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Swinging Bridge Project

The Swinging Bridge Project is made up of three separate reservoirs, Toronto, Cliff Lake and Swinging Bridge. Each of these impoundments is specifically designed to serve a unique purpose within the entirety of Mongaup System.

Toronto Reservoir, with its 25,211 ac-ft of storage capacity, is designed to provide limited flood control as well as near-term water storage for subsequent release for environmental protection purposes and for use at the power generation units located downstream. During periods of low inflow conditions, this reservoir can be drawn dry for downstream uses.

There are two public recreation areas located on the Toronto Reservoir. The specific locations of the public recreation areas, along with their current status, are identified on the schematic.

Cliff Lake Reservoir contains only 2,873 ac-ft of storage capacity. This reservoir is used for storage only and serves primarily as a staging area for routing outflows from Toronto into nearby Swinging Bridge Reservoir.

Water flows into Cliff Lake from the Toronto Reservoir through Black Creek and out into the Swinging Bridge Reservoir through an underground diversion tunnel. A small amount of outflow is routed to Black Creek immediately downstream of the dam to protect the ecosystem.

The entire area around the Cliff Lake Reservoir is a designated Bald Eagle habitat. Recreational use of this area is administered by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

Swinging Bridge Reservoir provides a significant amount (17,222 ac-ft) of upstream storage capacity. However, the primary purpose of this reservoir is to provide an immediate source of water for hydro-electric power production through one of two generating units located immediately downstream of the embankment. These units (Unit #1 - 5 MW and Unit #2 - 7.5 MW) and their associated powerhouses are immediately adjacent to electrical substations containing the infrastructure necessary to route the output to the electrical grid.

This embankment has recently undergone a $40 MM structural upgrade. After acquiring the Mongaup Hydro Projects in May of 2007, Alliance completed the remainder of this major undertaking 55 days ahead of the previously established schedule. This allowed the reservoir to re-open to the public for recreational use during the height of the summer season in July, rather than in September as originally anticipated. The final testing of the structure was completed in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Water flows into the Swinging Bridge Reservoir primarily via three separate conduits; the diversion tunnel from nearby Cliff Lake Reservoir, inflows from White Lake Creek, and inflows from the Mongaup River. Outflows from Swinging Bridge Reservoir are primarily through one of the two power generation units. When these units are not in operation, the downstream ecosystem in the Mongaup River is protected via a regulated outflow through a port designed specifically for the purpose.

There are two public recreation areas located on the Swinging Bridge Reservoir. The specific locations of the public recreation areas, along with their current status, are identified on the schematics found here.

RESCUE AND LIFE GUARD SERVICES ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED FOR THIS AREA. ADDITIONALLY, COMMUNICATIONS FROM THIS AREA OF THE VALLEY ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED. THE PUBLIC IS DIRECTED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN USING THIS AREA. PARTICIPATION IS AT THE USER'S OWN RISK.

The entire area below the Swinging Bridge embankment is a designated Bald Eagle habitat. Recreational use of this area is administered by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.