Big_Spinner
Trout Hunter
Hi guys,
Latest press release from Al Caucci and FUDR.
PRESS RELEASE:
FRIENDS OF THE DELAWARE RIVER (FUDR) RESPONSE TO THE FFMP
On September 26, 2007, the Decree Parties to the Delaware River Compact passed an interim Flexible Flow Management Plan (FFMP) for the Delaware River. Oddly, it went immediately into effect on the River without public comment or debate. Some fly- fishing and conservation organizations have called this development as a step-in-the-right direction for the fishing community. However, Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR) and many fishermen and fishing groups see no reason to celebrate because the contemplated releases during much of the fishing season are grossly inadequate and the FFMP, as proposed, will do little if anything to reduce the pattern of yo-yo releases that are very harmful to the trout fishery, harmful to the aquatic environment, disruptive for insect hatching and preclude fly fishing – often for several days and weeks at a time -depressing the local economies even during the height of the fishing season. The FFMP does little or nothing for flood mitigation!
The FFMP is extremely and needlessly complex and is grossly inadequate in L1, L2 and the lower zones to maintain the wild trout fishery on the mid and lower West Branch and Main Stem of the Delaware Rivers. On an average day and during the best of storage conditions during the late spring and throughout the summer and fall, the West Branch releases will not exceed 275cfs in L1 unless the Cannonsville Reservoir is full, and will not exceed 260cfs in L2 unless required to do so by the Montague flow target, which usually doesn’t kick in until late June or July. Also, the Montague releases have been drastically reduced in frequency and volume since the advent of the “new” PPL Release Plan on the Lackawaxen River. The PPL Plan results in “new” water being dumped into the system that satisfies the Montague target, thereby curtailing the traditional Cannonsville releases. This saves even more water for the NYCDEP which does not share the savings with the fishery. And the picture gets worse!
It is nice to see that the FFMP incorporates a new release concept, but the releases implied in the FFMP plan are so low that they are of little or no help to over 80% of the West Branch, and Upper Main Stem. In fact, in most circumstances during much of the fishing season, the FFMP releases will leave these waters virtually un-fishable, except for the first 6 or so miles down stream from the Cannonsville Reservoir, and will expose the trout to damaging and killing temperatures on most warm days from Hale Eddy on the West Branch to Lordville and beyond on the Main Stem (the actual trout fishery runs to Callicoon, NY, some 20 miles downstream of Lordville).
We have examined records of reservoir levels over the last eight years and, for example, have seen that Cannonsville, Pepacton and Neversink combined were in the “L2” zone of capacity in June (sometimes even in late May) and even in a lesser zone in July and August in five of the eight years under study. And these were mostly exceptionally plentiful water years. As we read the FFMP, this would mean that Cannonsville releases would, at the very best, have amounted to 260 cfs in late June and July, and less in August and September during those years except when the Montague target requirement demanded larger amounts. Releases of 260 cfs do not come close to keeping water temperatures below 68F degrees on the lower West Branch (let alone the Upper Main Stem) on a normally warm spring or summers day. Sixty-eight degrees is considered the high end of tolerance to sustain a wild trout fishery.
In the height of the fishing season, the USGS GAGE on the lower West Branch (at Hancock), showed that on May 27 and 28, 2007, with Cannonsville releases of 255cfs, afternoon water temperatures rose to 68F and 72F degrees, respectively. On May 30 & 31, with releases of 232cfs, afternoon water temps were between 70 and 72F. On June 1 with a larger release of 425cfs, the daytime water temperature was still too warm - 68F degrees. Unfishable and damagingly hot consecutive days for trout – and smack in the middle of the spring trout season!! The high daytime air temperatures for these days were seasonally normal: 82F on the 27th; 73F and 72F on the 28th and 29th; 81F on 30th; 85F on 31st; and 84F on June 1st (see Chart 1 below, USGS Gage at Hancock). Moreover, the water temperature upstream from the USGS GAGE can be assumed to have been even warmer. This is because the 191 Bridge gage is a few hundred feet down stream from the cold -water inflow from Sand Creek. The FUDR temperature monitors show that the water temperatures were actually two degrees warmer than recorded on the gage, puting these water temperatures in the deadly range for trout when sustained for days on end and certainly too hot to fish, causing economic problems in the entire area during the peak of the spring fishing. When fishermen can’t fish they go home!
During approximately the same period (May 26-June 3), conditions were much worse on the Upper Main Stem between Hancock and Lordville, with water temperatures of 70F-76F degrees ( see Chart 2, USGS Lordville Gage).
Data from the Lordville gage reveals very warm water temperatures throughout the summer. Outrageously, the water temps. for a period of 100 days, between May 24 and August 31, were between 70F and 77F degrees except for 10 scattered days when the water temp. dropped below 70 into mostly the high to mid 60’s. Even at night and into the morning hours the temperatures were in the high 60’s and low 70’s, a deadly situation for trout and particularly damaging to the River’s famous wild rainbow trout population. In fact, the rainbows are facing elimination even in the heart of the Main Stem fishery, from Hancock to Lordville. This sad state of affairs was created under Rev 7, and promises to be even worse under the FFMP because the latter has no high temperature limits or thermal bank to get high water temps. down below 70F.
During the summer when the system can be expected to be in L2, releases from Cannonsville will be set at 260 cfs except when more water is required to satisfy the Montague target. Typically, (except in years of heavy rain fall) this arrangement will result in the disruptive yo-yo pattern that is so damaging to the fishery. Releases will stay at the 260 cfs level until late each week at which time they will be ramped up sharply to compensate for the fact that the PPL project at Lake Wallenpaupack normally shuts down every weekend, setting up heightened demand from Cannonsville. Although the large weekend releases provide the cold water that the trout need, sizable abrupt fluctuations in flow virtually eliminate the value of these releases and preclude fishing until the trout and insects adjust to the drastic change in environment. Just as the needed acclimation is taking shape, releases will be cut back to 260 cfs and the water level will fall rapidly because the PPL project will have come back on line. Rapid increases in flow ruin the fishing while abrupt decreases can kill the trout.
An examination of the picture in late September during the same eight-year period shows that an “L2” situation would have prevailed in half of the years studied. The impact on the fishery would have depended on air temperatures, but it should be noted that an “L2” reading in September calls for Cannonsville releases of no more than 140 cfs, meaning that on most warm days, afternoon water temperatures would probably be in the high seventies throughout the lower West Branch, and all of the Main Stem during at least the first several weeks of the month.
Most amazingly, L2 in October calls for Cannonsville releases of only 80 cfs. This implies West Branch flows that will expose gravel beds in the riffles, leaving little room for brown trout to spawn and exposing the redds that are laid down in these riffles and gravel beds during high water surges when the Montague target calls for heavy Cannonsville releases. . In short, the FFMP will create havoc on trout reproduction in the West Branch, Main Stem and even on the lower East Branch for those fish that migrate up the West Branch during the summer for refuge. This also comes at a time when most fish can’t spawn in most of the tributaries due to damage from the 2006 floods!
According to reservoir capacity records, the FFMP will play havoc with the fishery most of the time. Thus, major fixes are needed. FUDR has long advocated constant minimum releases from Cannonsville of 600 cfs during the warm weather months of the year as a reliable means of keeping water temperatures below 70 degrees down river as far as Lordville. In March, 2007, FUDR compromised the constant 600cfs release for a “Graduated Release Plan” which still protects the trout and fishery with acceptable water temperatures and levels and is predicated on releasing more water when the reservoirs are relatively full and less water when the reservoirs are reduced, without threatening the NYC supply or the other users. What can be simpler! We feel that this plan should be acceptable to all reasonable parties. This regime would also greatly reduce the magnitude of flow fluctuations needed to meet the Montague requirement, would reduce the cost and complexities of system maintenance and, very importantly, would be a major step to mitigate flooding during the spring, summer and fall!
FUDR believes that there is enough water in the system to accommodate our program in all but very dry years during which all of the River’s users must be willing to make sacrifices. However, it seems that politics, unnecessarily conservative drought curves, failure to count some 50 billion gallons of water in Rondout, unrealistic assumptions regarding NYC’s use of Delaware water and faults in the OASIS model are giving the regulators the basis for backing a plan that robs the fishery of the water it needs.
.The FFMP simply doesn’t do the job for the fishery, the local economies and the many flood ravaged communities along the River!
The fishery needs a chance, a better deal! The local economies deserve a better deal, not just New York City! The fisherman, recreational boaters, tourists and conservationists need a better deal. And the locals on the river need more flood protection!!! The FUDR Graduated Release Plan is doable without infringing on NYC and the downstream users. There is enough water in the system for all and it can be proven!
(We will soon publish two commentaries by Robert A. Bachman, PhD. in which he explains the damage caused by Yo-Yo releases and reviews the deficiencies of the FFMP.)
Al Caucci,
VP Communications – FUDR
Sandy Bing,
Treasurer – FUDR
Latest press release from Al Caucci and FUDR.
PRESS RELEASE:
FRIENDS OF THE DELAWARE RIVER (FUDR) RESPONSE TO THE FFMP
On September 26, 2007, the Decree Parties to the Delaware River Compact passed an interim Flexible Flow Management Plan (FFMP) for the Delaware River. Oddly, it went immediately into effect on the River without public comment or debate. Some fly- fishing and conservation organizations have called this development as a step-in-the-right direction for the fishing community. However, Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR) and many fishermen and fishing groups see no reason to celebrate because the contemplated releases during much of the fishing season are grossly inadequate and the FFMP, as proposed, will do little if anything to reduce the pattern of yo-yo releases that are very harmful to the trout fishery, harmful to the aquatic environment, disruptive for insect hatching and preclude fly fishing – often for several days and weeks at a time -depressing the local economies even during the height of the fishing season. The FFMP does little or nothing for flood mitigation!
The FFMP is extremely and needlessly complex and is grossly inadequate in L1, L2 and the lower zones to maintain the wild trout fishery on the mid and lower West Branch and Main Stem of the Delaware Rivers. On an average day and during the best of storage conditions during the late spring and throughout the summer and fall, the West Branch releases will not exceed 275cfs in L1 unless the Cannonsville Reservoir is full, and will not exceed 260cfs in L2 unless required to do so by the Montague flow target, which usually doesn’t kick in until late June or July. Also, the Montague releases have been drastically reduced in frequency and volume since the advent of the “new” PPL Release Plan on the Lackawaxen River. The PPL Plan results in “new” water being dumped into the system that satisfies the Montague target, thereby curtailing the traditional Cannonsville releases. This saves even more water for the NYCDEP which does not share the savings with the fishery. And the picture gets worse!
It is nice to see that the FFMP incorporates a new release concept, but the releases implied in the FFMP plan are so low that they are of little or no help to over 80% of the West Branch, and Upper Main Stem. In fact, in most circumstances during much of the fishing season, the FFMP releases will leave these waters virtually un-fishable, except for the first 6 or so miles down stream from the Cannonsville Reservoir, and will expose the trout to damaging and killing temperatures on most warm days from Hale Eddy on the West Branch to Lordville and beyond on the Main Stem (the actual trout fishery runs to Callicoon, NY, some 20 miles downstream of Lordville).
We have examined records of reservoir levels over the last eight years and, for example, have seen that Cannonsville, Pepacton and Neversink combined were in the “L2” zone of capacity in June (sometimes even in late May) and even in a lesser zone in July and August in five of the eight years under study. And these were mostly exceptionally plentiful water years. As we read the FFMP, this would mean that Cannonsville releases would, at the very best, have amounted to 260 cfs in late June and July, and less in August and September during those years except when the Montague target requirement demanded larger amounts. Releases of 260 cfs do not come close to keeping water temperatures below 68F degrees on the lower West Branch (let alone the Upper Main Stem) on a normally warm spring or summers day. Sixty-eight degrees is considered the high end of tolerance to sustain a wild trout fishery.
In the height of the fishing season, the USGS GAGE on the lower West Branch (at Hancock), showed that on May 27 and 28, 2007, with Cannonsville releases of 255cfs, afternoon water temperatures rose to 68F and 72F degrees, respectively. On May 30 & 31, with releases of 232cfs, afternoon water temps were between 70 and 72F. On June 1 with a larger release of 425cfs, the daytime water temperature was still too warm - 68F degrees. Unfishable and damagingly hot consecutive days for trout – and smack in the middle of the spring trout season!! The high daytime air temperatures for these days were seasonally normal: 82F on the 27th; 73F and 72F on the 28th and 29th; 81F on 30th; 85F on 31st; and 84F on June 1st (see Chart 1 below, USGS Gage at Hancock). Moreover, the water temperature upstream from the USGS GAGE can be assumed to have been even warmer. This is because the 191 Bridge gage is a few hundred feet down stream from the cold -water inflow from Sand Creek. The FUDR temperature monitors show that the water temperatures were actually two degrees warmer than recorded on the gage, puting these water temperatures in the deadly range for trout when sustained for days on end and certainly too hot to fish, causing economic problems in the entire area during the peak of the spring fishing. When fishermen can’t fish they go home!
During approximately the same period (May 26-June 3), conditions were much worse on the Upper Main Stem between Hancock and Lordville, with water temperatures of 70F-76F degrees ( see Chart 2, USGS Lordville Gage).
Data from the Lordville gage reveals very warm water temperatures throughout the summer. Outrageously, the water temps. for a period of 100 days, between May 24 and August 31, were between 70F and 77F degrees except for 10 scattered days when the water temp. dropped below 70 into mostly the high to mid 60’s. Even at night and into the morning hours the temperatures were in the high 60’s and low 70’s, a deadly situation for trout and particularly damaging to the River’s famous wild rainbow trout population. In fact, the rainbows are facing elimination even in the heart of the Main Stem fishery, from Hancock to Lordville. This sad state of affairs was created under Rev 7, and promises to be even worse under the FFMP because the latter has no high temperature limits or thermal bank to get high water temps. down below 70F.
During the summer when the system can be expected to be in L2, releases from Cannonsville will be set at 260 cfs except when more water is required to satisfy the Montague target. Typically, (except in years of heavy rain fall) this arrangement will result in the disruptive yo-yo pattern that is so damaging to the fishery. Releases will stay at the 260 cfs level until late each week at which time they will be ramped up sharply to compensate for the fact that the PPL project at Lake Wallenpaupack normally shuts down every weekend, setting up heightened demand from Cannonsville. Although the large weekend releases provide the cold water that the trout need, sizable abrupt fluctuations in flow virtually eliminate the value of these releases and preclude fishing until the trout and insects adjust to the drastic change in environment. Just as the needed acclimation is taking shape, releases will be cut back to 260 cfs and the water level will fall rapidly because the PPL project will have come back on line. Rapid increases in flow ruin the fishing while abrupt decreases can kill the trout.
An examination of the picture in late September during the same eight-year period shows that an “L2” situation would have prevailed in half of the years studied. The impact on the fishery would have depended on air temperatures, but it should be noted that an “L2” reading in September calls for Cannonsville releases of no more than 140 cfs, meaning that on most warm days, afternoon water temperatures would probably be in the high seventies throughout the lower West Branch, and all of the Main Stem during at least the first several weeks of the month.
Most amazingly, L2 in October calls for Cannonsville releases of only 80 cfs. This implies West Branch flows that will expose gravel beds in the riffles, leaving little room for brown trout to spawn and exposing the redds that are laid down in these riffles and gravel beds during high water surges when the Montague target calls for heavy Cannonsville releases. . In short, the FFMP will create havoc on trout reproduction in the West Branch, Main Stem and even on the lower East Branch for those fish that migrate up the West Branch during the summer for refuge. This also comes at a time when most fish can’t spawn in most of the tributaries due to damage from the 2006 floods!
According to reservoir capacity records, the FFMP will play havoc with the fishery most of the time. Thus, major fixes are needed. FUDR has long advocated constant minimum releases from Cannonsville of 600 cfs during the warm weather months of the year as a reliable means of keeping water temperatures below 70 degrees down river as far as Lordville. In March, 2007, FUDR compromised the constant 600cfs release for a “Graduated Release Plan” which still protects the trout and fishery with acceptable water temperatures and levels and is predicated on releasing more water when the reservoirs are relatively full and less water when the reservoirs are reduced, without threatening the NYC supply or the other users. What can be simpler! We feel that this plan should be acceptable to all reasonable parties. This regime would also greatly reduce the magnitude of flow fluctuations needed to meet the Montague requirement, would reduce the cost and complexities of system maintenance and, very importantly, would be a major step to mitigate flooding during the spring, summer and fall!
FUDR believes that there is enough water in the system to accommodate our program in all but very dry years during which all of the River’s users must be willing to make sacrifices. However, it seems that politics, unnecessarily conservative drought curves, failure to count some 50 billion gallons of water in Rondout, unrealistic assumptions regarding NYC’s use of Delaware water and faults in the OASIS model are giving the regulators the basis for backing a plan that robs the fishery of the water it needs.
.The FFMP simply doesn’t do the job for the fishery, the local economies and the many flood ravaged communities along the River!
The fishery needs a chance, a better deal! The local economies deserve a better deal, not just New York City! The fisherman, recreational boaters, tourists and conservationists need a better deal. And the locals on the river need more flood protection!!! The FUDR Graduated Release Plan is doable without infringing on NYC and the downstream users. There is enough water in the system for all and it can be proven!
(We will soon publish two commentaries by Robert A. Bachman, PhD. in which he explains the damage caused by Yo-Yo releases and reviews the deficiencies of the FFMP.)
Al Caucci,
VP Communications – FUDR
Sandy Bing,
Treasurer – FUDR
