| VOLUME XXXIV No. 38 | Narrowsburg, NY | September 18 - 24, 2008 |
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Just say ‘no’ to FFMP By Friends of the Upper Delaware The Upper Delaware River trout fishery is again under serious threat despite high reservoir storage levels, which are currently at 80 percent of capacity, with the Cannonsville reservoir at over 70 percent capacity. The lack of adequate releases this summer for the fishery has resulted in a nearly full reservoir, placing the entire Upper Delaware River in imminent danger of floods, especially during this current hurricane season. On average, the Cannonsville reservoir has less than 50 percent capacity at this time of the year. The current Flexible Flow Management Program (FFMP), introduced on an interim basis on October 1, 2007, has been a complete failure protecting the trout fishery. Temperatures rose to lethal proportions at the Lordville, NY USGS gage as early as June 11. The readings at Lordville often exceeded 75F degree instantaneous and 72F degree continuous, deadly for trout. Continuous hot water temperatures continued through the summer due to the insufficient FFMP releases despite an abnormally cool summer temperature. The situation in September is even worse. Releases on September 5 at Cannonsville went from 900 cfs to 100 cfs in a matter of hours. The FFMP schedule calls for a low 115 cfs release out of Cannonsville (400 to 600 cfs constant flow is needed for a healthy fishery environment) in September and will further drop releases to 80 cfs in the West Branch on October 1, devastating for the spawning brown trout runs in the West Branch. Releases were also lowered for the Pepacton and Neversink reservoirs with similar results. These low releases come at a time when mandated releases directed out of Cannonsville can no longer be relied upon, as new downriver power-generating operations and recreational releases are counted toward the Montague flow requirements. FFMP is a dismal failure and will further deteriorate the mainstem of the river and further contribute to the disappearing rainbow trout population as well as endanger the entire area from floods. The current temporary FFMP has the full support of NYC and will be made permanent, pending approval of changes to the Water Code, at the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) meeting on September 24. The approval to change the Water Code that legalizes FFMP will need a unanimous vote by all decree parties from New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Please let your voices be heard before September 24 to all state and local agencies (see contact information below) and tell them no to any Water Code changes and no to FFMP. Contact information for comment on the FFMP
Michelle Putnam Michelle.Putnam@dep.state.nj.us
Joe Miri
Tom Brand
Carol Collier carol.collier@drbc.state.nj.us
Doug Austen
James Tierney
Len Lichvar
Mark Koltz
Norm McBride
Pamela Bush
Leroy Young
Mark Hartle
Norm Gavlick norm@gavlick.biz |
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