Northern Hudson Observations

Photos by John Lipscomb

Sign by waterfront at Fort Edward. THANK YOU GE!

We saw a bunch of turtles sunning on half submerged logs just below Champlain Canal lock 4 on our way up to Fort Edward - but I wasn’t quick enough to get a photo. Southbound on the 13th they were all still there. Something about this particular spot really pleases them.


5/13: The Hudson River is this guy’s personal dumpster. This property is located just north of Waterford on the east bank of the Hudson River/Champlain Canal before you get to Lock 1. I’ve talked to the property owner, his neighbor and the County Police boat – all to no avail. We’ll have to try another angle.

Upper Hudson north of the Federal Dam at Troy

Photo by John Lipscomb

This photo was taken in July 2005

This is a photo was taken on the Upper Hudson – above the estuary – north of the Federal lock at Troy and north of Waterford and the Mohawk River.

We are looking north east. If the viewer turned left you would see the first lock of the Champlain Canal about a third of a mile north. If the viewer turned around 180 degrees you'd see a GE Silicones Plant discharge which has a pollution discharge permit from NYSDEC.

You can’t tell from the photo but there are 6 or 7 small flood plain islands ahead and to the left – below the dam at Lock 1. The one on the left (where the boats are tied up) is owned by a local boat club and is used for swimming and picnics. Straight ahead is Fiona Island which was donated to Riverkeeper several years ago and is preserved wild - as habitat. We anchor at this spot each month to check Fiona Island, collect water samples, etc. Fort Edward is about 30 miles farther north – at Lock 7. The General Electric PCB dredging will take place between here and Fort Edward.

Smells like a laundromat

GE Silicones discharge at Waterford and the DEC pollution discharge
permit sign. The discharge smelled like a laudromat.

Also patrol Fiona Island with the skiff. It’s a small island on the Hudson north of Waterford which was willed to RK several years ago as nature habitat – no problems noted.