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New Delaware flow plan announced

Rusty Spinner

Well-known member
It should be interesting to see how this will affect the flows during these periods....here's the NJ DEP press release:


IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Lawrence Ragonese (609)
292-2994
April 7, 2011 Lawrence Hajna
(609) 984-1795
Michael
Saucier (NYC DEP) (718) 595-6600

DEP NEGOTIATES IMPROVED NEW YORK CITY RESERVOIR OPERATING PLAN

TO BETTER PROTECT DELAWARE RIVER'S RESOURCES

(11/P49) TRENTON * New York City has agreed to modifications of releases of water from its reservoir system in the Catskill Mountains to better protect the ecology of the Delaware River in New Jersey and other downriver states, and help provide drought relief and flood protection, Commissioner Bob Martin announced today.

The agreement worked out with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and approved by the four states that share the river basin * New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware * will better control the river's salt line, typically found in an area around the Delaware Memorial Bridge in Salem County, thereby better protecting aquatic life, as well as drinking-water suppliers and industries that utilize fresh water from the river.

The agreement enables water purveyors in a broad swath of central New Jersey to tap into a larger share of Delaware River water via the Delaware & Raritan Canal. It also calls for the city to test a procedure to help to alleviate threats of flooding along upper portions of the Delaware River.

"This agreement is a perfect example of agencies working together and across state lines to reach a goal that is good for the entire region, one that is consistent with good water supply practices,'' said Commissioner Martin.
"I
must commend New York City for working with us toward resolving our concerns with its operating plan for its reservoir system and recognizing that the way the city releases water from its reservoirs is felt many miles downstream."

"This landmark agreement protects New York City's water supply, and at the same time, increases the amount of water available to New Jersey, and will better protect the river's ecology, and help reduce flooding throughout the basin,'' said New York City Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway.

These steps will take effect June 1. After one year, all the parties will evaluate the reservoir management plan to see how it can be improved.

New York City operates three reservoirs in the Catskill region of southern New York State that are located in the headwaters area of the Delaware River. These reservoirs can store more than 276 billion gallons of water.

New Jersey, New York City, and the states of Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania are all parties to a 1954 federal court Consent Decree allowing for shared management of the Catskill reservoirs. New York City releases water from its Delaware Basin reservoirs as part of court-approved Flexible Flow Management Plan (FFMP). Releases from the city's Delaware reservoirs have been governed by that plan since it was approved by the U.S.
Supreme
Court in October 2007. The modifications are an update to the FFMP.

Under terms of the modifications:
* Fishery officials from all four states and the city will form a
panel to advise the city on maintaining water flows and temperatures to maintain a healthy and vibrant fishery.

* New Jersey can increase its diversion via the Delaware & Raritan
Canal during drought warnings from 85 million gallons per day to 100 million gallons per day. During drought emergencies, the diversion will remain at 85 million gallons per day.

* New York City has set an operational goal to maintain its
reservoirs
at 10 percent below capacity from Sept. 1 to March 15, and an average of five percent below capacity from July 1 to Sept. 1 and from March 15 to May 1. That step could help alleviate river flooding during periods of major storms and heavy snow melt.

Using a high-tech modeling tool, the city's Department of Environmental Protection developed a new formula that dramatically improves the ability to forecast and model water conditions, and make decisions on use of shared resources of the Delaware River in a new and better way. That can improve conditions for fish and other aquatic life in the Delaware River and keep the river's salt line in check. During droughts, this area of brackish water can move up the river and potentially affect industrial and drinking water intakes in southern New Jersey.


####

Larry Ragonese
NJ DEP
Press Information Director
609-292-2994
larry.ragonese@dep.state.nj.us
 
It should be interesting to see how this will affect the flows during these periods....here's the NJ DEP press release:


IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Lawrence Ragonese (609)
292-2994
April 7, 2011 Lawrence Hajna
(609) 984-1795
Michael
Saucier (NYC DEP) (718) 595-6600

DEP NEGOTIATES IMPROVED NEW YORK CITY RESERVOIR OPERATING PLAN

TO BETTER PROTECT DELAWARE RIVER'S RESOURCES

(11/P49) TRENTON * New York City has agreed to modifications of releases of water from its reservoir system in the Catskill Mountains to better protect the ecology of the Delaware River in New Jersey and other downriver states, and help provide drought relief and flood protection, Commissioner Bob Martin announced today.

The agreement worked out with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and approved by the four states that share the river basin * New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware * will better control the river's salt line, typically found in an area around the Delaware Memorial Bridge in Salem County, thereby better protecting aquatic life, as well as drinking-water suppliers and industries that utilize fresh water from the river.

The agreement enables water purveyors in a broad swath of central New Jersey to tap into a larger share of Delaware River water via the Delaware & Raritan Canal. It also calls for the city to test a procedure to help to alleviate threats of flooding along upper portions of the Delaware River.

"This agreement is a perfect example of agencies working together and across state lines to reach a goal that is good for the entire region, one that is consistent with good water supply practices,'' said Commissioner Martin.
"I
must commend New York City for working with us toward resolving our concerns with its operating plan for its reservoir system and recognizing that the way the city releases water from its reservoirs is felt many miles downstream."

"This landmark agreement protects New York City's water supply, and at the same time, increases the amount of water available to New Jersey, and will better protect the river's ecology, and help reduce flooding throughout the basin,'' said New York City Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway.

These steps will take effect June 1. After one year, all the parties will evaluate the reservoir management plan to see how it can be improved.

New York City operates three reservoirs in the Catskill region of southern New York State that are located in the headwaters area of the Delaware River. These reservoirs can store more than 276 billion gallons of water.

New Jersey, New York City, and the states of Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania are all parties to a 1954 federal court Consent Decree allowing for shared management of the Catskill reservoirs. New York City releases water from its Delaware Basin reservoirs as part of court-approved Flexible Flow Management Plan (FFMP). Releases from the city's Delaware reservoirs have been governed by that plan since it was approved by the U.S.
Supreme
Court in October 2007. The modifications are an update to the FFMP.

Under terms of the modifications:
* Fishery officials from all four states and the city will form a
panel to advise the city on maintaining water flows and temperatures to maintain a healthy and vibrant fishery.

* New Jersey can increase its diversion via the Delaware & Raritan
Canal during drought warnings from 85 million gallons per day to 100 million gallons per day. During drought emergencies, the diversion will remain at 85 million gallons per day.

* New York City has set an operational goal to maintain its
reservoirs
at 10 percent below capacity from Sept. 1 to March 15, and an average of five percent below capacity from July 1 to Sept. 1 and from March 15 to May 1. That step could help alleviate river flooding during periods of major storms and heavy snow melt.

Using a high-tech modeling tool, the city's Department of Environmental Protection developed a new formula that dramatically improves the ability to forecast and model water conditions, and make decisions on use of shared resources of the Delaware River in a new and better way. That can improve conditions for fish and other aquatic life in the Delaware River and keep the river's salt line in check. During droughts, this area of brackish water can move up the river and potentially affect industrial and drinking water intakes in southern New Jersey.


####

Larry Ragonese
NJ DEP
Press Information Director
609-292-2994
larry.ragonese@dep.state.nj.us

Brian,
Unless there is something in this agreement that I cant see, I fail to see this as an improvement, but rather a horrible misstep, I hope I am wrong and am missing something here. Unless they are talking 5 and 10 percent from the current L1, L2 and L3 releases.

With all of the snowmelt and recent rains, the total storage today is only 96%.
If they will only drawdown to 90% of storage capacity in the summer, there will be no water in the river.
 
Last edited:
Brian, Unless there is something in this agreement that I cant see, I fail to see this as an improvement, but rather a horrible misstep, I hope I am wrong and am missing something here. Unless they are talking 5 and 10 percent from the current L1, L2 and L3 releases. With all of the snowmelt and recent rains, the total storage today is only 96%. If they will only drawdown to 90% of storage capacity in the summer, there will be no water in the river.

Jeff - I didn't say this was an improvement....I want to see how it relates to flows in the current FFMP modeling before I know how I feel about it personally. It was news on flows so I put it up online for everyone to follow. Right now it's just talk and political back-slapping like when they passed the current FFMP. Hopefully we'll know soon what this means in terms of our fishery.
 
Jeff - I didn't say this was an improvement....I want to see how it relates to flows in the current FFMP modeling before I know how I feel about it personally. It was news on flows so I put it up online for everyone to follow. Right now it's just talk and political back-slapping like when they passed the current FFMP. Hopefully we'll know soon what this means in terms of our fishery.

Brian,
I wasnt implying that you endorsed this. I'm just kind of shocked by it thats all. I thought there was supposed to be a RFAC meeting today and an endorsement of the White Paper was going to be recommended. I still dont have enogh info to make a judgement. NYC's website claims that it will result in greater fishery releases, but they have always claimed that.
Tony Ritter posted the annoncement and I think he chairs the current RFAC, surprised he didnt add more info.
 
What I think your going to see is more of the same if not worse then the past. If water levels where reduced 5%-10% from historical averages then I would say you have the beginnings of a plan. As stated it sounds like they punted, no wonder NYC voted for it, I would if I were them.
 
Here is TU's response to this new plan from NJ NLC (national leadership council) rep. Rich Thomas who oversees our NLC's Delaware River Committee comprised of a variety of stakeholders from PA, NY and NJ:

From the NLC....



Agust (Gudmundsson) and I attended the RFAC (Regulated Flow Advisory Committee) meeting in Trenton on April 7. At this meeting, questions / concerns over the proposed New York City Operations Support Tool (OST) model where reviewed and commented on. Although some of the changes incorporated into the OST model may provide for more water in the summer months, it still does not provide the water required for a stable healthy fishery within the upper Delaware Watershed.



Trout Unlimited's Delaware Conservation Workshop was backing the Joint Fisheries White Paper (JFWP) as an alternative to the current Flexible Flow Management Plan (FFMP) which would be an interim solution until a long term plan can be reached.

 
Brian,

There still isn't a new plan. The press release NJ & NYC released perhaps was more like wishful thinking on their part. There has been nothing signed or agreed to yet by the decree parties.
 
Good point, Joe. Which is why our position is to push for the White Paper on the issue.

Anytime I see NY City "agree" to a plan ahead of time, I know the river just got screwed again....
 
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