DEP, Trout Unlimited Help Restore Trout Habitat

Date: 

04/10/2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DEP, Trout Unlimited Help Restore Trout Habitat
Plantings Along Banks of Horton Brook to Improve Ecology at Key Spawning Area

Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway and Trout Unlimited Director of Land Protection Nat Gillespie today announced the restoration of a key section of Horton Brook which is a known critical spawning area for trout. Representatives from DEP, Theodore Gordon Flyfishers and the Beamoc Chapter of Trout Unlimited planted willow stakes at the water's edge along an area that was made into a floodplain last year. The plantings will stabilize the banks of the brook and help protect a trout spawning area by preventing sediment from entering the water.

"This is great day for local anglers. Stabilizing this critical section of Horton Brook will benefit the trout population for years to come. I would like to thank Trout Unlimited, Theodore Gordon Flyfishers and the DEP staff who worked on this vital project that will protect one of the best trout fishing areas in the country," said Environmental Protection Commissioner Holloway. "The important work performed at Horton Brook is yet another example of our efforts to improve the use of New York's waterways for recreational use."

"Trout Unlimited proposed this project in 2000 to reduce flooding and to benefit habitat in Horton Brook and downstream, on the Beaver Kill," said Director Gillespie. "Even though the property is outside the drinking water supply watershed, New York City remained committed to making this project happen. The partnership will have long-lasting tangible benefits to the trout and wildlife habitat here."

During construction of the West Delaware Tunnel in the 1950s and 1960s, excavated soil was stockpiled along Horton Brook, which runs along the length of Horton Brook Road and feeds into the Beaver Kill in the Town of Colchester. The West Delaware Tunnel transports water from the Cannonsville Reservoir to the Rondout Reservoir on its way to New York City.

Over time, the brook meandered toward the stockpiled material, causing sediment to enter the brook as it eroded the bottom of the slope. Trout Unlimited targeted the project because Horton Brook provides the largest cold water refuge for trout in the Beaver Kill Watershed during summer months, when water temperatures can exceed 78 degrees, which means dissolved oxygen levels in stream water are reduced and trout can suffocate.

The floodplain restoration project will reduce erosion of sediments into Horton Brook,
reduce sedimentation on trout spawning areas downstream, slow the velocity of the brook when it floods, and reduce the size of the delta at the brook's mouth which, when too large, can prevent trout from reaching the cold brook waters needed for summer survival.

For the first part of the project last year, approximately 16,000 cubic yards of soil was removed. The excavated section is approximately 450 feet long. DEP provided two dump trucks, a bulldozer, and a Gradall for last year's project. Trout Unlimited provided the excavator, silt fence and grass seed. Delaware County donated the use of a mulcher and Greene County donated the use of a hydro seeder. The Town of Colchester provided two dump trucks to help move the excavated soil. After the earth removal was completed, a group of 32 volunteers and staff from Trout Unlimited, Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, New Jersey Conservation Foundation and DEP planted 600 native trees and shrubs.

Earlier today, Trout Unlimited, Theodore Gordon Flyfishers and DEP strengthened the streamside buffer by harvesting native willow stakes from mature willows upstream of the project and installing them at the water's edge.

Trout Unlimited, www.tu.org, is North America's leading coldwater fisheries conservation organization, with more than 140,000 members dedicated to conserving, protecting, and restoring North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.

DEP manages the City's water supply, providing more than 1 billion gallons of water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8 million in New York City, and residents of Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester counties. Approximately 1,000 DEP employees live and work in the watershed communities as scientists, engineers, surveyors, and administrative professionals, and perform other critical responsibilities. DEP has invested over $1.5 billion in watershed protection programs — including partnership organizations such as the Catskill Watershed Corporation and the Watershed Agricultural Council — that support sustainable farming practices, environmentally sensitive economic development, and local economic opportunity.

Contact:
Michael Saucier (DEP), (718) 595-6600
Erin Mooney (Trout Unlimited), (703) 284-9408

Trout habitat at Horton Brook to improve ecology of spawning area | Trout Unlimited - Conserving coldwater fisheries

Trout habitat at Horton Brook to improve ecology of spawning area | Trout Unlimited - Conserving coldwater fisheries

Gas drilling debate rages in Del. River watershed | Trout Unlimited - Conserving coldwater fisheries

Gas drilling debate rages in Del. River watershed | Trout Unlimited - Conserving coldwater fisheries

Upper Delaware River Fishing Reports

We will be doing fishing report updates on the Upper Delaware River and the East Branch of the Delaware River.  To see theses reports click here:

Upper Delaware River

East Branch Delaware River

Friends of the Upper Delaware River Endorse NY & PA "White Paper"

A key stream advocacy group has endorsed an important new “white paper” by officials in New York and Pennsylvania that urges improvements in water releases from New York City‟s three reservoirs into the Delaware River tailwaters.

The white paper analysis was done jointly by the Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission in a report entitled, “Recommended Improvements to the Flexible Flow Management Program for Coldwater Ecosystem Protection in the Delaware River Tailwaters.”

The 36-page report gives a scientific analysis of benefits to the fisheries and ecosystem of the tailwaters and the Upper Main Stem of the Delaware River that could be realized by increased releases while still assuring adequate water is available to meet the drinking water needs of all of the communities that draw water from the river. Currently, releases from the three reservoirs are determined by an agreement called the Flexible Flow Management Program that was adopted three years ago by four basin states and New York City that are the parties bound by a 1954 Supreme Court decree.

“Flows in the tailwaters under the white paper release schedule will be substantially better than they have been under the FFMP,” said Dan Plummer, chairman
of FUDR. “We also anticipate that we will see significant gains in habitat in the Upper Main Stem under this new release program.” Plummer urged the decree parties to immediately adopt the proposed schedule of releases set forth in the white paper.

Al Caucci, vice president of FUDR, said, “We know that there certainly is enough water to go beyond the white paper release levels while continuing to meet everyone‟s needs. But this new release schedule moves us much closer to maintaining a robust trout fishery in the East and West Branch and well down the Main Stem from the beginning of April through the end of October.”

Friends of the Upper Delaware River is a not-for-profit organization that advocates on behalf of the river system, its residents, its businesses and its trout and other marine life. FUDR has been a leader in the battle to get in place a more sensible water-release plan from the area‟s reservoirs, providing both safety from flooding and a sustainable world-class fishery.

“While we‟re pleased to see this cooperative effort by the New York and Pennsylvania fisheries experts, we also are renewing the proposal FUDR, Trout Unlimited and other conservation groups made a year ago for a larger release program that goes beyond the white paper proposal,” said Lee Hartman, FUDR vice president and chairman of the Delaware River Committee for the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited. He said the conservation groups‟ renewed proposal would provide substantially larger releases to the tailwaters over a longer period of time than the FFMP while continuing to assure ample water for New York City.

“Obviously, we have more work to do to maximize this incredibly valuable fishery and ecosystem,” said Plummer. “We‟re very pleased to see that the two state agencies view the white paper as a working document to provide release recommendations based on the most current information available.”

Plummer noted that even since the white paper was released, the media reported that New York City‟s water consumption dropped another 12% during 2009, perhaps in response to increased water usage fees. This continuing trend toward lower consumption will further reduce predicted risk levels and support additional releases in the future.

Protect Water Resources from Marcellus Drilling

PA Must Take Action to Protect Water Resources from Drilling Wastewater, Other Sources of TDS Pollution

 

Proposed Rules will Help Keep Drinking Water, Streams and Rivers Clean

HARRISBURG -- High levels of total dissolved solids pollution from natural gas drilling and other sources pose a real threat to Pennsylvania’s streams and rivers, including aquatic life, warned Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger today.

“The treating and disposing of gas drilling brine and fracturing wastewater is a significant challenge for the natural gas industry because of its exceptionally high TDS concentrations,” said Hanger. “Marcellus drilling is growing rapidly and our rules must be strengthened now to prevent our waterways from being seriously harmed in the future.”

Hanger pointed to recent examples where TDS impaired streams and affected major sources of drinking water.

In 2008 and 2009, TDS levels exceeded drinking water standards along the Monongahela River, which is a major source of drinking water. Drinking water treatment plants do not have the equipment available to remove TDS, so any water polluted with TDS goes into Pennsylvania’s homes and businesses.

Similarly, in early September 2009, excessive TDS levels led to an environmental disaster that wiped out 26 miles of Dunkard Creek in Greene County, as well as many miles of the creek in West Virginia. These high TDS concentrations, coupled with other factors such as temperature and nutrient concentrations, enabled golden algae to bloom and created an inhospitable environment for aquatic life. The algae released toxins to the water column that literally wiped out aquatic life, including at least 16 species of freshwater mussels and 18 species of fish.

Dunkard Creek is an example of what can happen if TDS is not controlled, said Hanger, and the loss of this important public resource was an environmental and economic tragedy.

TDS is a measure of all elements dissolved in water that can include carbonates, chlorides, sulfates, nitrates, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. In addition to natural gas drilling, other sources of TDS include, abandoned mine drainage, agricultural runoff, and discharges from industrial or sewage treatment plants.
For more information, visit www.depweb@state.pa.us.

DEP Adopts Updated Regulations to Protect NYC Watershed

April 4, 2010

Amendments Will Align DEP’s Watershed Regulations with Federal and State Laws

Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway today announced updated Watershed Regulations for the protection of New York City’s water supply. The new regulations, which will become part of the New York State Health Code, will amend existing DEP regulations covering the upstate watershed to align them with changes made in federal and state law over the past ten years, and address issues that have been raised during the City’s administration and enforcement of the regulations since their adoption. The prior regulations were adopted in 1997 as part of the Filtration Avoidance Determination issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, which allowed the City to continue operating its unfiltered drinking system from the Catskill and Delaware watersheds.

“More than nine million New York State residents depend on New York City’s three upstate reservoirs systems for clean drinking water,” said Environmental Protection Commissioner Holloway. “To protect this vital resource, the City has purchased land or easements on more than 108,000 acres upstate. And we work closely with our upstate partners to prevent impacts on water quality from agricultural uses or other development. These updated regulations are another step to ensure that projects in the City’s watershed are designed and constructed in ways that protects water quality.”

Fourteen sections of the Watershed Regulations have been updated to prevent contamination to and degradation of the City’s surface water supply. Highlights of the provisions include:

• Enhanced standards for the control of stormwater runoff from certain construction sites. For example, in commercial areas with a large amount of impervious surfaces, the revised regulations will require additional stormwater treatment, such as construction of larger or secondary detention basins. DEP has also adopted the requirements of the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for construction activities to ensure complementary enforcement of the latest regulatory standards for stormwater runoff.
• New provisions to allow for sewage treatment plants in certain areas of the Croton watershed. This will authorize DEP to grant variances for new or expanded surface discharging wastewater treatment plants in closer proximity to the Croton reservoir.
• Updated criteria defining the quality of drinking water reservoirs consistent with state and federal standards, specifically concerning stricter phosphorus limits for select basins.

These changes take effect on April 4, 2010 and will apply to all counties located within the Croton, Delaware and Catskill watersheds. DEP started the process of revising the Watershed Regulations more than five years ago. The revised regulations that will go into effect on April 4 were published for public review and comment in the City Record in 2008.  Public hearings on the proposed changes were held that same year. After carefully reviewing all comments, DEP made revisions and the updated regulations were submitted to the New York State Department of Health in 2009. DEP received approval in February 2010 for final publication in the City Record, which occurred on March 3, 2010. Pursuant to the City Administrative Procedures Act, the regulations will become effective 30 days after final publication.

DEP manages the City’s water supply, providing more than 1 billion gallons of water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8 million in New York City, and residents of Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester counties. Approximately 1,000 DEP employees live and work in the watershed communities as scientists, engineers, surveyors, and administrative professionals, and perform other critical responsibilities.