Editor's Note: Here is a link to a letter published last week Seeking Signatures Related to Restoring the Bronxville Duck Pond

June 30, 2026

To the Community

We can all agree that the Bronxville Duck Pond, located along the Bronx River Parkway Reservation, is a place of remarkable beauty. What many people don't realize is that the pond was artificially created in 1925. A century later, nature is gradually reclaiming the landscape. Sediment carried by the Bronx River, a natural process, is transforming the pond into a shallow marsh and wetland.

Wetlands are among our most valuable ecosystems. They improve water quality, provide critical habitat for birds and wildlife, and help reduce flooding by naturally storing and slowing stormwater. The County's focus is on preserving these important environmental benefits while responsibly stewarding the park for future generations.

While dredging is often suggested, it is not a practical long-term solution. It would require extensive environmental permitting, the specialized handling and disposal of potentially contaminated sediment from the roadway, and a significant financial investment. Even if completed, the Bronx River would continue to carry sediment into the basin during storms, and the pond would fill in again. In the end, dredging would be a costly temporary fix to an ongoing natural process.

While the landscape may look different than it did a century ago, and while we understand the nostalgia many residents feel, our responsibility is to balance those sentiments with environmental science and long-term stewardship.

Sincerely,

Peter Tartaglia

Acting Commissioner

Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation & Conservation