Impact Upper Roxborough Reservoir Work

While the Philadelphia Water Department already began construction earlier this summer on the Upper Roxborogh Reservoir to help the area's stormwater maintenance, one environmental group wants your input on what the future holds for the pristine section.

Natural Lands Trust obtained a grant to develop a comprehensive plan for the reservoir area following the water department's work. According to the Upper Roxborough Civic Association, planners will meet with public Sept. 5 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss what's in store.

"At this meeting NLT will gather some initial ideas from the community which they will develop into an interim plan. They will come back at some future point for comments before convening a third meeting to present the final product," civic association President Bob Turino wrote in a letter to neighbors.

Peter Williamson, from Natural Lands Trust, and stressed the importance of community involvement.

"We will be in touch with you all along the way. It's foolish to not involve the impacted neighborhood," Williamson said. 

Largely a nature site, the Upper Roxborough Reservoir possesses two large basins—one dry and one wet. The Water Department's aim is to control stormwater better by using the land and by flattening areas, extending pipes, and creating two large swales to collect water. Williamson said the goal was for water to enter the ground within two hours and alleviate the strain on neighbors.

Significant vegetation and dirt will be disrupted by the work, so Natural Lands Trust will develop a plan focused on replanting and effectively forming the dirt.

Turino said PWD and Philadelphia Parks officials will also attend the Sept. 5 meeting, held at the . Although the preservation project is independent of the PWD work, Turino said, "it will deal extensively with the aftermath of that project."

Natural Lands Trust will hold three public meetings throughout the process.

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