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Delaware River Water Supply Will Continue Despite Multi-State Agreement Fails To Renew

BUCKINGHAM TOWNSHIP — The groups controlling water flow on the upper Delaware River failed to reach an agreement before midnight last night. It sounds lik...

BUCKINGHAM TOWNSHIP -- The groups controlling water flow on the upper Delaware River failed to reach an agreement before midnight last night.

It sounds like a bad thing for businesses along the river, but as Newswatch 16 found out -- that's not the case.

At the Delaware River Club, two fly fishermen were packed up and headed out for a day on the water in northern Wayne County.

The parking area was packed at the boat launch near the Whitetail Country Fly Shop off Route 191.

It`s clear; the Delaware feeds the economy here.

Lee Hartman is the chairman of the Delaware River Commission for Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited.

“Memorial Day weekend, this river was full of kayaks, boats, people, fishermen,” said Hartman. “If we didn't have the releases, they wouldn't be here.”

But it's those water releases from reservoirs into the Delaware that are in jeopardy.

Pennsylvania and the surrounding states controlling the water supply of the river failed to meet an agreement which means the level of the river could drop.

“This hit us like a ton of bricks, we didn't anticipate that this would happen, we had some confidence that an agreement would be reached,” said Hartman.

“If there was no water, then the fishing would deteriorate, obviously people wouldn't come here and therefore our business would suffer,” said Dave Hess at the Whitetail Country Fly Shop.

But then Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware announced New York City would voluntarily release water from reservoirs so the Delaware will continue to have a water supply.

“I'm glad we got a reprieve and hoping that they'll actually be able to work it out and we'll be able to get a good resolution that's good for everybody,” said Samantha Dennis at the Delaware River Club.

“It's a great interim measure to keep water in the river and therefore protect the fish and insects and obviously it helps the local economy,” said Hess.

Hartman say this means life not just for the economy but life in the water, too.

“This is a wild trout fishery and it needs cold water, those reservoirs up there supply the cold water.”

The states still hope to reach a new agreement on water levels.

 

 

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