DEP will perform the annual inspection of steam-cleaning equipment at these local businesses this week, allowing them to begin cleaning recreational boats for use at all four reservoirs on Friday, May 29. To protect water quality in these reservoirs, the recreational boating program relies on a small network of trained businesses that stream clean the boats before they are used each spring. The second program allows the use of recreational boats-kayaks and canoes-at Cannonsville, Neversink, Pepacton and Schoharie reservoirs. Steam cleaning will not be done without an appointment. Anglers must call the boat offices ahead of time. The boat office in Mahopac will begin taking calls for appointments on Monday, June 1. Boat offices in Downsville, Gilboa, Grahamsville and Shokan will begin taking calls for steam-cleaning appointments today, May 26. Each rowboat must be registered and steam-cleaned at a DEP boat office. The first program allows the use of rowboats for fishing on all 19 of the city’s water-supply reservoirs. The use of boats on New York City’s reservoirs is split between two programs. The state noted that “low-risk recreation” could begin throughout these areas. The Capital Region, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley regions met the state’s seven metrics to begin re-opening last week the Mid-Hudson Region met the criteria on Tuesday to restart certain sectors of its economy. The reservoirs that allow boating are located in four of the state’s 10 regions. The boat offices and reservoirs are re-opening in accordance with regional plans designated by the State of New York. The opening of boat offices and the recreational boating program was delayed by several weeks this spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that all its boat offices and recreational boating locations in the watershed will open over the next week. Re-opening of Mid-Hudson Region paves way for start of steam-cleaning and boating