~ Water Resources Association ~

Water Resource Associations of the Delaware River Basin

Feb '08

Winter 2008 Newsletter-Chairman's Message

-The WRA and You-

First and foremost, and as described in our Mission Statement, your WRA is an organization of our membership and serves a valuable niche as an advocate for the business community for sound water resources planning, implementation and management. This isn’t always easy as our membership is diverse and widespread. However, if you as a member or a business have a water resources issue of concern, contact the WRA office or myself and we will try to help out. Good two-way communication with WRA staff and Board members will help us anticipate issues that are of concern. As a part of the Delaware River and Basin community, we all benefit from a regulatory environment that is based upon sound science and engineering, not the issue “de jour” that grabs headlines and a reaction from the public or regulatory agencies.

Second, in service to our members your WRA developed and submitted comments on DRBC’s proposal to regulate the lower Delaware River as Special Protection Waters as well as a comment letter on the Flexible Flow Management Plan (FFMP). Although WRA met the original comment submittal deadline for the FFMP, the comment period has been extended until March 3. We invite our members and members of the business community to use the WRA letter (see www.wradrb.org, Jan ‘08 In the News...) and file a letter in support of our position and comments.

Third, as a follow up to our annual General Membership and Board of Director’s meetings, it should be noted that they have evolved to contain a technical portion in addition to the usual business meeting. Our comments on regulations and policy as well as spring and fall technical sessions and networking opportunities are just a part of the “Value Added” aspects of your membership. Please take advantage of these membership benefits.

Lastly, for several years your WRA, in looking forward to future engineers and environmental professionals, has awarded the John L. Buzzi Scholarship to a deserving young person headed off to college with an interest and/or future in the environmental, water resources or engineering area. This year we hope to make this award at our annual Recognition Dinner on April 16, 2008. I am again looking forward to this year’s dinner and awarding our 2008 scholarship to a worthy recipient. See you there!

Dennis W. Palmer, P.E.
Chairman

Around the Basin: Flexible Flow Management Plan- Trout Versus Floods

The Delaware River Basin Commission’s Subcommittee on Ecological Flows or SEF has been working diligently for several years with the participation of the Supreme Court Decree parties (the four Basin states and New York City) to develop a Flexible Flow Management Plan (FFMP) for the upper Delaware and the New York City reservoirs. One of the Plan’s primary objectives was aimed at better protecting the wild trout fishery in the upper Delaware River by providing releases from the three New York City reservoirs that would sustain the fishery during periods of potential stress (high temperatures and low water). Other objectives of the Plan included water supply, drought mitigation, flood mitigation, a diverse array of habitat needs in the main stem Delaware River, the Delaware Estuary and Delaware Bay, recreational uses and salinity repulsion.

Prior to the committee and the decree parties unveiling the Plan in September 2007, the Basin experienced three serious floods from 2004 into 2006. Interestingly, of the top five rainfall events experienced within the Basin since 1949, three of those occurred during these years. Two resulted in flooding. As a result, and at the request of the four Basin Governors, the Commission established an Interstate Flood Mitigation Task Force in October 2006 whose mission was to develop a set of recommendations and an action plan by the four Basin states to help mitigate flooding. The final report was produced and sent to each Governor in July 2007 for their review and follow-up.

The flooding and its aftermath mobilized affected Basin residents who turned out in mass at a number of recent Commission meetings and at the January 16 hearing on the FFMP. The residents contention is that the three New York City Reservoirs, as well as other water supply reservoirs in the Basin, should provide a reserve void to maximize flood protection. The problem with this approach is that as you move farther downstream on the main stem less of the drainage area is subject to impoundment of the tributaries. For instance, at Callicoon the drainage area impounded by all reservoirs is 45% but at Trenton it is only 28% and for only the New York City reservoirs the drainage area impounded is 14%. Thus, in the more heavily populated areas downstream of the Delaware Water Gap, a major void in reservoir capacity could attenuate flood levels to some degree. To some residents living in the floodplain this could be the difference between water in the basement and water on the first floor. To other residents, the reservoirs are the reason that floods occur in the first place. The latter statement, however, is not supported by historical data. The following observations and conclusions have been set forth by DRBC:

-Seven of the ten worst main stem floods in the Delaware Basin during the past century occurred in the absence of reservoirs or in the absence of spills from the dams.

-Weather forecasting is not yet sufficiently advanced to furnish reliable drought or flood predictions well in advance. Moreover, severe droughts can develop within a matter of months.

-Flooding would occur without reservoirs in place and eliminating reservoir spills entirely will not eliminate main stem floods.

-Hydrologic theory and observed data show that even when an impoundment if full and spilling, reservoirs lower and delay the maximum flood discharges at dam sites when compared to natural, undammed conditions.
Some 2.5 million Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents obtain their drinking water from the Delaware River downstream of the Delaware Water Gap. Adequate flows must be maintained to provide for adequate water supplies.

Basin residents have called for a 20% void in the New York City reservoirs to be used for flood protection. Historic data shows that if this void had been maintained in 2001, during the last major drought, the three City reservoirs would have been nearly empty before they could refill. As it was, by the end of 2001 combined reservoir storage was only 23.4% of total capacity. This certainly was a scary scenario both for New York City and downstream water users.

The good news is that the decree parties and DRBC are working to incorporate into the FFMP agreement a discharge mitigation program. In addition, New York City and PPL’s Lake Wallenpaupack hydroelectric facility are using snowpack-based storage management programs to calculate on-the-ground water supply storage. DRBC has also contracted with USGS, the Army Corps of Engineers and NOAA/National Weather Service to develop a flood analysis modeling tool. This valuable tool will facilitate evaluation of reservoir operations at all major Delaware River Basin impoundments.

All this work is great but will it convince Basin residents that regardless of how the reservoirs are operated there will always be periodic floods on the Delaware River and its tributaries? I think not.

There is extensive information on this issue on DRBC’s website. Please visit it at www.drbc.net. It is interesting reading.

Bob Molzahn
WRA President

Update: Special Protection Waters in the Lower Delaware

On January 19, 2005, DRBC temporarily classified the 76-mile stretch of the non-tidal lower Delaware River between the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to the head of tide at Trenton, N.J. as Special Protection Waters (SPW) through September 30, 2005 . The Commission then extended the temporary designation on three different occasions: through September 30, 2006, through September 30, 2007, and most recently through May 15, 2008. This last extension is to allow adequate time to complete the proposed rulemaking and public comment process on permanent SPW designation of the Lower Delaware, which is now underway

WRA has been following the SPW issue since its inception a number of years ago. Although discussed with DRBC staff at several Technical Advisory Committee meetings during this period, there really was nothing in hard copy to review until the fall of 2007. Workshops were held by DRBC in late-October, followed by WRA’s November 2007 fall conference where DRBC staff members gave several presentations on the subject. A public hearing was finally held on December 4.

In cooperation with several of our members and concerns they expressed, WRA provided comments to DRBC on the proposal (see www.wradrb.org, Dec ‘07 In the News..). Comments from the water user/discharger community were extensive and may require follow-up meetings with this constituency.

Announcing: Dr. John L. Buzzi Memorial Scholarship Winner for 2007

The WRA Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Brian Hamill of Emmaus, PA has been awarded $1000 for the 2007 Dr. John L. Buzzi Memorial Scholarship. Brian is now a freshman at St. Michaels College.

Brian has first hand experience with the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers as an experienced whitewater guide and a a freestyle playboater. He won the award of “kayaker of the year” from Pocono Whitewater three times. He has paddled numerous class V rivers including an adventurous 18 day overnight down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.

Living with the Little Lehigh in his backyard and adjacent to the land of the Wildlands Conservancy, Brian has been active in maintaining healthy riverside ecosystems. Riverside work he participated in included restoration of streambanks through rockwork and vegetation plantings. Since he was a youngster, Brian participated in educational programs at the Conservancy and was involved in building a wetlands boardwalk and the control and weeding of invasive vines and other non-indigenous plant species.

In High School Brian took courses in environmental sciences which complimented his experiences on the River and with the Conservancy.

Brian’s personal career goal is to take a business approach in an environmentally friendly area of employment, which might include river guiding and/or other outdoor recreational activities.

We congratulate Brian and his accomplishments and wish him the best in completing his college degree.

Nominations Sought for the Dr. John L. Buzzi Memorial Scholarship for 2008

The Board of Directors of the Water Resources Association is pleased to announce that, for a fifth year, a $1,000 scholarship in memory of Dr. John L. Buzzi, former Chairman and Board member, will be awarded to a qualified high school senior that is interested in or desires a career in a water resources related field.

The announcement of the scholarship is being sent to numerous high schools within the Delaware River Basin’s watershed. More information on the scholarship, eligibility, selection criteria and the application process can be found on WRA’s website at www.wradrb.org. If you receive this newsletter and know of a high school student that may be interested in applying for the scholarship because of his interest in water resources or related fields please pass this information on to him or her. If they have any questions they can contact the WRA office. Please note that the deadline for the application is March 31, 2008. The student selected will be notified in April. The award will be presented at WRA’s annual Recognition Dinner on April 16.

Coming on April 16

Water Resources Association
of the Delaware River Basin
26th Annual Recognition Dinner
Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Location:
The Down Town Club
150 S. Independence Hall West, 6th and Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Time:
Reception: 5:30 PM Awards & Dinner: 6:30 PM
Adjourn: 9:15 PM

We are pleased to announce awards in the
following categories:

Samuel S. Baxter Memorial Award
Robert W. Naef P.E.
For his leadership as Executive Manager & Chief Engineer of the Chester Water Authority and for his contribution to sound water
resources management to the standards exemplified by the
former Philadelphia Water Commissioner, Samuel S. Baxter

Government Award
Delaware Bay Oyster Restoration Project
For a collaborative effort by state, federal, regional and local
agencies, institutions and organizations to fund and implement a program to revitalize the oyster fishery in Delaware Bay

Business & Industry Award
Aqua New Jersey
For the installation of advanced ultraviolet and radon water
treatment systems, the first of their kind in the
State of New Jersey

Dr. Ruth Patrick Excellence in Education Award
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge
For vision and leadership in developing and implementing
numerous environmental and water resources education
programs within the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area

Achievement Award
Bernard L. Dworsky
For leadership in planning, developing and implementing sound water resource management plans and programs within
Delaware as the former Director of the Water Resources Agency for New Castle County and a former member of
WRA’s Board of Directors

Special Recognition Award
Alan W. Flenner, P.E.
For his leadership as an officer in the U.S. Navy Engineer Corps in Iraq to manage and complete several water and utility
projects vital to that country’s infrastructure

Lifetime Achievement Award
Secretary John A. Hughes
For his longstanding leadership in planning, developing and
implementing water resource management and regulatory
programs within Delaware ‘s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

More than 200 water resource professionals attend this dinner annually. For more information or to make a
reservation please call us or go to the WRA website at
WWW.WRADRB.ORG