Intro to the Delaware River Basin Megan Wiley Rivera HydroLogics, Inc Sept 13, 2010

Basin-wide water management (see interactive map) New York State Recreation Trout Fisheries Flood control New York City Water Supply (2 people) Pennsylvania Flood control Lake recreation Livery (river) recreation New Jersey Water Supply Fisheries Salt water encroachment Delaware Oysters Floodplains Dwarf wedgemussels

Croton system Project began in 1837 First water reach NYC in 1842 New Croton River system completed in 1911 About 10% of present system Note how the Delaware and Catskill Aqueducts feed into this system

Croton System Capacity: 86.6B gallons % of Capacity: 92.1 Neversink Reservoir Capacity: 34.9B gallons % of Capacity: 77.7 Rondout Reservoir Capacity: 49.6B gallons % of Capacity: 93.6 Pepacton Reservoir Capacity: 140.2B gallons % of Capacity: 87.5 Schoharie Reservoir Capacity: 17.6B gallons % of Capacity: 77.2 Cannonsville Reservoir Capacity: 95.7B gallons % of Capacity: 77.2 Ashokan Reservoir Capacity: 122.9B gallons % of Capacity: 77.1 Total Storage(% of Capacity) Current:83.7 Normal:83.0 Consumption 8/24/ Total Storage(% of Capacity) Current:83.7 Normal:83.0 Consumption 8/24/ Total Storage(% of Capacity) Current:83.7 Normal:83.0 Consumption 8/24/ bg consumed 8/24/2008

How much water is this? Total storage = bg Delaware storage = bg One way to think of storage: this is the water to get you through dry times (credit card) –Seasonally –Multi-year droughts Inflows are more like the water you have to work with (income).

Consent Decree Agreement (1950) NYC could divert 800 mgd (ave) in exchange for guaranteeing 1750 cfs daily at Montague Limitations of the Montague target –Hamstrings conjunctive use with lower basin reservoirs –Not tied to any purpose June 1 reset Established Delaware River Basin Commission

In drought, there is not enough water The allocation seems unrealistic both before and after the 60s drought –800 mgd for NYC –1750 cfs at Montague –100 mgd for Northern NJ To get through the 60’s drought: major water restrictions (water famine), NYC suspended Montague releases, NYC eventually took Hudson water, salt front came within 10 miles of Philadelphia intake

Good Faith Agreement (1982) After the 1960’s drought, parties negotiated “shorting” schedule Incentives! –At the beginning of a drought, if NYC uses Delaware water instead of Catskills water, the Montague target is reduced –Catskills reservoirs refill more quickly –June 1 reset discourages conservation

Flexible Flow Management Program Some improvements (thermal banks for example) Does not address the major problems –Drought Management Incentives –Montague Target –June 1 reset –Still cannot get through repeat of 1960s drought

Our Charge We are going to attempt to negotiate a basin management plan that does better for ALL stakeholders than the FFMP –Changes to the FFMP are adopted by consensus only –Compromises may be made within states if necessary –This is doable!