Located in the Town of Lexington, the West Kill Stream has a reputation as a productive wild trout fisheries.  The West Kill has benefited from cold, groundwater contributions and a fairly good riparian zone which shades the stream.   The West Kills fishery was a favorite spot of noted angler and author Art Flick, who made it the subject of his writings. The Westkill Valley also has a long history of damaging floods. From a flood event in 1927 which wiped out every bridge in Spruceton valley, to more recent events in 1996 & 99 which  resulted in significant  instability in the stream corridor and over 5 million dollars in damages to public infrastructure. 

The Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District (GCSWCD) is assuming the lead on the organization of a collaborative effort between the landowners and local governments to assess the current condition of the West Kill, evaluate predicted instability and impacts, develop a long range management plan and facilitate restoration projects.  The project will integrate local, state & federal programs, as well as the best in stream science. The GCSWCD proposes to undertake a multi-objective, watershed based approach to the problem, which will place equal emphasis on long term management and immediate restoration needs. The GCSWCD envisions a project that is very strong in both implementation and landowner involvement.

¦Phase I:  Project Organization: A project of this scope requires good organization. Development of information materials, technical resources and an advisory committee as well as landowner outreach must be conducted. .

¦Phase II:  Stream Corridor Assessment - The GCSWCD will undertake various activities to assess the current stream condition. Assessment tools include detailed surveys, bedload material measurements, streambank stability ratings, mapping of geologic features and other tasks. The assessment phase provides the data required to make informed decisions on the streams stability and to make predictions on the streams current trends as well as its response to restoration.

¦Phase III: Restoration Designs & Stream Management Plan - Using data from the assessment phase, the GCSWCD will develop a comprehensive Stream Corridor Management Plan (SCMP) which will address stream stabilization, flooding, protection of public infrastructure and other issues. In addition to specific restoration designs for implementation on targeted reaches, the SCMP would set forth recommendations for future management of the stream, and the surrounding watershed.

¦Phase IV: Restoration Implementation - The West Kill has serious problems which require immediate attention. The GCSWCD is working to develop an implementation strategy which will maximize the amount of work that can be completed for the available funds. 

¦Phase V: Long Term Maintenance - Lastly, the project must consider long term maintenance of the stream system. Even in the best of situations, catastrophic events such as large floods can cause damages. Generally, these problems are very limited in a stable steam system and are not a problem if given immediate attention.

The GCSWCD feels the West Kill has a very strong chance for a successful restoration project, but the reality is that it will take time, money and most important, the cooperation and patience of the landowners. 

The West Kill watershed is located in the Southwest section of the county with its origin on the Southwest Slope of Hunter Mountain (4000') The upper watershed is narrow and comprised of the drainage from the slopes of Westkill, North Dome, Mount Sherril and Balsam Mountains on the South, the drainage of Halcott, & Vly mountains as well as and Vinegar Hill on the West/Southwest and the drainage from Evergreen, Rusk  and Hunter mountains on the North and Northeast. The West Kill is a sub-basin of the Schoharie Creek.