Delaware River Crisis Looms

[Big_Spinner]

Hi All,

Starting to get worried for the near future.

The current version of the FFMP release plan ends on May 31st. The past few years, the program has been extended each year on a temporary basis.

This year appears to be different.

The parties (NY, NJ, PA, DE and NYC) to the 1954 Supreme Court Decree have to have a unanimous vote to continue the current FFMP program.

Back in February, NJ stated they would not be able to extend the agreement unless their list of 8 demands were met.

Now, two months later the parties still have not even really sat down to negotiate a solution.

Now NJ has blustered like this in the past, but this time it feels a bit different.

Most involved with the situation feel that the FFMP may not be extended.

Now for the bad news. If FFMP is not extended there is a very good chance that we will revert back to the last permanent agreement which is called "Rev 1". This would be a huge step back as we would revert to the release table as specified in Rev 1.

June 1st releases under FFMP: WB = 500, EB = 140, NS = 110

June 1st releases under Rev 1: WB = 45, EB = 70, NS = 45

That is not a typo. The releases on the WB will drop from 500 to 45 overnight!!

Get your fishing in this month!!!

Jim

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[Future Fanatic]

Hi All,

Starting to get worried for the near future.

The current version of the FFMP release plan ends on May 31st. The past few years, the program has been extended each year on a temporary basis.

This year appears to be different.

The parties (NY, NJ, PA, DE and NYC) to the 1954 Supreme Court Decree have to have a unanimous vote to continue the current FFMP program.

Back in February, NJ stated they would not be able to extend the agreement unless their list of 8 demands were met.

Now, two months later the parties still have not even really sat down to negotiate a solution.

Now NJ has blustered like this in the past, but this time it feels a bit different.

Most involved with the situation feel that the FFMP may not be extended.

Now for the bad news. If FFMP is not extended there is a very good chance that we will revert back to the last permanent agreement which is called "Rev 1". This would be a huge step back as we would revert to the release table as specified in Rev 1.

June 1st releases under FFMP: WB = 500, EB = 140, NS = 110

June 1st releases under Rev 1: WB = 45, EB = 70, NS = 45

That is not a typo. The releases on the WB will drop from 500 to 45 overnight!!

Get your fishing in this month!!!

Jim

Back to fly fisher folk praying for a deluge of water to have the alewifes pouring over the top in spring, then for drought conditions as soon as it happens so the Waterlords have to release water for the Montague target.

[Rusty Spinner]

Hi All,

Starting to get worried for the near future.

The current version of the FFMP release plan ends on May 31st. The past few years, the program has been extended each year on a temporary basis.

This year appears to be different.

The parties (NY, NJ, PA, DE and NYC) to the 1954 Supreme Court Decree have to have a unanimous vote to continue the current FFMP program.

Back in February, NJ stated they would not be able to extend the agreement unless their list of 8 demands were met.

Now, two months later the parties still have not even really sat down to negotiate a solution.

Now NJ has blustered like this in the past, but this time it feels a bit different.

Most involved with the situation feel that the FFMP may not be extended.

Now for the bad news. If FFMP is not extended there is a very good chance that we will revert back to the last permanent agreement which is called "Rev 1". This would be a huge step back as we would revert to the release table as specified in Rev 1.

June 1st releases under FFMP: WB = 500, EB = 140, NS = 110

June 1st releases under Rev 1: WB = 45, EB = 70, NS = 45

That is not a typo. The releases on the WB will drop from 500 to 45 overnight!!

Get your fishing in this month!!!

Jim

New Jersey is clearly trying to pull PA onto its side because Rev 1 can threaten saltwater intrusion into Philly's drinking water supply, and the hope is that PA and NJ together can get NY City to finally allow more water into the river instead of hording it every year. It's risky, but it just might work. The unanimous consent for any changes doesn't necessitate that NJ pair up with any other decree party, but it seems they feel PA will be a willing co-conspirator for better flows. Delaware could care less and NY state caves in to their biggest city, so only NJ and PA can fight the big beast from the East (NYC).

[babyblue]

What about another major flood event. Looks like 2005/2006.
I found this document from NYC DEP
Search this:

Design of NYC reservoirs and performance during 2005 flood event

[oasis man]

With four days to go, what is the likely direction NYC will take on June 1st??? Will we be able to walk across the WB in our tennis shoes?

[afishinado]

http://www.delawarecurrents.org/ffmp-renewal.html

[Rusty Spinner]

http://www.delawarecurrents.org/ffmp-renewal.html

Best article I have read on the subject to date. This is a risky gamble by NJ and bears very close watching obviously. We have less than 38 hours to come to some agreement or we see Revision 1 implemented (I guess) on June 1st which is Thursday. Unless in the backroom with the Decree parties, we can only guess how discussions are going. But NJ's future water needs are going to have to come from the Delaware River as we simply don't have the supplies we need in the center of the state that remains our growth area moving forward.

[mudbug201]

Best article I have read on the subject to date. This is a risky gamble by NJ and bears very close watching obviously. We have less than 38 hours to come to some agreement or we see Revision 1 implemented (I guess) on June 1st which is Thursday. Unless in the backroom with the Decree parties, we can only guess how discussions are going. But NJ's future water needs are going to have to come from the Delaware River as we simply don't have the supplies we need in the center of the state that remains our growth area moving forward.

I get that it's now a game of chicken. My concern is that the other decree parties won't be able to agree about what concessions to offer New Jersey. It's not like there are two sides - there are four. Each with its own unique interests.

And with the clock winding down, New Jersey could actually decide to stay the course and bring Revision 1 as a wakeup call, knowing that it is NY and PA local economies that will take the hit.

They'll come to a new agreement, but at the cost of not just our fishing season, but the short term economic health of upstate towns and the longterm health of the aquatic ecosystem.

That's my chicken little scenario at least. Am I wrong? (Please tell me I'm wrong.)

[Rusty Spinner]

I get that it's now a game of chicken. My concern is that the other decree parties won't be able to agree about what concessions to offer New Jersey. It's not like there are two sides - there are four. Each with its own unique interests.

And with the clock winding down, New Jersey could actually decide to stay the course and bring Revision 1 as a wakeup call, knowing that it is NY and PA local economies that will take the hit.

They'll come to a new agreement, but at the cost of not just our fishing season, but the short term economic health of upstate towns and the longterm health of the aquatic ecosystem.

That's my chicken little scenario at least. Am I wrong? (Please tell me I'm wrong.)

While no angler wants to see Revision 1 back, the simple reality is that the river and the introduced trout in it survived Rev. 1 once and can again until the five Decree parties can agree on a new flow regime that really puts more water in the system and stops hoarding so much of it.

[tkhour]

While no angler wants to see Revision 1 back, the simple reality is that the river and the introduced trout in it survived Rev. 1 once and can again until the five Decree parties can agree on a new flow regime that really puts more water in the system and stops hoarding so much of it.

Agreed. But what about the bugs. Sure the fish can easily move but can the bugs? Now I'm no entomologist but I have to believe that exposed river bed can never be a good thing. Its been my experience that the hatches are not what they used to be. I typically float the main stem and I'm talking below buckingham.Blame that on low water conditions over the years? Maybe. Just my two cents for what its worth. Thanks

[Rusty Spinner]

Agreed. But what about the bugs. Sure the fish can easily move but can the bugs? Now I'm no entomologist but I have to believe that exposed river bed can never be a good thing. Its been my experience that the hatches are not what they used to be. I typically float the main stem and I'm talking below buckingham.Blame that on low water conditions over the years? Maybe. Just my two cents for what its worth. Thanks

Bugs and fish both will take a hit. Same for endangered dwarf wedge mussels, wood turtles and most everything reliant on the riparian corridor for most or all of their habitat needs. I hope someone blinks soon and more water becomes available because God knows there is plenty.

[mudbug201]

Looks like we're headed back to the Reagan era. No deal means they'll drain the river tomorrow. Good bye West Branch:

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...are-river-plan

Amazing to me that if you look at the websites of all the major outfitters up there, it's like this isn't even happening. Rather than sound the alarm with their wealthy clients, many of whom live in NYC or NJ and could have been putting pressure on their elected officials over the past months, they've chosen to ignore it and hope for the best.

Instead they've now got the worst. This sucks for the guides and the local businesses: their season is over.