Intro to the Delaware River Basin

Intro to the Delaware River BasinMegan Wiley RiveraHydroLogics, IncSept 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 1837First water reach NYC in 1842New Croton River system completed in 1911About 10% of present systemNote how the Delaware and Catskill Aqueducts feed into this system

http://nyc.gov/html/dep/html/drinking_water/maplevels_wide.shtmlCroton 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 Consumption8/24/081.11 Consumption8/24/081.11 Consumption8/24/081.1 bg consumed 8/24/2008

Total Storage(% of Capacity)Current:83.7Normal:83.0

Total Storage(% of Capacity)Current:83.7Normal:83.0

Total Storage(% of Capacity)Current:83.7Normal:83.0

How much water is this?Total storage = 458.2 bgDelaware storage = 270.8 bg

One way to think of storage: this is the water to get you through dry times (credit card)SeasonallyMulti-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 MontagueLimitations of the Montague targetHamstrings conjunctive use with lower basin reservoirsNot tied to any purposeJune 1 resetEstablished Delaware River Basin Commission

In drought, there is not enough waterThe allocation seems unrealistic both before and after the 60s drought800 mgd for NYC1750 cfs at Montague100 mgd for Northern NJTo get through the 60s 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 1960s drought, parties negotiated shorting scheduleIncentives!At the beginning of a drought, if NYC uses Delaware water instead of Catskills water, the Montague target is reducedCatskills reservoirs refill more quicklyJune 1 reset discourages conservation

Flexible Flow Management ProgramSome improvements (thermal banks for example)Does not address the major problemsDrought Management IncentivesMontague TargetJune 1 resetStill cannot get through repeat of 1960s drought

Our ChargeWe are going to attempt to negotiate a basin management plan that does better for ALL stakeholders than the FFMPChanges to the FFMP are adopted by consensus onlyCompromises may be made within states if necessaryThis is doable!