Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) Community Vitality Study of the West of Hudson Watershed

How can community vitality be defined and measured? How is it impacted by regulation? These were some of the key questions CGR and our partners (UrbanSense and LaBella) considered for a study of the West of Hudson (WOH) Watershed, where towns in the Catskills have been in partnership with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) since 1997 to protect water quality as well as maintain vitality of these communities. We worked with the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC), the NYCDEP, the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) and other stakeholders to assess community vitality within the Watershed to: Establish a baseline understanding of community vitality, regulatory burden, financial support, and development potential in the Watershed communities. Identify whether major differences exist between the Watershed and Control communities to inform recommendations for improving program supports. The CGR team created a comparative framework; collected and analyzed quantitative data; conducted 30+ focus groups/interviews to gather important qualitative and quantitative on the ground information; and created a comprehensive report with recommendations. CGR’s recommendations focused on creating new programs and tweaking/adjusting existing programs and regulations to protect water quality and community vitality in the WOH, as well as strategies and systems that could be created for tracking metrics of community vitality in the future to improve outcomes and support decision and policy making.

Report Date: Dec 2025
Author(s): Paul Bishop , Wiley Little , Kieran Bezila
Subject(s): Stakeholder & Community Engagement , GIS/Environment , Community Indicators/Needs Assessment
Location: Delaware, New York

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