitation 43

Figure 2-11. Variations in baseflow by subwatersheds 45

Biodiversity

Figure 2-12. Threatened and endangered wildlife habitat 52
Figure 2-13. Contiguous forest tracts 53
Figure 2-14. Threatened and endangered plant habitat 56

Figure 2-15. Important natural communities 57

Farmland

Figure 2-16. Agricultural resources 61

Recreation

Figure 2-17. Ownership of open space 64

Figure 2-18. Trails, and cultural and historic sites 65

Figure 2-19. Water recreation resources 66

Conservation Values Assessment

Figure 2-20. Water resource values 72
Figure 2-21. Forest resource values 73
Figure 2-22. Biodiversity resource values 74
Figure 2-23. Farmland resource values 75
Figure 2-24. Recreation resource values 76
Figure 2-25. Composite conservation values 77

Section 3. Potential Changes and Resources at Risk

Population Growth

Figure 3-1. Population density in municipalities 86

Figure 3-2. Change in municipality populations 87

Future Change Scenarios—Build-out Analysis and Econometric Analysis

Figure 3-3. Land available for development, low-constraint scenario 94
Figure 3-4. Land available for development, high-constraint scenario 95
Figure 3-5. Population levels, low-constraint scenario 100
Figure 3-6. Population levels, high-constraint scenario 101
Figure 3-7. Population increase, low-constraint scenario 102
Figure 3-8. Population increase, high-constraint scenario 103

Figure 3-9. Likelihood of change 107

Possible Consequences of Future Change to Resources

Figure 3-10. Urban development in the Highlands 110
Figure 3-11. Change in land cover 115
Figure 3-12. Change in impervious surface cover 116
Figure 3-13. Change in riparian zones 117
Figure 3-14. Change in interior forest 118
Figure 3-15. Effect of impervious surfaces on streamflow 124
Figure 3-16. Predicted changes in streamflow 125
Figure 3-17. Sustainable water yield, 1995 126

Figure 3-18. Sustainable water yield, low-constraint scenario 127

Resources at Risk

Figure 3-19. Conservation focal areas 131

Figure 3-20. Conservation priorities 134

Appendixes

Appendix C. Ecosystem-Based Management and Ecological Classification

Figure C-1. Land Type Associations (LTAs) in the Highlands 169

Appendix K. Land Conservation Projects

Figure K-1. Land conservation projects 201
Figure K-2. Water resources in Philipstown 203
Figure K-3. Morris Land Conservancy’s greenways and blueways 205
Figure K-4. Study area for the Spruce Run Initiative 207
Figure K-5. Land preservation and water supply project area 209

List of Tables

Section 2. Resource Assessment and Conservation Values

Water

Table 2-1. Use of Highlands surface water, 1995 26
Table 2-2. Highlands reservoir systems, storage capacity, yield,
and 1995 withdrawals 28

Biodiversity
Table 2-3. Habitat area for imperiled wildlife species in the Highlands,
by conservation status 55
Table 2-4. Habitat area for imperiled plant species in the Highlands,
by conservation status 55
Table 2-5. Important natural community areas in the Highlands,
by ranked biodiversity status 55

Conservation Values Assessment

Table 2-6. Conservation values and area of resources in the Highlands 71

Section 3. Potential Changes and Resources at Risk

Population Growth

Table 3-1. Population change in the Highlands, 1990-2000 84
Table 3-2. Demographic trends in the Highlands, 1990-2000 90

Table 3-3. Housing trends in the Highlands, 1990-2000 91

Future Change Scenarios—Build-Out Analysis and Econometric Analysis
Table 3-4. Highlands population in 2000 and estimates from
the build-out analysis 98

Possible Consequences of Future Change to Resources

Table 3-5. Land cover (acres) in the Highlands, 1972 to 2000 109

Table 3-6. Rates of land cover change in the Highlands, 1984-2000 109

Resources at Risk
Table 3-7. Protected and unprotected land in the Highlands,
by resource and conservation value 133

Section 4. Resource Summary and Conservation Strategies

Conservation Goals and Strategies

Table 4-1. Conservation strategies for the Highlands 152-153

Acknowledgments

The Highlands study update and the writing of this report was a group effort. The compilers thank the dozens of individuals who contributed to the project. If we have inadvertently forgotten to name anyone here, please accept our sincerest apologies and know that we greatly appreciate your help.
Special thanks go to members of the study team, who guided the study process, provided the technical services and skills needed to conduct the study and prepare the report, and tirelessly wrote and rewrote sections of the report:

Otto Zapecza, Don Rice, and Vince dePaul of U.S. Department of the Interior’s Geological Survey, for their contributions to the water resources assessment and analysis sections;
Rick Lathrop, Colleen Hatfield, and David Tulloch of Rutgers University’s Grant F. Walton Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis, for their contributions to the terrestrial resources assessment and analysis sections;
Mark Buccowich of the USDA Forest Service, for his review of the draft report;
Connie Carpenter of the USDA Forest Service, for compiling information on ecological mapping;
Wayne Zipperer of the USDA Forest Service, for assistance with the resource summary and report conclusions;
Rob Pirani of the Regional Plan Association, for his contribution to the conservation strategies and land conservation project summaries;
Stephanie Diamond of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, for her assistance creating maps; and

Wayne Martin of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for his assistance with the forest and farmland resource sections.

We thank the many work group members who ensured a regional perspective, helped guide the study process, and commented on draft material. Work group members numbered over 100 and are named in Appendix F.
Special acknowledgment is given to the New Jersey and New York Districts of the U.S. Geological Survey and to the following U.S. Geological Survey scientists who provided water resources data and technical assistance:

Leon Kauffman, for watershed model and water budget data;
John Nawyn, for New Jersey water use;
Deborah Lumia, for New York water use;
Andrew Cohen, for New York geographic information systems data;
Margaret Phillips, for New York water quality data;
William Ellis, for technical illustrations;

Gary Firda, for New York surface water data;
Richard Lumia, for New York surface water data;
John Williams, for New York geohydrology information; and

Robert Rogers, for New York hydrologic investigations and research.

Special thanks also go to Stephanie Diamond and Ted Kerpez for serving as our primary liaisons to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and to Wayne Martin for serving a similar role with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
We thank the following individuals and groups who provided access to resource data and shared critical information with us:

Nick Conrad of the New York Natural Heritage Program;
Tom Breden of the New Jersey Natural Heritage Program;
Larry Niles, Mandy Dey, and Jeff Tash of the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Program;
Gerald Rasmussen and Wayne Richter of the Habitat Inventory Unit, New York Department of Environmental Conservation;
Jason Patrick of Environmental Defense;
David Lukens of the Hudson Highlands Lands Trust;
Tom Gilbert and Sean Sullivan of the Appalachian Mountain Club;
Joseph Simoes and Doug Schuetz of Rockland County Planning Department;
Adam Mednick and Ingrid Vandegaer of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation;
Tim Tear of The Nature Conservancy;
Barbara Walsh of the New Jersey Office of State Planning;
Ella Fillipone, Marc Korpus, and Andrew Baumgartner of the Passaic River Coalition;
Terry Spies of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection;
Edward Goodell of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference;
Sally Dudley of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions;
Seth McKee of Scenic Hudson;
Bob Stokes, John Thomas, and Gail Kenney of New Jersey Green Acres;
Sean McGinnis of the North Jersey Resource, Conservation, and Development Council;
Fred Suljic of the Sussex County Department of Planning;
Sarah Love of the Dutchess County Environmental Management Council;
Fred Douthitt of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture;
Jay Beaumont and Daniel Munoz of the Orange County Water Authority;
Lloyd Casey, Brett Butler, Margaret Miller-Weeks, and Tom Luther of the USDA Forest Service; and

Paul Elconin of the Open Space Institute.

We thank the following individuals at the Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis at Rutgers University who contributed to this project: Peter Parks, John Bognar, Jim Trimble, Kathy Peirano, Scott Haag, Nan Shao, Jim Myers, Joe Geib, and Jennifer Daniels. Special thanks go to Caroline Phillipuk for her patience during numerous rounds of map edits.
Thanks go to Spider Barbour of Hudsonia; Ed Stein of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Ed Hoxsie of the Dutchess County Soil and Water Conservation District for assistance with ecological classification and mapping.
We also appreciate the contributions of our coworkers at the USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry—John Hazel for successfully planning and facilitating two public listening sessions,
Roberta Burzynski for her thoroughness and patience in editing this report,
and Wendy Harding for her flexibility and creativity in designing and producing the layout.
All photographs are by George M. Aronson and are used by permission.
The New York – New Jersey Highlands Regional Study: 2002 Update was accomplished through the cooperation of Federal, State and university natural resource specialists. Logos of the agencies and organizations involved in the study update are displayed below.