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With the National Weather Service
forecasting high temperatures for the Upper Delaware River Region approaching or
reaching 90 degrees through next Thursday, the Upper Delaware
River can find itself in peril of
over-heated river temperatures threatening the survival and health of its wild
trout population.
Similar crisis of
high water temperatures earlier most of the summer have already taken
a major toll on the Main Stem brown and rainbow trout that that
have called this river home for more than 100 years.
It's not the high temperatures alone
that create this peril, but the continued mismanagement of this National Wild
and Scenic River by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) and its adherence
to its adoption of a proven failed river management plan known as the Flexible
Flow Management Plan (FFMP). Low releases
throughout most of the summer, followed by erratic high releases, then drops to
lower releases are harmful to the trout and the
environment.
What is needed,
and what leading environmental groups and fisheries agencies are advocating
for a robust fishery, is a constant release that will keep the water temperature
at Lordville on the Mainstem under 68F degrees. It has been proven that this can
be accomplished without jeopardizing the NYC water
supply. Even the authors of the current plan now
admit to major short comings and yet the water authorities refuse to make any
changes.
Inaction has resulted in serious
degradation of the riverine ecosystem and not only places the trout at harm but
many other fish species and benthic wildlife. It's time, once and for all, for
the complete revamping and modernization of the management plan to take into
account the health of the river corridor and its fish life and the millions of people that live downstream. The Delaware River is the
longest free flowing, un-dammed river, east of the Mississippi.
It's no wonder that American
Rivers, a leading river environmental group placed the
Upper Delaware
River #1 on its list of imperiled rivers
this year.
