Patterson, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced today that New York State Department of Conservation (DEC) has received $300,000 to conduct a needs assessment and conservation study of the Great Swamp, the critical 19.8 mile-long, nearly 6,000 acre riverine and wetland ecosystem in Putnam and Dutchess counties that protects the Croton Reservoir watershed. Harckham was instrumental in ensuring the funding for the study in the FY2026-2027 State Budget. 

Included in the study will be a focus on the 444-acre Wildlife Management Area inside the Great Swamp, which was expanded recently through a land acquisition of an 87-acre parcel in Patterson, NY.

“The Great Swamp is one of the most important ecological treasures in New York,” said Harckham. “Its significance to the region involves protecting fragile drinking water supplies and an immense biodiversity, as well as providing flood mitigation and environmental tourism. We need a new study from the DEC to help guide us in limiting any potential damage to this remarkable ecosystem.”

One of the largest wetlands in New York, the Great Swamp (also known as the Great Patterson Swamp) functions as both a flood-mitigation buffer and natural filtration system as it spans across the Putnam County towns of Patterson and Southeast, along with the Dutchess County towns of Pawling and Dover. The southern section of the Great Swamp drains via the East Branch of the Croton River into New York City’s Croton Reservoir System.

The DEC funding for the Great Swamp study is part of a broader conservation effort meant to evaluate and safeguard the local watershed, ecosystem health, and wetlands protections within the management area. Since the ecosystem of the Great Swamp has not been comprehensively studied in over 25 years, this funding is essential to evaluate the impacts of climate variability and assess the current status of threatened species residing in the wetlands.

Southeast Town Supervisor Joseph Castellano said, “I strongly support the DEC’s study of the Great Swamp, located in part in the Town of Southeast. A thorough and transparent review of the potential environmental, ecological, and community impacts is essential to protecting our natural resources and ensuring that the health and long-term preservation of the Great Swamp remain a priority and that the concerns of local residents are fully considered.”

Patterson Town Supervisor Richard Williams said, “The Great Swamp, and its American Red Maple floodplain forest, was a jewel in the heart of the Town of Patterson. Now through well-intentioned, but misguided conservation efforts of the swamp, that Red Maple floodplain forest is gone, replaced by a series of beaver ponds which create new concerns and new challenges. We need to better understand the changes that have occurred and how to properly manage this new ecosystem.”

Jeremy Cherson, Associate Director of Government Affairs at Riverkeeper, said, “Riverkeeper is thrilled that Senator Pete Harckham secured $300,000 for a new comprehensive study of the Great Swamp. This unique freshwater wetland is an essential part of providing clean drinking water for half of New York State’s residents as it filters and stores water, much of which ultimately flows downstream to the Croton Reservoir system. This study will help organizations and governments better manage this valuable resource for the future to ensure it continues to provide the community and state with clean drinking water, defense against flooding, and recreational opportunities for generations to come.”

Judy Kelley-Moberg, a founding board member of the Friends of the Great Swamp (FrOGS), said, “There are real environmental concerns about the future of the Great Swamp, especially in Patterson and Putnam County. That’s why I am appreciative of Senator Harckham for securing funding to conduct this DEC study. It is my hope that this will inspire the many stakeholders concerned with the Great Swamp to work together and protect this incredible natural resource.”.