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
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, 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."


In recent weeks, videos have surfaced on YouTube showing teenagers jumping from ropes attached to trees into the reservoir.

"I deem it a safety 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.

"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 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.

"It's just a beautiful place to be," Markwith said.