Six Wells on the A.T. Closed

SIX WELLS ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL CLOSED

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. (July 29, 2021) – The National Park Service Appalachian National Scenic Trail Office (APPA), in consultation with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and regional Trail Maintaining Clubs, has officially closed six wells along the Appalachian Trail (A.T.).

In 2016, the Northeast Regional Office of Public Health (OPH) engaged the APPA, ATC, and club volunteers in a multi-well site assessment in the states of New York and Connecticut. The assessment concluded that the wells listed below were not meeting the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. §300f et seq. [1974]) and NPS drinking water system policy requirements and would take significant additional monitoring and maintenance to maintain healthy drinking water standards. Earlier this year, it was determined that the funding and capacity necessary to maintain these wells to the necessary standards would not be possible without significant dedicated funding, staff and resources.

The following wells are now closed:

• Shenandoah Tenting Area, New York (Northbound mile 1430.6)
• RPH Shelter, New York (Northbound mile 1431.9)
• Morgan Stewart Shelter, New York (Northbound mile 1440.9)
• Wiley Shelter, New York (Northbound mile 1457.5)
• Ten Mile River Shelter, Connecticut (Northbound mile 1461.5)
  • Note: The Housatonic and Ten Mile Rivers should not be used as alternative water sources.
• Silver Hill Campsite, Connecticut (Northbound mile 1480.4)
  • Note: The Housatonic River should not be used as an alternative water source.

“Hikers should take extra precautions and plan on carrying extra water through these sections, particularly in hot summer months when seasonal springs could run dry,” said Andrew Downs, Senior Regional Director for the ATC.

Any additional updates on the status of these wells will be posted on the ATC website at appalachiantrail.org/updates.

About the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
The ATC was founded in 1925 by volunteers and federal officials working to build a continuous footpath along the Appalachian Mountains. A unit of the National Park System, the A.T. ranges from Maine to Georgia and is 2,193.1 miles in length. It is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. The mission of the ATC is to protect, manage, and advocate for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. For more information, please visit www.appalachiantrail.org.

Contacts:

Jordan Bowman
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Tel: 304.885.0794
Email: jbowman@appalachiantrail.org

Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Park Service
Tel: 304.535.6278

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