STATE OF THEBASIN2019 Water’s journey through the park. Photo credit: Kevin Haines. Message from the Executive Director I am pleased to report that the state of the water resources of the Delaware River Basin is generally good and improving. The Commission’s State of the Basin Report 2019 – our third such publication since 2004 – benchmarks conditions and tracks progress toward achieving key DRBC water resource management goals for maintaining an adequate supply of suitable quality water to meet the diverse needs of our region for public water supply, recreation, industry, commerce, agriculture, and aquatic life. This year’s report provides a detailed evaluation – essentially, a focused snapshot – of 31 indicators for watersheds and landscapes, water quantity, water quality, and living resources, and includes a rating and a directional trend for each. A majority of the indicators received a “Good” or “Very Good” rating, while trends are predominantly “Improving” or “Stable.” Lower ratings or declining trends for some indicators show us where additional study and stewardship are required. This 2019 evaluation reflects the collective effort of organizations and individuals throughout the Basin to improve the invaluable water resources we share. It also highlights water resource challenges for the Basin associated with climate change and includes recommendations and directions for addressing future challenges. The preamble to the Delaware River Basin Compact begins with recognition by the four Basin states and the Federal government that: the water and related resources of the Delaware River Basin [are] regional assets vested with local, State and National interests, for which [the Commission’s members] have joint responsibility. The Basin’s water resources provide drinking water for over 13.3 million people in four states – approximately 4 percent of the total population of the United States. These shared water resources also: underpin a regional economy that relies upon our water and waterways; provide a diverse habitat for living resources; afford abundant opportunities for water-based recreation; and support a high quality of life for residents throughout our region. In addition to highlighting the work of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to manage, protect and improve our irreplaceable waters and waterways, this report also recognizes the important contributions made by other agencies and organizations. Managing a river basin is a complex charge that requires dedication, commitment and stewardship, not only by government at all levels, but also by businesses, industries, philanthropic and academic institutions, and by each and every one of us who depend on this resource. In the Delaware River Basin, we are fortunate to be among a diverse and energized community of stewards – valued partners who are committed to shared local and regional goals. Because water resource management is a community-wide endeavor, DRBC’s 2019 State of the Basin enterprise is not limited to this report. For the first time, we are reaching out to organizations in all corners of the Basin to gather diverse perspectives about Our Shared Waters. I encourage you to take advantage of this new opportunity and provide your input on the conditions – whether good or not so good, seemingly improving or declining – in your or your organization’s unique experience of the Delaware River Basin. Steve Tambini, PE State of the Basin 2019 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Delaware River Basin Commission staff are grateful to In addition to identifying desired environmental end states, the following organizations that assisted in various ways the Water Resources Plan for the Delaware River Basin throughout the development of this report. includes goals for the development of partnerships; the • Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE) exchange of data, information and technology; and the • Delaware Department of Natural Resources and improvement of coordination and cooperation among Basin Environmental Control (DNREC), Department of Fish and institutions, agencies and organizations. The State of the Wildlife (DE DFW) Basin Report 2019 fulfills those goals. • United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) • Delaware Water Resources Center, Institute for Public DRBC Report Development Team Administration, University of Delaware Seung Ah Byun, PhD, PE • United States Geological Survey (USGS), NJ Water Science Evan Kwityn Center - Jonathan Kennen, PhD and Pam Reilly Chad Pindar, PE Michael Thompson In addition to DRBC publications and in-house data, major sources of information in this report were obtained from Technical Support the US Census Bureau, Shippensburg University, USEPA Jacob Bransky Storet, USGS NWIS, NatureServe Explorer and an array of Peter Eschbach environmental quality information from NJDEP, PADEP, Ron MacGillivray, PhD DNREC, NYDEC, USFWS, US Forest Service, USGS, The Nature Kenneth Najjar, PhD, PE Conservancy (TNC), and the Academy of Natural Science of Karen Reavy Drexel University (ANS). Amy Shallcross, PE Namsoo Suk, PhD The portion of this report focused on Living Resources Steve Tambini PE (Section 4), relies significantly on the 2017 Technical John Yagecic, PE Report for the Delaware Estuary and Basin prepared by the Justine Zola Partnership for the Delaware Estuary . Numerous sections were updated with recent data provided by DE DFW, Cover Photos referenced throughout the text as appropriate. Additional EarthFest at Temple Ambler. Photo credit: DRBC. resources used are cited at the end of the section. Blue crab. Photo credit: Evan Kwityn, DRBC. Delaware Water Gap. Photo credit: Samuel Vovsi. Mongaup Falls. Photo credit: Martha Tully. Delaware River Sojourn. Photo credit: DRBC. Blue spotted sunfish. Photo credit: Evan Kwityn, DRBC. Fall into the Gap. Photo credit: Kevin Haines. State of the Basin 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 LIVING RESOURCES 33 WATERSHEDS AND LANDSCAPES 3 ATLANTIC STURGEON 34 POPULATION 4 WHITE PERCH 35 LAND COVER 5 STRIPED BASS 36 IMPERVIOUS COVER 6 WEAKFISH 37 WATER QUANTITY 7 AMERICAN EEL 38 WATER WITHDRAWALS 8 AMERICAN SHAD 39 CONSUMPTIVE USE 10 BROOK TROUT 40 GROUNDWATER AVAILABILITY 12 BLUE CRAB 41 CURRENT AND FUTURE HYDROLOGY 14 HORSESHOE CRAB 42 Flow 14 EASTERN OYSTER 43 Climate Change 16 FRESHWATER MUSSELS 44 WATER QUALITY 19 MACROINVERTEBRATES 46 DISSOLVED OXYGEN 20 INVASIVE SPECIES 48 NUTRIENTS 22 OSPREY 50 pH 25 REFERENCES 51 SALINITY 26 SUMMARY OF INDICATORS 54 TEMPERATURE 28 CONTAMINANTS 29 FISH CONTAMINANT LEVELS 30 EMERGING CONTAMINANTS 31 WHOLE EFFLUENT TOXICITY 32 State of the Basin 2019 LIST OF FIGURES INTRODUCTION 2-12: Washington’s Crossing Bridge area in the I-1: Overview of the Delaware River Basin’s June 2006 Flood 15 Setting in the United States 1 2-13: Washington’s Crossing during a Drought I-2: The Defined Regions and Sub-regions of Watch in Late 2016 15 Delaware River Basin 1 2-14: Average Annual Temperature at Philadelphia I-3: The Physiographic Regions and Provinces of 16 the Delaware River Basin 1 2-15: Annual Precipitation at Philadelphia 16 I-4: The Water Quality Zones of the Delaware 2-16: Mean Sea Level at Philadelphia over the Last River Basin 2 Century 16 2-17: Potential Differences in Average Monthly WATERSHEDS AND LANDSCAPES Precipitation in 2060 17 1-1: Total Population in the Delaware River Basin 2-18: Potential Differences in Average Monthly by State 4 Reservoir Inflows in 2060 17 1-2: Population Projections for the Delaware River 2-19: Predicted Sea Level Rise through the 21st Basin by State for 2000 to 2030 4 Century 18 1-3: Land Cover in the Delaware River Basin, 2016 5 WATER QUALITY 1-4: Land Cover in the Delaware River Basin, 3-1: Dissolved Oxygen by River Mile along the 1996-2010 5 Mainstem Delaware River 20 1-5: Percent Impervious in the Delaware River 3-2: Summer Dissolved Oxygen on Delaware River Basin, 2016 6 Tributaries, 2011 through 2016 21 1-6: Percent Impervious in the Delaware River 3-3: Delaware Estuary July Daily Mean Dissolved Basin by Subbasin, 1996-2010 6 Oxygen Concentrations by Year at Ben Franklin Bridge, 1965 to 2016 21 WATER QUANTITY 3-4: Median Nutrients Concentrations for 2-1: Total Water Withdrawals from the Delaware Subwatersheds in the Delaware River Basin 22 River Basin, 2016 in mgd (million gallons per day) 3-5: Nutrient Concentrations in SPW from 2010 8 to 2016 23 2-2: Long-term, Monthly Water Withdrawal Trends 3-6: Available Phosphorus along Mainstem for PWS, Industrial, and Thermoelectric Sectors 9 Delaware River, 2008 to 2016 24 2-3: Historic Monthly Water Withdrawal Trends 3-7: Historic Available Phosphorus in the for PWS Sector 9 Delaware Estuary from 1967 to 2016 24 2-4: Historic Monthly Water Withdrawal Trends for 3-8: Total Nitrogen along Mainstem Delaware Industrial Sector 9 River, 2008 to 2016 24 2-5: Long-term Monthly Consumptive Use Trends 3-9: Historic Nitrate in the Delaware Estuary from for PWS, Industrial, and Thermoelectric Sectors 10 1967 to 2016 24 2-6: Historic monthly consumptive use trends for 3-10: pH Measurements at Delaware the Thermoelectric Sector 10 Estuary Monitors, 2011 to 2016 25 2-7: DRBC Water Audit Program Summary 3-11: Summer pH Observations at Delaware Basin (CY2016) 11 Water Quality Meters 2011 to 2016 25 2-8: Trends in Groundwater Withdrawal in Critical 3-12: pH Box and Whisker Plot at Ben Franklin and Protected Areas of the Delaware River Basin 12 Bridge, 1967 to 2016 25 2-9: Areas of Groundwater Stress in the 3-13: Salt Front Location by Month for 1963-2019, SEPA-GWPA for 2016 13 1963-1969 (drought of