Hudson Valley Woman Accused of Trying to Build Pond in Yard

A Hudson Valley woman allegedly attempted to build a pond in her backyard by redirecting a stream.

Recently, a Department of Environmental Conservation officer was on patrol in the town of Montgomery and allegedly noticed a large pile of material in a yard bordering Tin Brook, a 9-mile-long tributary of the Wallkill River in Orange County.

A closer look revealed that a large hole was dug in the yard with a trench leading toward the stream, officials say.

When the officer spoke with the homeowner, he learned the woman was allegedly trying to build a pond in her backyard.

She dug not one but two trenches to the stream in an attempt to fill the pond, according to the DEC.

Tin Brook is a class B trout stream, so the officer scheduled a site visit with a DEC habitat biologist to survey the damage and determine the best practices for clean up. The homeowner will be responsible for the cleanup, officials say.

The officers issued a ticket for disturbing a protected stream, returnable to the Town of Montgomery Court.

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