For the first time since Sept. 11, 2001, the city is reopening the Basic Creek Reservoir for fishing and hiking along the shores.

Opening day is set for June 20.
“Since we were forced to close the area in 2001, I’ve received calls and requests to open the facility on an almost weekly basis,” Mayor Jerry Jennings said.

On Monday, a steady stream of people filed in to the city’s Department of Water and Water Supply, and 60 access permits were issued in six hours. A permit and photo identification will be required of anyone visiting the area.

Albany wasn’t alone when it closed the reservoir. Cities around the country tried to protect water systems from possible attacks after 9/11, and it wasn’t unusual to close municipal reservoirs or even ask residents who lived near reservoirs to be on the lookout for suspicious activity.

And like other cities, Albany beefed up security at its reservoirs. Initially, Albany police were hired on an overtime basis to patrol the reservoirs, which cost $120,000 a month, according to Albany Water Commissioner Robert F. Cross.

From 2002 to 2005, the Basic Creek Reservoir in Westerlo and the nearby Alcove Reservoir in Coeymans were patrolled by the city’s Department of Water and Water Supply. The security force was tripled, and fencing and gates were put up to deter people from going onto the property. Annual costs of these measures went as high as $1.6 million.

The cost for reservoir security for 2008 is expected to be $900,000.

“We will continue to reduce this through the course of next year,” said Cross. While the water system still has a strong guard force, Cross said once positions become vacant, they will not be filled because it’s so costly. Instead, much of the surveillance is being handled with hidden cameras and motion detectors.

Cross said that he can monitor the Basic Creek Reservoir from his office at the Port of Albany.

“It’s continuous surveillance. If you miss something, it’s constantly recorded. If you want to check something, you can go back. Using the mouse, I can move my camera around and zero in on someone,” said Cross.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, state police have arrested 150 people at the Alcove and Basic reservoirs. ‘We have not arrested terrorists but people who don’t belong. It’s a restricted area,” Cross said.

As long as proper security measures are in place, the city is wiling to reopen the reservoir for fishing, hiking and bird-watching. It will be open dawn to dusk; no boats are permitted.

“This is pretty exciting for the fishermen. They have been calling and writing,” said Cross. “We always believed that fisherman, hikers and birders are the best watchdogs our reservoir could have,” he said. “They proved it in 1997 when Mayor Jennings first opened the area and I am certain they will prove it once again.”

The reservoir is stocked with walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and pickerel.

Work is being done on the parking lots and grading. When it opened to the public in 1997, handicapped-access fishing platforms were built. These are now being refurbished.

Anyone who wants to use the Basic Creek Reservoir for fishing, hiking or bird-watching will need a photo identification card. Cost for the three-year photo permit is $10 for city residents and $20 for nonresidents. Children under 14 are free, but still require a permit. Applications are available from the Department of Water and Water Supply at 35 Erie Blvd., Albany. New York state fishing licenses are also required for fishing.

A completed application must be presented to the security office at the Port of Albany, which will issue photo identification cards.

Port security guards will review the application and issue the permit. Only checks and money orders are accepted for the payment.

Individuals found on the property without a valid permit are subject to arrest.

The reopening is being done on a one-year trial basis, and the 2008 season will be evaluated to determine if the program will continue.

When it opened in 1997, the Basic Creek Reservoir was a popular recreational location, and the city issued more than 700 annual permits annually before September 2001.

Albany has three reservoirs: Basic, Alcove and Loudonville. The Basic serves as a feeder to the Alcove, the city’s main source of water. The third reservoir, Loudonville, stores overflow that can be used during times of high demand.