LESSON 4 Activity 2

NYC Watershed Time Line

Grades:

6th - 9th

Objective:

Students will become more familiar with the history of the various components of the New York City water supply system. Students will be able to see how and when the supply system began, and how it has expanded.

Method:

Students will visualize where the NYC reservoirs are located in relation to New York City, the Hudson River, and their own communities. Students will use scale representations to compare the volumes of water that each reservoir holds, and they will model the path water follows to reach New York City. A time line is used to depict the development of the system.

Materials:

A large, open space in the classroom; cut-out copies of the reservoir cards; copies of the labels for the reservoirs, tunnels, Hudson River, and NYC; an answer key to the time line; string; blue yarn; tape; 7 clear, one-gallon milk jugs; 7 measuring cups (or 8-ounce containers); water.

Click here for cards, labels, and timeline answer key.
Water supply system map

Note: A time line should be prepared beforehand, showing these two events:

1626: New Amsterdam (present-day New York City) founded.
1997: Watershed Agreement signed by NYC and the Coalition of Watershed Towns.

Make index cards for these events, and tape one card to each end of a ten foot string. (Students will add the other cards during the activity.)

Time:

Preparation: 30 minutes
Class Time: 45 minutes

Procedure:

Intro: Explain to the class the purpose and general idea of this activity and its various components (i.e., the different reservoirs, tunnels, NYC, etc.). Split the class into seven different groups, one group for each of the six Catskill reservoirs, and one group to represent the Croton Reservoir System, which includes all 13 reservoirs and 3 lakes in the East of Hudson Watershed.

  1. In a part of the classroom, map out these areas on the floor: all seven reservoirs, the Hudson River, and NYC. Use masking tape to mark where the reservoirs should be (you can use the labels provided to make it easier), use the blue yarn to represent the Hudson, and some other object to represent NYC.

  2. Give each group one reservoir card.

  3. Have each group, one at a time, move to their correct area on the floor. If you choose not to label the reservoir areas on the floor, have the students look at the map and locate where their reservoir should be.

  4. Distribute the gallon milk containers and the measuring cups to each group. Have the students look up the capacity of their reservoir on their info card and then measure out the correct amount of water for their reservoir. Use 1 cup of water = 10 billion gallons. (Pepacton = 14.5 cups, Ashokan = 12.75 cups, Cannonsville = 9.75 cups, Croton = 9.5 cups, Rondout = 5 cups, Neversink = 3.5 cups, and Schoharie = 2 cups). Gallon milk jugs should be used for the reservoir containers, and 8-ounce containers, or any larger container marked to indicate "one cup" can be used.

  5. Students can now compare their reservoir's capacity in relation to the other reservoirs.

  6. Students should now look at the map and determine where their water will go after leaving their reservoir.

  7. Each group can now "build" a tunnel from their reservoir to the next reservoir by cutting a piece of string and taping the appropriate label to it. Each group should work with the adjoining group(s). The two groups with the Catskill and Delaware Aqueducts should be sure to "dig" the tunnel under the Hudson River.

  8. One student from each group can now trace the path their water takes until it reaches New York City.

  9. A time line can now be created. Start and end points should already be marked on the time line. Have the groups affix their info cards on the time line by the date of completion for each reservoir.

  10. After all students have had a chance to look at the completed time line and ask questions regarding it, bring the class together in one large group for a discussion.
Assessment:

  1. Why was it necessary for New York City to build the Ashokan Reservoir even though they already had the Croton Reservoir System? Why was it necessary for New York City to build the Rondout, or any other reservoir in the Delaware System, after they had already built the Ashokan and Schoharie Reservoirs?

  2. What do you think New York City would have to do in 20 to 25 years if its population were to increase substantially?

  3. The capacity of the entire Croton Reservoir System almost equals which Catskill reservoir?

NYS Learning Standards:

Math, Science, and Technology
Standard 5 - Technology: Technological Systems; History and Evolution of Technology; Impacts of Technology
Standard 6 - Interconnectedness: Models

Social Studies
Standard 1 - History of the United States and New York 3
Standard 3 - Geography 2


Source: Activity devloped by Nathan Chronister and Aaron Bennett.