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Moordener Kill Falls

Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:22 am
by George
The Moordener Kill is another tributary to the Hudson in western Rensselaer County. This drops over the shale bedrock into a valley that was once the bottom of post-glacial Lake Albany. This one is about a mile from the Hudson. There are still remnants an old concrete mill structure, and the concrete ribs and metal hoops of the penstock are scattered along the shore. The dam is just visible at the top of the natural falls in the second picture. It's hard to photograph because state highway 150 passes directly over it.

Moordener is the Dutch word for "murderer", and the creek was the site of an ambush of Dutch settlers in 1643 when 7 men and 2 women were killed by native americans.
Moordener Kill Falls 2.jpg
Moordener Kill Falls 1.jpg
Moordener Kill Falls 1.jpg (203.77 KiB) Viewed 15856942 times
42 32' 3.99" N
73 44' 3.96" W

Re: Moordener Kill Falls

Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:11 pm
by L_G_D
Nice shots, I might have to head down there some day.

Re: Moordener Kill Falls

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:39 pm
by Matt
Fantastic! I'm lovin' you photos-- thanks for posting them!

Re: Moordener Kill Falls

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:18 pm
by Angelo
Does anyone know the NY state laws on tresspassing in waterways. Is it tresspassing to walk in a stream or river if the land is posted? Say fishing with waders in a river?
Thanks

Re: Moordener Kill Falls

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:29 pm
by George
I'm somewhat familiar with riparian rights, and I believe Matt has presented it correctly in "What you need to know about tresspassing" on the Articles page. You are entitled to step on a privately owned streambed or bank only as an incidental activity related to navigation.

Re: Moordener Kill Falls

Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:07 am
by George
I’m glad Angelo raised the trespassing issue on this page, because it potentially comes into play here. There is a small parking area along route 150, on the south side of the bridge that crosses the creek. When you start down a dirt road, you immediately encounter a No Trespassing sign on a gate across it. There is a well-used trail down the embankment just in front of the gate. The attached map shows the tax parcel boundaries for that posted property (Parcel A) and the parcel that includes the falls (Parcel B).
Moordener.jpg
While the tax information available to me does not identify the owners of these parcels, it is obvious that Parcel B is not posted. Given that the parcel extends along the road in both directions, a reasonable assumption is that DOT owns the falls. However, the property line is right at the base of the falls, and if you walk any distance down the gorge, you are trespassing. Enjoy.