Sediment Island
Year: 2022 Spring
Location: Ashokan Reservoir, NY, United States
Instructor: Nahyun Hwang (NHDM)
Teamwork: Myungju Ko, Younjae Choi
While researching the Hudson Valley, we grew our interest in an ironic phenomenon happening in the Ashokan Reservoir. Currently managed by New York City DEP, it is releasing large amounts of turbid water into the Hudson River, which is affecting daily lives of communities near the Hudson River with contamination while providing clean drinking water to New York City.
On the surface, Ashokan Reservoir is known for its scenic natural view with lush vegetation and tourist attractions.
Through our project, we want to highlight the negligence and sacrifices that went through to create an illusion of sanctuary of wilderness and exclusive use of natural resources.
Reservoir, once depicted a foe to the residents of the Hudson Valley, is now a friend and a shelter after 100 years. The outlandish island that arises above the reservoir coexists with birds and underwater plants and fishes create another form of ecosystem and habitation. Stepping out from the methodology of exploitation and sacrifice, we expect the sedimentology lab facility to provide positive influence not only on the Hudson River residents but also to the New York City residents in understanding one another.
Ashokan Reservoir and the New York City
In 1820, New York City started to find their water source outside the city, which was Ashokan. The evacuation was forced to construct the world’s largest reservoir at the time. Daily labor force composed mostly of African American and Italian immigrants constructed the Ashokan Reservoir and dividing weir, and many were killed or injured during the process.
After all this wreckage, in 1915 Ashokan reservoir was completed. And now the reservoir has established itself as a famous tourist attraction, providing both locals and tourists with beautiful natural scenery.
However, in 2020, an unexpected storm caused large amounts of turbid water to flow into the reservoir. This turbid water from the Upper Esopus creek contaminated the west basin, as well as New York City’s drinking water. DEP discharged this turbid water to the lower Esopus creek which leads to the Hudson River in order to provide clean water to New York City.
Recently, DEP is spending another 33million dollars in Century Project, while still neglecting the turbidity affecting the community nearby.
The sediment collectors, will be spread over the west basin. The location of the sediment collectors will be flexible as it reflects the changing landscape in the future. As sediments get accumulated along the collectors, the sediment island will be created in a longer term, similar to the already existing sediment piles along the reservoir edge. The facility will move from one sediment island to the other in 3-6 months term, and the main transportation used for visitors will be small boats.
Research, Produce, Archive
These collectors produced from the barge are scattered around the reservoir, creating a surreal sediment island and an archive of the history of the reservoir. In the largest module among some sediment islands, an indoor space is created to display and archive the wreckage of hamlets, underwater ecosystem, or sediment layers during the collecting process. The landscape created by the trapped sediment gives people a surreal experience. By stepping on the floor composed of the same material as a wall, visitors can encounter the raw nature and reverse to the artificial beauty of an artificially created reservoir. This is the most accidental and therefore roughest form of nature created by the reservoir.
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