A short history of Swinging Bridge Reservoir and its Environs!

Sullivan County, N.Y. where Swinging Bridge Reservoir is located, was created by an Act of Legislature on March 27, l809. Prior to that, it was known as the Hardenburg Tract, a Patent granted by the Crown in 1704. Sullivan County was named for the Revolutionary hero, General John Sullivan, who along with General Clinton battled the Indians who lived in this area. The Swinging Bridge Reservoir, now a 9 mile motorboat lake, was first developed in 1926 by one of the predecessors of the Orange & Rockland Utilities.  Other owners following Orange & Rockland Utilities were Southern Energy Corporation, Mirant Corporation, and was more recently acquired by Alliance Energy who now manage and operate the reservoir. A sinkhole was discovered in the dam after  severe floods in 2005 area, has been restored and upgraded to 2006 standards.  During the time this work was done, the lake level was lowered to allow for repair but has since been restored to its former beauty and full height and water level. At this time, there are no restrictions on Jet Skis, size of boats, or sea planes. A great lake for swimming, fishing, sailing, snow mobiles in winter, ice fishing, and cross country skiing.  The water quality is tested frequently and deemed potable.  The water depth varies anywhere from 5' where the Mongaup River flows in to 110' at its deepest.

Building restrictions are governed by townships as well as deed restrictions of the various communities. For example, the Township of Forestburgh (one of the four surrounding the reservoir)  is very protective of its environment and has many guidelines and  building restrictions in order to protect the nesting grounds of the American Bald Eagle.  Chapin Estates, now a gated community, is governed by the Township of Bethel and by the deed restrictions of the community itself.

The regulations pertaining to placement of docks also varies.  Alliance Energy is currently developing a mandated Shoreline Management Plan which will affect most homeowners in some fashion but, at the same time, establish clear guidelines as to the permitted width and length of privately owned docks.  Most homeowners have had their docks out on the lake for many years and do not anticipate major changes instituted by the new owners of the lake.

For more information on the involvement of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, please go directly to their website at http://ferconline.ferc.gov/  then click on eLibrary….  Then type in Swinging Bridge at the upper right to search.  You will find all documents relating to the entire dam restoration project.

The name of the lake came from a walking bridge which was strung across the Mongaup River. The wooden planks were held in place by two steel cables. Anyone with enough courage to walk across would indeed swing and sway. Hence its name!

The Swinging Bridge Reservoir is located in the Southern part of Sullivan County. The reservoir borders on four Townships, namely Bethel, Forestburgh, Lumberland, and Thompson. Swinging Bridge was originally developed to harness the potential hydroelectric power of the Mongaup River. The dam forming the Swinging Bridge Reservoir was placed across the Mongaup River 12 miles above its mouth. The dam is 975 feet long and 135 feet high. There is a concrete spillway about 750 feet above the dam. The dam is 1060 feet above sea level. Five foot flash boards designed to release when two feet of water pass over them have been placed on half the spillway. The other half carries five motor driven gates which can be operated to pass freshets. There are generating facilities at Swinging Bridge of 13,800 kilowatts. The first power house receives water through a conduit 766 feet long through the base of the damn. The outflow of the Swinging Bridge Reservoir goes into the Mongaup Falls Reservoir, which in turn flows into the Rio Reservoir which in turn discharges into the Mongaup River, eventually reaching the Delaware River. Swinging Bridge is about 9 miles long and relatively narrow; the average width is about half a mile.

The maximum conservation pool is at an elevation of 1070 feet, which is at the top of the flashboards. The reservoir is normally held about 5 feet below the full pool elevation, or 1065 feet through the months of May to December, then lowered to 1048 through the winter to provide storage for the heavy spring runoff. At 1065 feet the reservoir contains 28,000 acres of storage and a surface area of 860 acres and has about 28 miles of shoreline. The maximum depth of the lake is about 110 feet, and the average depth is about 33 feet. Yet many a boater has found to his chagrin, that there are areas where sandbars, stone walls, and boulders can be found just 6” under the surface. Another propeller lost!

There are five municipal wastewater collection and treatment systems in the Swinging Bridge watershed, Liberty, Swan Lake, Kauneonga Lake, Loomis and Sackett Lake.

The Department of Environmental Conservation has been stocking Swinging Bridge Lake with fish every Spring. There are many varieties of fish caught in this lake, such as trout, bass, pickerel, , blue gills carp perch, catfish, , walleye large mouth bass, crappies and more.

The area surrounding Swinging Bridge Reservoir is teeming with wildlife. You can always spot deer, whole families of turkeys, turkey buzzards, fox, rabbits, a great variety of songbirds, blue herons, black bears, even beaver have been spotted swimming along the edge of the lake. But foremost, Swinging Bridge Reservoir has become the nesting grounds of the American bald eagle and it is a sight to behold watching these majestic birds soaring the skies over the lake.

Because of these beautiful eagles, parts of the reservoir and its shorelines have become protected by the DEC and no further construction of homes is permitted in those areas.

Swinging Bridge Reservoir is conveniently located just minutes from State Route 17B, just 5 miles from the Monticello Racetrack and Racino, 7 miles from the Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center, bordering on Forestburgh with its Summer Stock at the Forestburgh Playhouse, close to Callicoon, Villa Roma, Holiday Mountain Skiing in Rock Hill, and just a few minutes from Rte 17 (Future I86), and best of all, less than 2 hrs from New York City. Sullivan County International Airport is a small commuter airport within minutes from the lake.

ADJOINING LAKES:
LEBANON LAKE, CLIFF LAKE, HULL POND

The above lakes are adjoining to Swinging Bridge Lake, and once comprised part of the property known as the Chapin Estates. The estate was nearly 15,000 acres in size and is now owned by Alliance Energy.. Lebanon is the largest of the adjoining lakes and encompasses 297 acres in size, and is one of the best pickerel fishing lakes in the area. The lodge building on Lebanon Lake and still stands surrounded by natural beauty, was built by Mr. Chapin in 1898. The lodge is now used as a club house and administrative headquarters for Orange & Rockland Utilities. Hull Pond is 54 acres in size and is constantly stocked and restocked with lake trout. Cliff Lake is 58 acres in size and is one of the best bass fishing lakes in the area. And, oh yes, of the three lakes you have just read about, only Cliff Lake is not open to the public.  

Other interesting recreational information as published by ALLIANCE ENERGY CORP:

© 1997 Swinging Bridge Property Owners Association