Written by: Jeff Skelding, Friends of the Upper Delaware River
Delaware River guide Ryan Furtak shows off the kind of fish produced by good water flows.
Photo courtesy Cross Current Guide Service
The Upper Delaware River tailwater is one of the finest wild-trout fisheries in the country.
In less than a week, it could be in grave danger.
New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York City must all agree on extending the current water-release plan (FFMP) from the NYC Delaware basin reservoirs, which created this great trout fishery. While far from perfect, the current plan provides for reasonably good habitat conditions most of the time.
The state of New Jersey is the lone holdout on extending the current plan, demanding that a lengthy list of Delaware River water resource demands are met. If New Jersey sticks to this position, an outdated 1980’s approach to reservoir management known as “Revision 1” will automatically take effect on June 1.
The Upper Delaware is a national treasure that deserves protection.
Photo via fudr.org
If that happens, water releases from the reservoirs to the coldwater fishery below the dams will be dramatically slashed, placing severe pressures on aquatic habitat conditions. And the recreational economy of the Upper Delaware River region will be severely weakened.
Please take a moment today and contact the Governors of PA, NY, NJ, and DE and the NYC Mayor and urge them to reach agreement on a plan that will avoid Revision 1 and protect the Upper Delaware River fishery and economy. Here’s a great letter sent by Trout Unlimited President and CEO Chris Wood.
Click on each name to send an email.
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
(518) 474-8390
The Honorable Chris Christie
Office of the Governor
PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625
(609) 292-6000
The Honorable Tom Wolf
Office of the Governor
508 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 787-2500
The Honorable John Carney
Carvel State Office Building
820 N. French Street, 12th Floor
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 577-3210
Mayor Bill de Blasio
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Phone: 311 or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC
Jeff Skelding is Executive Director of Friends of the Upper Delaware River, whose mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the cold-water ecosystem of the Upper Delaware River Watershed and to address any environmental threats to our area for the benefit of local communities, residents and visitors to the region.
Keep the flows as they are, this is the lively Hood.
This is a great fishery and needs to.be protected.
I sent the following to each Governor.
Dear Governor,
My quick short story may be one reason to maintain the current flow regime in the upper Delaware River.
I love to fish for trout. I live in Oregon and we have our fair share of trout waters. However, I want to experience all the best places that are in our wonderful country. The Delaware is on my “bucket list”. However, without water the trout will suffer and my small entry into the local economies of this river will be lost.
What will also be lost will be the habitat that allows these wonderful trout to exist. This loss in avoidable and it does not need to happen.
Please do what ever is necessary to maintain this wonderful fishery. The local economy and the jobs of lots of folks will appreciate it.
Sincerely
C**** B******
Eugene, OR.
Keep the Delaware clean forever