Levine Reservoir is located near, but not in, the Great Falls National Historical Park. However, the Paterson Historic District is a locally designated, larger area, which encompasses both the National Historical Park and the Levine Reservoir.
It’s important to note that the Levine Reservoir is not a historic structure nor is it listed on the national or state historic registers. Despite that, we’re taking steps to minimize any impact that could result from our efforts to comply with the LT2 Rule, including the following:
- We’ve checked the facts and documented the historical development of the Levine Reservoir. You can read our report here.
- We’ve checked to see that the visual impact of any new structure at Levine Reservoir would not be visible from various locations around the area.
- We’ve identified a series of measures that could be taken to help mitigate any impact from eliminating the reservoir:
- Provide a historical documentation of the reservoir as it currently exists.
- Create a hiking path on the former reservoir property and link it to hiking paths along the historic water raceway system.
- Preserve a portion of the reservoir as a scenic lake that is open to the public, possibly with recreational facilities.
- Utilize water from the Passaic River and the former reservoir to re-activate portions of the historic water raceway system.
- Shield the tanks or other structures from view with trees and/or painted murals or other images.
- Create an educational video about the reservoir’s history and the Great Falls National Historical Park.