Split Rock closure

[ledhead36]

Just another way to creatively keep people away from the water. Reading the article, I had to agree with some of it, there is just too much littering and crazy swimming antics out there.


Rockaway Township, Jersey City clash over Split Rock Reservoir

Concerns: Illegal swimming, littering in the Jersey City-owned reservoir


BY ROB JENNINGS • STAFF WRITER • July 27, 2010

Comments (18) (http://www.dailyrecord.com/comments/article/20100727/COMMUNITIES/100726106/Rockaway-Township-Jersey-City-clash-over-Split-Rock-Reservoir)
ROCKAWAY TWP. — The town has blocked access to the Split Rock Reservoir's parking lot in the latest escalation of a long-running dispute with the state and Jersey City over littering, illegal swimming and other alleged misbehavior.

Mayor Louis Sceusi said he ordered concrete barriers installed on Monday morning after neither the Department of Enviornmental Protection (http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100727/COMMUNITIES/100726106/Rockaway-Twp-barricades-Split-Rock-Reservoir-over-safety-concerns-litter#), which built the small lot in 2004, nor Jersey City responded to his July 14 letter reiterating the town's concerns.

Jersey City owns the 625-acre reservoir, which was opened to electric and non-motorized boats — but not swimming — by DEP six years ago over the strenuous objections of Sceusi and others in Rockaway Township.


Sceusi said the barriers will remain in place "until such time as we can be sure that the people responsible for maintaining the property can keep it safe (http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100727/COMMUNITIES/100726106/Rockaway-Twp-barricades-Split-Rock-Reservoir-over-safety-concerns-litter#)."


In recent weeks, videos have surfaced on YouTubehttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100727/COMMUNITIES/100726106/Rockaway-Twp-barricades-Split-Rock-Reservoir-over-safety-concerns-litter#) showing teenagers jumping from ropes attached to trees into the reservoir.

"I deem it a safety (http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100727/COMMUNITIES/100726106/Rockaway-Twp-barricades-Split-Rock-Reservoir-over-safety-concerns-litter#) hazard, a potential hazard. I don't want to see anybody drown out there or be injured," Sceusi said.


DEP spokesman Larry Hanja, in response, said the agency is aware of the parking lot shutdown and will be in contact with Rockaway Township. The lot, which DEP built after acquiring a conservation easement from Jersey City, has room for about three dozen vehicles (http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100727/COMMUNITIES/100726106/Rockaway-Twp-barricades-Split-Rock-Reservoir-over-safety-concerns-litter#).

"We're hoping we can resolve this situation quickly and reopen the area
for public use as quickly as possible," Hanja said.

Hanja said the problems cited by Sceusi were not necessarily being caused by those parking at the lot, which is primarily used by kayakers and canoeists. He added that state conservation officers patrol the area and enforce the prohibitions on drinking, littering and vandalism.

Town business administrator Greg Poff said the barriers were placed to block access to the reservoir from Split Rock Road, which the town owns, and that Rockaway Township was within its authority in doing so. Poff said police, in the past four weeks, handed out 200 tickets to drivers parked illegally on Split Rock Road.

"Many of the illegally parked people are swimming or cliff diving," Poff said.

Rockaway Township has sparred with the state and Jersey City for years over Split Rock. The town opposed opening the reservoir and succeeded in convincing DEP to build a smaller lot than it had originally planned.

Sceusi said he had personally witnessed young children swimming in the reservoir and noted that it would be Rockaway Township's responsibility (http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100727/COMMUNITIES/100726106/Rockaway-Twp-barricades-Split-Rock-Reservoir-over-safety-concerns-litter#) to aid anyone in distress.


"This is not a place for children to learn how to swim," Sceusi said.

The lot shutdown, which Sceusi acknowledged likely will be temporary, has displaced those who paddle on the water.

Kimberly Markwith said she brings her kayak to Split Rock up to three times per week, most recently on Sunday. She said she is awed by the wildlife, ranging from bears to beavers and otters, that she glimpses from her boat (http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100727/COMMUNITIES/100726106/Rockaway-Twp-barricades-Split-Rock-Reservoir-over-safety-concerns-litter#).

"It's just a beautiful (http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100727/COMMUNITIES/100726106/Rockaway-Twp-barricades-Split-Rock-Reservoir-over-safety-concerns-litter#) place to be," Markwith said.

[storminsteve]

Poeple are pigs.
Treat them like they are civilized.
You will still have the pigs stand out.

[DarkSkies]

Exactly, Steve & Ledhead.

Here's a response I posted about that closure:


I spent the best years of my life sneaking into that place when it was illegal. Used to camp out with the local ATV riders almost every weekend, hiding from the rangers. In the summer livin was easy, like being at a Canadian fishing resort, without driving the 1000 road miles. http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/community/images/smilies/cool.gif

Fish from 4-6am, go back for a monster campfire breakfast. Hang out, sleep, get ready for the 2nd shift fishin from 4-9pm. Catching dozens of LMB per season over 5#, slab crappies, angry pickerel, and huge yellow perch. Hardly ever kept a fish except for some perch we grilled for lunch/dinner.

If you ever camped on the big island offshore of the scout camp and "borrowed" some gear from the community chest, it was because I hauled it up there for all to use. The memories I have of those days will last a lifetime.

I stopped going the year they opened it to the public. It made me too sad to see such a pristine place go down the tubes. The trash was a problem back then, we all used to bring an extra contractor bag with us to bring some out when we left. As for the kids, they have always hung back there, Indian circles, mines, caves, party spots etc, but I keep in touch with old friends and they say it got worse.

The internet, and unlimited public access with lack of enforcement, changes things we used to hold in the highest regard. The sad thing is, most of the people who ruin it have not a clue that they're either being selfish or over the top. Then, when access is restricted, they are sometimes the ones who whine the loudest. http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/community/images/smilies/idontknow.gif

Good to hear from some of the old-timers in this thread,
Thanks for helping to bring back some memories of the way it used to be. http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/community/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

[hookset]

Hey fellas I think it is now open? Just not to swimmers.


Rockaway Twp., Jersey City tentatively resolve Split Rock Reservoir dispute

Published: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 9:07 PM Updated: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 9:07 PM

http://media.nj.com/design/baseline/img/user_default.png (http://connect.nj.com/user/epaik/index.html)By Eugene Paik/The Star-Ledger (http://connect.nj.com/user/epaik/index.html)The Star-Ledger












http://media.nj.com/ledgerlocal/photo/mr0730rocklns1jpg-335079c23ba9103a_large.jpgDavid Gard/For The Star-LedgerConcrete barriers block the parking lot at Split Rock Reservoir.
ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP (http://www.nj.com/rockaway-township/) — Rockaway Township, state environmental officials and Jersey City have tentatively reached a compromise over enforcement of regulations at the Split Rock Reservoir, which will lead to the removal of a concrete barricade at the popular swimming hole’s parking lot.
Rockaway Township, fed up with an increase of misbehaving swimmers there, set up the concrete barriers Monday to block access to the lot. The move was designed to get the state’s attention and to push the state to provide more patrols in the area.
Rockaway Township Mayor Louis Sceusi said a verbal agreement was reached in a meeting this afternoon at the township municipal building.
In the agreement, he said, Jersey City will give Rockaway Township and the state Department of Environmental Protection the authority to issue court summonses for rules violations, and the state will increase patrols there.

Jersey City owns the reservoir, which is part of its water supply, and the state leases it for use as a recreational area.
Once the agreement is in writing, Sceusi said, the township will remove the barriers.
“When that happens, enforcement will begin vigorously,” Sceusi said. That could be as early as this week, he said.
According to Sceusi, the agreement should give the state and township power over a broad range of violations, from trespassing and underage drinking to fish and wildlife infractions.
However, Sceusi called the agreement a “short-term solution” and said that talks will continue to make the arrangement permanent.
Rockaway Township has long had concerns about rules enforcement at the 625-acre reservoir. Local officials expressed worries that the township would ultimately be responsible for the reservoir when it was opened to the public six years ago.
http://media.nj.com/ledgerlocal/photo/mr0730rocklns2jpg-7eadc540ad8015d8_small.jpgDavid Gard/For The Star-LedgerA young man jumps off a cliff today at the reservoir.
Fishing and kayaking are allowed at Split Rock, but swimming is not, township officials said.
Concerns about the reservoir intensified the last few years after word of it spread on the Internet, Sceusi said.
That has led to an increase in people diving off the rocky edges of the reservoir and a surge in garbage and graffiti, township officials said. Sceusi said he feared the township would be forced to maintain the area and be liable for injury lawsuits.
The state already provides some patrols of the reservoir, but the township believes it doesn’t provide enough.
Madison resident Keith Chaudruc, who frequently goes to Split Rock, said he was unhappy that the blockade punished all the reservoir users rather than just the troublemakers, which he said represented a minority.
“The majority of people are using it appropriately,” he said