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Water Census Progress: DRB Focus Area Perspective

Water Census Progress: DRB Focus Area Perspective. Bob Tudor Deputy Director Delaware River Basin Commission. Delaware River Watershed Facts. Over 15 million people (about 5% of the U.S. population) rely on the waters of the basin

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Water Census Progress: DRB Focus Area Perspective

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  1. Water Census Progress: DRB Focus Area Perspective Bob Tudor Deputy Director Delaware River Basin Commission

  2. Delaware River Watershed Facts • Over 15 million people (about 5% of the U.S. population) rely on the waters of the basin • Drains 13,539 mi² , or 0.4 of 1% of the continental U.S. land area • Longest undammed river east of the Mississippi • Daily water withdrawal in the DRB = 8.7 BGD

  3. Water Supply • Water supply for over 15 million people • Four states + NYC - Supreme Court Decree 1931/1954 • DRBC 1961 • Keep the flow up to keep the salt front down. • Decree Party Reservoir Release Program • Ecological water needs • Flood mitigation • Flow targets

  4. Photos Courtesy NYC DEP

  5. Salt Line (250 mg/l, 7 day avg) Water Supply Intakes RM 110 1960’s Maximum Normal R.M. 77 Data for determination provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and Kimberly Clark Corp.

  6. Unique Resource • Exceptional water quality • High ecological diversity • ~75% of the non-tidal river is part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System • Upper & Middle in 1978 • Lower in 2000

  7. DRBC’s Charge • Manage water resources w/out regard for political boundaries • Regulate water quantity (equitably allocate, maintain streamflow) and water quality • Plan (e.g., Basin Plan 2004; Periodic State of the Basin Reports 2008/2013) • Coordinate between federal, state & local governments and private entities w/ role in managing water resources • Educate the Basin community about water resources

  8. Sustainable Water Resources – 2060 Will DRB Have Enough Water ? • Population – Change and Location • Energy Generation – Water Footprint • Ecological Flows • Natural Gas Development? • Point and Non-Point Pollution • Climate Change • Sea level rise, intense storms, droughts

  9. Focused Water Availability Assessments Groundwater Resources Water Quality Water Use Surface Water Trends, Precipitation, etc State, Local, Regional Stakeholder Involvement Global Change Eco Flows Defined Technical Questions to be Answered

  10. Goals of the Delaware River Basin Focus Area Study • Acquisition, management, and integration of improved water-use and water-supply data • Development of a hydrologic watershed model to evaluate water stressors such as population growth, land-use change, and climate variability on water resources in the basin. • Development of ecological-flow science • Enhancement of the existing Decision Support System for parts of the main-stem Delaware River • Defining relations between streamflow processes and aquatic assemblage responses in tributaries.

  11. Water Use: Aggregated Withdrawal Estimates • By 12-digit subbasin • Annual average (not monthly or seasonal) • Surface waterandgroundwater • Based on category • Self-supplied domestic • Irrigation • Livestock • Aquaculture • Mining 12-digit subbasins Acquisition

  12. WATER – A decision support tool Precipitation Record or Forecast Current Condition Gaged Streams Long-term Flow Record Current Conditions Ungaged Streams Hydrograph Landscape Characterization Potential Climate Change Land Management and Water Allocation Water Availability

  13. Reservoirs and Routing Initial work focusing on basin areas upstream of reservoirs. Eventually: • WATER export to OASIS • Use OASIS decision points for routing of basins

  14. Water Use Coordination and Integration • Models • Data delivery • USGS GIS group • Data warehouse • StreamStats Ecological Water Integration

  15. Objectives for the Water Census: To place technical information and tools in the hands of managers and stakeholders, allowing them to answer two primary questions about water availability:Does the Nation have enough freshwater to meet both human and ecological needs?Will this water be present to meet future needs?

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