Delaware Riverside Conservancy, Inc. Flow Management Plan

The Delaware Riverside Conservancy is presently advocating 20% voids in the NYC reservoirs. This is a great start but in order to make this system work better for everyone involved in addition to 20% voids, we also would like to have an improved reservoir management system developed. This would consist of a central control station able to control the entire reservoir system based on input from engineers, hydrologists and weather experts to better control the level of the Delaware River and to assist in minimizing droughts as well as floods. It is likely this could be developed into a computerized program once the proper inputs and outputs are selected and fine-tuned.

The various inputs to the system should include but not be limited to:
Present levels of the Delaware River at various check points.
Present levels of the Delaware River tributaries.
Anticipated levels of the Delaware River at various check points.
Anticipated levels of the Delaware River tributaries.
Local weather forecasts.
Long range weather forecasts.
Hurricane watches and warnings
Snow cover and potential runoff.
Water table level.
Flood levels along the Delaware River at various key locations.
Water flow necessary to maintain the upper river fisheries.
Water temperature necessary to maintain upper river fisheries.
Water flow necessary to maintain sufficient flow at salt line in lower Delaware.
Data accumulated from recent floods and non floods such as October 2005

This central control station should have the authority and capability to control the following:

Reservoir water levels in long and short term anticipation of flood or drought.
Water releases into the Delaware to best accommodate the goals.
Pumped storage releases to assist in avoiding salt water intrusion.
Up pumping from Chelsea pumping station in time of drought.
Releases into the NYC lower reservoirs “Croton” watershed system.
Diversion from the Delaware system into the Hudson River.
If not now possible, a means of doing this should be devised. Very important.

This must be a non-political system and operated for the good of all.

Version #2 10/12/07