05/01/2026
Shout out to the SUNY Cobleskill Student Chapter of Trout Unlimited and students in the Fisheries & Aquaculture program!
They are always willing to get their hands dirty and plant some beautiful riparian buffers!
In 2022 the Schoharie SWCD had identified issues with stream instability along Smith Brook in Cobleskill. Smith Brook is the primary feeder stream to the Cobleskill Village Drinking Water Reservoir System. Large events like Hurricane Irene and smaller, more recent flood events cause stream incision and excessive bank erosion.
Stabilizing the stream will prevent sediment from traveling downstream during every flood event, ending up in the reservoir. When it settles there, it reduces the reservoir's capacity to hold water. Sediment also carries nutrients like phosphates and nitrates. Both of which can cause algae blooms and reduced dissolved oxygen levels at certain times of the year. Either of these conditions can be a threat to the overall health of the water system, and over time, increase maintenance and treatment costs.
