Interstate Flexible Flow Management Plan Modifies New York City Reservoir Operations

State representatives from New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania have come to an agreement that modifies New York City’s reservoir operations. A new rule was temporarily implemented on October 1 while public comments are being accepted.

The Flexible Flow Management Plan is designed to provide greater flood protection, improve fisheries management, and allow for greater flexibility to address future water needs without compromising the reliability of the public water supply for New York City and Philadelphia (see the article in our May newsletter). Specifically, the plan calls for moving to flows for fisheries that are more gradual and based on available storage, not the so-called “banks” that had been used under the previous system. Instead, the new program bases releases on a comparison with normal flow levels for the time of year, while also taking into account drought situations and drinking water needs.

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) will gather public comment as part of its formal rulemaking process over the next several months. The flexible flow management plan is considered temporary until a more comprehensive program can be developed and adopted. The request by flood victims to leave 20 percent voids in the New York City reservoirs year round is being considered. The Philadelphia Water Department has stated that during the last drought, leaving a 20 percent void would have compromised the Delaware intake for Philadelphia due to lack of water. In addition, the New York City reservoirs infrastructure currently is not capable of moving water adequately to create such a void. http://www.ahs.dep.state.pa.us/newsreleases/default.asp?ID=4772