to consider in working toward the creation of a holistic interpretative plan for the Croton Waterworks. 1. The balance of public education/interpretation and maintenance of scenic viewsheds, particularly in Westchester County, has become increasingly important. The definition of what a scenic viewshed might encompass in New York City has yet to be determined. 2. The possible incorporation of interpretative features into the reuse of Croton Waterworks structures—such as the 135th Street Gatehouse (adaptively reused as Harlem Stage) and the 113th Street Gatehouse (renovated as part of the Amsterdam Nursing Home)—leads to the question of how to incorporate signage, for example, into publicly accessible or inaccessible sites/spaces, particularly for those sites no longer used for Croton-specific purposes. 3. The difficulty of on-site interpretation, particularly in New York City, has become apparent. This is not only a result of security concerns related to portions of the system still in use (which extends from Westchester County to New York City), but is also due to the necessary cooperation between various New York City agencies and parks conservancies that own or maintain different pieces of land associated with the Croton Waterworks, the community boards that must approve plans, and the Public Design Commission of the City of New York’s guidelines for city signage. 4. The implementation of uniform signage that is instantly recognizable by the public as being associated with the Croton Waterworks along the length of the system is an issue that must be addressed. The standardization of signage is particularly difficult when so many parties are involved and/or invested in its care (see also Challenges to the Croton Waterworks, on page __). 5. The incorporation of temporary, short-term, and/or evolving signage programs that are both dynamic and current is an important next step in the interpretation of the Croton Waterworks and should continue to be addressed. Considerations and Challenges Structures that are Subgrade or Aboveground In many locations, the Croton Waterworks conduits are underground, and no obvious traces are visibly present. This is particularly the case with the conduit of the New Croton Aqueduct, which was constructed deep underground and is thus publicly inaccessible and hidden from view for the entire length of the system. The Old Croton conduit is underground primarily in New York City. A more clearly defined difference between the visibility of the Old versus the New Aqueduct conduits is illustrated as the Aqueducts cross the Harlem River between the Bronx and Manhattan. The conduit associated with the Old Croton Aqueduct is carried across the river inside of the High Bridge, while the conduit associated with the New Croton Aqueduct is buried deep beneath the river, its presence completely imperceptible. In certain locations in Westchester County and the Bronx, a berm indicates the presence of the Old Croton Aqueduct channel. The berm serves as a halfway point between a subgrade and aboveground feature, since a somewhat clear indication of the presence of the Aqueduct is provided, yet one cannot see through the earthen covering into the conduit itself. The New Croton Aqueduct’s shafts are another example of a subgrade feature that helps to tell the story of the construction and maintenance of the system. Aboveground structures and landscapes are inherently visible, and include sites such as the High Bridge, the Manhattan gatehouses, and ventilators. However, it is crucial to remember that any of these “aboveground” structures also often feature subgrade components (in order to link up with the underground conduit). Section 4: Interpretation these structures is the safe and efficient functioning of the system. Also, because security concerns related to the water supply of New York City are so high, many sites are kept entirely off limits to the public. Information concerning the inner workings and structural systems of these buildings/sites is also not made available to the public. Decommissioned structures are more frequently available for public accessibility and on-site (and off-site) interpretation, largely due to the absence of security concerns. 57 Documentation and Analysis of Existing Interpretation An assessment of the existing Croton Waterworks interpretation was conducted with the purpose of determining where the interpretative techniques are located, what they encompass, which measures are most and least effective, which structures are not currently interpreted, where potential exists for new interpretative projects, and what interpretation should be updated and/or expanded. We studied each interpretative measure to determine its particular type, the organization that commissioned it, the intended audience, materials used, current condition, its visibility and accessibility, and its effectiveness. Primary goals were to determine how successful the current interpretation schemes are in reaching their intended audiences, and to decide whether the historical significance of both the individual structure and the system as a whole was clearly communicated. One of the most apparent themes revealed in the existing interpretation analysis 58 is that a site’s signage does not always provide