A snippet of the interview published in Delaware Currents by Meg McGuire | March 31, 2025
A series of conversations with people who have worked in and for the watershed, sharing their expertise and knowledge.
What is your framework for thinking about the Delaware River and its watershed?
I was once on a conference panel during my time with DRBC when someone asked me a similar question. They wanted to know what “water security” meant for the Delaware River Basin — not in the post-9/11 sense of security, but in terms of ensuring a sustainable water future for our watersheds, regions, states and communities.
I probably fumbled through my answer at the time, but it was a great question — one that pushed me to think more systematically about the key elements of water security in the basin. I adopted a framework built around four foundational focus areas: water availability, water resilience, water quality and water equity. These elements don’t exist in isolation — they are deeply interconnected and must be considered together.
Beyond these pillars, I also believe that achieving true water security requires sound science, foundational engineering and robust planning. These principles drive smart water policy and lead to measurable, positive outcomes. That’s what made my work at DRBC so rewarding — seeing these strategies in action. For more than 60 years, DRBC has applied this framework successfully, benefiting millions of people and making a lasting impact on the region.
So, regarding the first focus area: Is there enough water available to meet the needs of the basin?
Generally speaking, yes. On average, the Delaware River Basin receives enough annual rainfall to meet routine water needs. Most people don’t think twice about where their water comes from — faucets run, streams flow, and life carries on. That’s a good thing, but it’s also important to recognize some unique water availability challenges in the basin to ensure smart planning for the future.
For starters, if you look at a map of major U.S. river basins, the Delaware River Basin stands out as relatively small in land area. Despite its size, it supplies water to major metropolitan and suburban areas, serving about 4 percent of the U.S. population.
Adding to the challenge, more than 9 percent of the total water withdrawn from the basin each year is exported outside the watershed. This water supports essential needs in New York City and Central New Jersey, but because it doesn’t return to the hydrologic cycle within the basin, it’s considered “consumptive use.” Managing these out-of-basin diversions is part of a complex Supreme Court Decree.
Another key challenge is controlling saltwater intrusion. Since the Delaware River and its tidal estuary are undammed and open to the Atlantic Ocean, there’s nothing physically stopping saltwater from moving upstream. The only thing that keeps it in check — preventing impacts on drinking water supplies, industrial intakes, aquatic life, and wetlands — is careful management of freshwater flowing downstream. During dry conditions, releases from water storage reservoirs supplement river flows to help maintain the salt front’s location.
For the full article in Delaware Currents, click here.