4/9/08 Flood victims don't celebrate yet...
Wednesday, April 9, 2008 9:46 AM EDT -

Gail Pedrick of New Hope

In an unexpected about-face, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell last week called for larger releases from the New York City Delaware basin reservoirs in a letter to the decree party principals and Delaware River master, “In light of the rain that is forecast for southeastern New York.”

He said, “I, as chairman of the Delaware River Basin Commission, ask that you join me in taking action to help protect against potential Delaware River main stem flooding.

”While substantial rains are not unusual for April, the reservoirs are already full. If approved, this agreement would allow the Flexible Flow Management Plan to be adjusted to provide augmented reservoir releases during the period April 1 through April 30.”

Gov. Rendell urged, “Your immediate attention to and concurrence with this request.”

Sounds great, doesn’t it? At last, Gov. Rendell is pointing to New York City reservoirs!

Don’t celebrate just yet and move your “stuff” back to the basement or first floor!

In a reply letter to Gov. Rendell and Secretary McGinity of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, which issued the press release, I voiced concerns regarding:

”It is my understanding that the release values are not large enough to let out enough water to lower the reservoirs if a rain event is on the way. It is also my understanding that in the recent three floods, no water was diverted when the reservoirs were at 100 percent.

”How do you expect to lower the reservoirs as the rain events approach? Your concern appears to be a little too late as we have been begging you both now for almost three years to put voids in the reservoirs as the New York City reservoirs are not flood control and, therefore, can not open gates to let water out quickly.
”You both have allowed the citizens of Pennsylvania to be sitting ducks. What you are doing to us is criminal!
”The reservoirs have been full for months now. Where is the drought? “

In my letter I referred to diversions. There are three ways to get water out of the New York City reservoirs — release values; spilling and diversions.

The diversions take the water away and do not allow the water to go into the Delaware. The water can be diverted to the round-out reservoir or on to New York City or into the Hudson through shaft 6.

No water was diverted during the previous three floods so when the rain events occurred, we received billions of gallons that were “spilled” from the already full and brimming over reservoirs.

The release values are too small to let out enough water quickly to create a void to accommodate the approaching rain event, which is where we are now and have been for months.

We have been spared a couple of times now because we have not received the forecasted rain.
Reality check! The FFMP will be voted on by the DRBC next month and will be good until 2011.
It contains no year-round permanent safety voids.

There are no plans to equip New York City reservoirs with larger release values.

The releases that are planned for the reservoirs are not large enough to accommodate rainfall or snow pack melt. That is why we have full reservoirs now and have had during this past year the FFMP has been in place.
The good thing is Gov. Rendell pointed to the reservoirs. The bad thing is it is only good until April 30, or as some say, the election on the 26th.

For all who live in New Jersey, New York, Delaware or Pennsylvania, contact your governor and request 20 percent year-round safety voids in the FFMP.

We can not raise our river towns, bridges, canals or roads.

Gail Pedrick
New Hope