By: Kelly Knutson, Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, and Jeff Senterman, Catskill Center for Conservation and Development
Spanning more than 13,000 square miles, the Delaware River and its surrounding tributaries are recognized as the irreplaceable lifeblood of the Northeast.
The Delaware River watershed provides fresh, clean drinking water to 13.3 million people across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York — including half of New York City — and is of tremendous ecological, recreational, and economic value to the region.
The health, well-being, and vitality of the entire Delaware River watershed depend on our investments in its upper headwaters located in the Catskills and Southern Tier regions of New York.
As the least developed part of the watershed, the ecological integrity and diversity of the Upper Delaware River support a wide variety of plant species, wildlife, outdoor recreational activities, and people.
The Upper Delaware is known for having some of the highest water quality in the eastern United States. This is mainly because the upper portion of the watershed has remained largely forested, with plant life acting as a natural buffer and filter — an important part of maintaining that high water quality.
The Upper Delaware Valley’s biological diversity also contributes to the high quality of life and scenic value of the area for those who call it home and is extremely popular with anglers, boaters, and other river users. With some of the most important fisheries and recreational opportunities in the Northeast — 5.5 million visitors from around the country flock to the region to explore and enjoy the beauty of the Basin.
The Delaware River — especially the Upper parts of the Watershed — provides immense value. In fact, the total value of natural goods and services from the River’s ecosystems in New York is $3.5 billion, illustrating how crucial the area is to the local economy.
Additional resources and funding investments in the Upper Delaware are critical to implement long overdue projects that mitigate flooding, protect ecosystems, and preserve water quality. This is why the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed (CDRW) and the Catskill Center are pleased to see that elected officials Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), along with Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), reintroduced the Delaware River Basin Conservation Reauthorization Act (DRBCA). Representative Pat Ryan (D-NY) has cosponsored the bill, solidifying his support for bold climate action that protects and preserves New York’s healthy environment.
This bipartisan legislation would fund environmental conservation projects throughout the watershed and protect the existing DRBCA from ending this year by extending it through 2030. The legislation also plays an important role in expanding equity in the Basin by helping small, rural, and disadvantaged communities better access conservation funding.
The newly proposed match program would increase access not only in urban areas but in rural areas as well by reducing the amount of money small, rural, and disadvantaged communities need to provide. Ultimately, this would allow more money to funnel into our region for important local programs like wildlife protection, dam removal projects, and mitigating severe flooding events. To date, the funding mechanism authorized by the act has invested nearly $4 million through 13 projects in the Upper Delaware Watershed alone. In FY22, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which administers the grants, received a total of 61 proposals requesting $26.5 million dollars. This amount reinforces a continued need to improve the health and resources of the watershed for generations to come.
We need legislators — including New York’s congressional delegation — to support the bill and pass it with the 90% federal and 10% local match requirements for small, rural, and disadvantaged communities, so those funds can help create a better environment for us all.
And moving forward, when there is money available for the Delaware River, it is important to remember that the health, well-being, and vitality of the Upper Basin are critical to the health, well-being, and vitality of the entire watershed.
