THE New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and members of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) have reached a one-year agreement to improve water releases out of New York City reservoirs on the West Branch of the Delaware River.
At a DRBC meeting last week in Trenton, the DRBC accepted the DEC’s proposal to re-allocate water to meet a year- round flow target on the West Branch of the Delaware at Hale Eddy and maintain certain temperature levels on the West Branch, East Branch, and the main Delaware and Neversink Rivers this summer. The DRBC has also voted to spend the next year in an intense effort to find a solution to the problem of low flows in the Upper Delaware basin.
Poor flows out of the city reservoirs have chronically impaired the health of these rivers, according to Trout Unlimited (TU).
Unfortunately for the river and its fish, the current drought may prevent implementation of the new flow program. The basin remains in drought warning, meaning that releases may continue to be little more than a small leak well into the spring and summer. Unless dramatic rains fall, the parched NYC reservoirs will not fill up, and available water will most likely be insufficient to implement the plan. If drought releases continue through the summer, the West Branch and the big Delaware will almost certainly see fish kills this year.
The downstream basin states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware accepted New York State’s proposal for 2002 only, with the condition that the basin states, and most importantly NYC, work together to develop a long-term flow plan within one year that will protect the valuable rivers below the reservoirs. The states contend that New York City has to do more to improve flows out of its reservoirs.
“The downstream states make a strong point,” said Nat Gillespie, TU’s Catskills Coordinator. “New York City has consistently taken the position that any water for river health can only come from water already allocated for aquatic health or for downstream use. Their starting point for negotiations has always been that none of the city’s water is available to help the rivers.
“New York City wastes large amounts of water, and should have interest in helping protect an upstate regional economy that depends on the health of these rivers. We absolutely agree that now is the time to roll up our sleeves and work to find a long term solution that provides enough water for the rivers and for water users.”
River health is critical to the rural economies of Delaware and Sullivan counties. According to a TU sponsored study, trout fishing in 1998 on the Delaware River system generated approximately $30 million in Delaware County alone.
