This text examines New York City's struggle for that vital and basic element - clean water. Drawing on primary sources, personal narratives, and anecdotes, it shows how the project developed up to 1842 when the Croton Aqueduct was secured.

New York City's municipal water supply system provides about 1 billion gallons of drinking water a day to over 8.5 million people in New York City and about 1 million people living in nearby Westchester, Putnam, Ulster, and Orange counties. The combined water supply system includes 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes with a total storage capacity of approximately 580 billion gallons. The city's Watershed Protection Program is intended to maintain and enhance the high quality of these surface water sources. Review of the New York City Watershed Protection Program assesses the efficacy and future of New York City's watershed management activities. The report identifies program areas that may require future change or action, including continued efforts to address turbidity and responding to changes in reservoir water quality as a result of climate change.

The best guide to the Westchester outdoors just got even better. Walkable Westchester, an indispensible handbook to hiking, walking and exploring in Westchester County, has been issued in a second edition. It includes more than 600 miles of trails in over 200 parks, preserves and sanctuaries. Discover Westchester as you walk, hike, run, ride a horse, walk your dog, bike, cross country ski, or snowshoe. This edition, at 448 pages, is bulging with new and updated information, including details on 26 new parks, 42 more miles of trails, and intriguing sidebars on history, lore and nature. There are plenty of new photographs, detailed maps as well as county locator maps and driving directions with GPS coordinates. Every park description has been updated and enhanced, all making for informative, yet delightful reading. The book covers a wide variety of walking, from level, paved pathways to narrow woodland trails. The environments range from salt-water wetlands to rock outcroppings. So for any kind of walking this book is the perfect companion, whether a suburban mom looking for a paved path or a veteran hiker out for a day-long trek. It's even fun reading on a treadmill. One doesn't have to walk them all, because the authors already have, several times; just let them be your guide so you can pick the best ones for yourself. The book features: Information on 200 parks, preserves, sanctuaries, and protected open space including 26 additional parks not in the previous edition. Descriptions of over 600 miles of trails including 42 miles of new trails. County-wide locator maps and detailed maps of all but the smallest parks. History, science and local lore. Great photographs to encourage you to visit. Icons of activities permitted in each park. Driving directions, GPS coordinates, and availability of public transportation. Links to websites for additional information about the parks. Park contact information.

An elegant homage to the many deserted buildings along the Hudson River--and a plea for their preservation.