Locked Up in the Watershed...

The Delaware River is running at summertime levels (3.90 @ Riegelsville) and that is because most of the precipitation that has fallen over the last few months has been in the form of snow and ice.

The entire watershed is covered with snow and the river and its tributaries contain thick ice sheets. This is the classic set-up for the most wicked type of flooding that occurs on the Delaware River and elsewhere. The last such event was 1996 and it impacted the Lower Delaware and many tributary streams such as the Perkiomen Creek.

Even though conditions are perfect for flooding it could turn out that we'll see a gradual melt and thaw period with little rain. It's also possible that a two foot snow will hit us, followed by heavy rain and warm temperatures. The winter ice-jam floods can occur anytime between January and March.

Stay tuned.

Dillution the sollution to pollution?

That's what the gas drillers in PA seem to think. Unfortunately, so do the regulators as this AP article points out.

"Industry representatives and the state's top environmental official insist that the wastewater from fracking has not caused serious harm anywhere in Pennsylvania, in part because it is safely diluted in the state's big rivers."

Ouch.

Help the Musky!

Please consider sending your own version of the below letter to the following email addresses: john.trontis@dep.state.nj.us, david.chanda@dep.state.nj.us, Amy.Cradic@dep.state.nj.us, beth@musconetcong.org

Robert Martin, Commissioner

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

December 27, 2010

Dear Commissioner Martin,

As a long-time member and former Executive Director of the Musconetcong Watershed Association, I am writing to request that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection withdraw the “Low Water” paragraph from the DRAFT Lake Hopatcong Water Level Management Plan (LHWLMP). The state must carry out its duty protect vulnerable water resources for all citizens, even if that protection may sometimes come at the expense of commercial interests.

Please consider the following when making your decision in favor of protection of the Musconetcong River from potentially damaging low flow except in an emergency:

1) The Musconetcong River is a part of the National Wild and Scenic River System. This federal designation is conferred on the few rivers that can demonstrate “remarkably outstanding characteristics” and comes only after a rigorous eligibility study.

2) The Musconetcong River must be protected because it is a Category One waterbody under the N.J. Stormwater Regulations for most of its 42 miles. These antidegradation standards protect the river from measurable changes in water quality because of its Exceptional Ecological Significance.

3) The Musconetcong River is one of the premier trout streams in New Jersey and it is stocked by NJ Fish and Wildlife, reductions in the flow could devastate the fishery.

4) The Musconetcong River receives treated effluent from two municipal sewage treatment plants and adequate river flow is needed to handle such discharges.

Please do not put this outstanding river at risk by reducing outflows for the benefit of polluting powerboats, personal watercraft and a hand full of marina operators..

Sincerely,

My Fellow Rivergeeks..

I'm eagerly awaiting delivery of a Thule canoe rack system for my new (leased) car. This is the 'droughiest' period of no-paddling ever - haven't been out on the water since Labor Day weekend.

It's the time of year we love the small streams like the Musconetcong, Tohickon and Pine Barrens, assuming we continue to receive liquid precipitation, or at least some snow melt.

Any day now.

Drought Buster...

This has been a familiar pattern over the past ten years or so: an extended dry period or drought that is abruptly ended by a tropical storm, or hurricane.

We likely had enough extended soaking rain to break the drought warning, and more rain is on the way. My new hometown recorded over 8 inches.

It's important that this tropical precipitation occurs before the ground freezes so that some groundwater recharge can take place. Stream base flows and wetlands will be perky heading into next spring.

The Schuylkill River and Perkiomen Creek were two Delaware Basin streams that overflowed their banks. Most others like the Delaware itself and its other major tributaries merely flirted with flooding. The Delaware River at Riegelsville got up to 20+ feet, which is a few feet below flood stage.

The Musconetcong River came close and the Tohickon Creek was ripping. This is all good for those who like fall and winter paddling.

Baaaaaaack!

I've been too busy and way distracted to maintain this blog but will get back to it. Since the last post over a month ago I've moved to the Lehigh Valley, paddled just once on the Delaware River, began working for the Appalachian Mountain Club, visited the Lower Susquehanna in Lancaster and York counties, started a Feasibility Study for the 150 mile PA Highlands Trail, split up with Sharon, lost 5 pounds of useless ugly fat and an ounce of formerly useful...sanity.

Hey if you're a resident of Pennsyltucky consider going to the rally in Harrisburg. If you haven't been there for awhile it's a pretty nice town with great Susquehanna river front. Lobby the pols for a SEVERANCE TAX on gas drilling operations and more enviro protections.

Or give your reps a call or visit. If the legislation doesn't pass the state parks and open space protection will be in deep doodoo!

Tomorrow I'm heading up to the Mohican Center to hike the Appalachian Trail, look for rattlesnakes (will settle for copperheads), play the piano at the lodge and commune with the black bears. Hope to post some pics in a few days.

Gone Fishin'

I've been distracted by a new job and moving to a new home. Stay tuned...on hiatus until early September.

Power to the People?

The proposed Susquehanna-Roseland Transmission line was the focus of a July 12 trip down the Delaware River between Bushkill and Smithfield Beach.

We met at the National Park Service headquarters and received an overview of the project and how NPS is responding (with a 2-year study). Park Superintendant Donohue put it in perspective when he described a multitude of utility and resource extraction projects that threaten the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and the Delaware River itself.

The VIP’s in the group included township officials from Fredon Township, NJ and Lehman Township, PA, as well as a Monroe County Commissioner, and a congressional aide. There were representatives from the Appalachian Mountain Club (my new employer), Sierra Club (PA & NJ), New Jersey Conservation Foundation, National Parks Foundation, and Delaware Riverkeeper Network (apologies to those I missed).

The National Canoe Safety Patrol – Lower Delaware Chapter provided escort along with a handful of NPS employees.

We paddled the 10 mile stretch of the river on a hot sunny day through Walpack Bend (perfect for a swim break) down to the very spot where the proposed transmission line is proposed to cut through and destroy the character of one of the prettiest sections of the entire river. That was the lunch stop and we lingered there for awhile to contemplate how one of the nation’s busiest National Parks could ever be considered for such a project. Maybe that’s just the nature of the likes of PP&L and PSE&G.

Utility companies make money for their shareholders generating electricity for an insatiable public; electricity that is being generated by dirty coal-fired power plants using coal carved out of the landscape by what is known as ‘mountaintop removal coal mining.’ Is this project really needed?

The Susquehanna-Roseland Transmission line represents an antiquated, twentieth century approach and the project should be deep-sixed. But if it is to be built it can’t be allowed to destroy the public commons. This park belongs to the people, not to PP&L and PSE&G.

Floating Flotilla

July 3rd was hot and sunny – a perfect day to lead 25 boats down the Delaware River for the Musconetcong Watershed Association.

The river was running just above 3’ at the Riegelsville gage and after completing a complex car shuttle we set out down the river by 10am.

There were only 2 canoes in the flotilla, the rest were solo kayaks. This trip also included 4 teenage paddlers and at least a few among the group had little or no experience paddling in moving water. We only had one unplanned swimmer, one of the teens went over the rock shelf (sideways) at Raubsville and found himself floating downriver on his back. We performed the river rescue and the kid had a fine ‘baptism.’

It was a great relief to find not one jetski on this stretch of the river and only a few motor boats, and those were unusually courteous operators as far as honoring the ‘no wake zone.’

On my way back downriver to Yardley I was amazed by how many people were out on the river in all manner of watercraft, from tubes to pontoon boats. It’s clearly a “staycation” kind of summer.

Running Low…

Delaware River Sojurners at the Rieglesville boat ramp with Roebling Bridge in foreground.

A mid-week paddle trip between Phillipsburg and Riegelsville provided a much needed connection to the river and environs.

Highlights of the trip included a bald eagle sighting, a few osprey, blue heron, green heron and kingfishers. We didn’t see many boaters until the Raubsville lunch break where we encountered the seventy-some members of the annual Delaware River Sojourn. I visited with several members of that entourage, including members of the National Canoe Safety Patrol.

The other notable feature of the trip was the powerful wind gusts, which seemed to alternate between headwind and tailwind depending on the bend of the river.

The Delaware and its tributaries are down due to the lack of rain, which has come sparingly for most of us in the form of brief summer storms.

The Delaware is running at just over 3.50’ at the Riegelsville gage and that’s slightly below the median flow. The Lehigh @ Bethlehem is running several hundred cfs below the median. There isn’t much rain in the extended forecast so streams will continue to fall.

According to the Bucks County Herald the Delaware Canal will be filled with Lehigh River water (the usual source) on July 23. It’s been dry since a series of devastating floods destroyed several sections of the canal. It took over 3 years and several millions dollars to do all the repairs. One catastrophic flood is all it takes.

More On Gas Drilling…

Stover Mill on the Delaware River

The Delaware River Basin Commission has decided to include “exploratory drilling” in its temporary ban on new permits for natural gas drilling within the 13,000 + square mile river basin, pending the development of regulations for the activity. Read about it here.

Meanwhile the PA legislature is getting closer to passing a severance tax on Marcellus Shale gas extraction, although the pols are still haggling over how to split up revenues from the tax.

Last week the FRAC Act was introduced in Congress to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act exemptions for drilling and to give the EPA authority over hydraulic fracturing. The bills would also require gas drillers to disclose their "proprietary" toxic chemicals used in the fracking process. Senator(s) Bob Casey (D-PA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY introduced the bill in the Senate and a companion bill was introduced into the House by Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Diana DeJette and Jared Polis (both D's from Colorado, which is pockmarked by shale drilling operations). ProPublica maintains the most comprehensive coverage of the issue.

A good day of rain last Sunday perked up stream flows with the Delaware running a little higher than normal for this date. Most tributaries are running near or below the median flow.

We paddled the Frenchtown to Bulls Island stretch on Monday and had the river to ourselves until the last half mile when we ended up gagging on the stench of jetski exhaust.

Water quality appeared to be relatively poor, presumably due to polluted runoff from the recent rainstorm. The normally clear river was running brown from the sediment that was carried into it by its tributaries. Prior to the rain the water clarity was outstanding.

This could be the trend for this summer if extreme weather plagues us the way forecasters are predicting.

NEWS FLASH

The Upper Delaware River is America’s most endangered river according to American River’s list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers – 2010 Edition.

Read the report here.

The Upper Delaware made the list because of threats from Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling. I’m not sure how the Susquehanna River wasn’t included for the same reason.