Delaware River States Agree to Lower Reservoir Levels During Repairs to New York...

Delaware River States Agree to Lower Reservoir Levels During Repairs to New
York City Water Supply System

State to Test New Weather, River Forecasting Tool

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Environmental Protection
Secretary John Hanger today announced that Pennsylvania and other Delaware
River states have negotiated an agreement with New York City that will reduce
reservoir levels in the river basin to reduce the risk of flooding and benefit
fisheries during the temporary shutdown of a major water supply tunnel that
connects several of the city's reservoirs.

The Rondout to West Branch Tunnel in the upper Delaware River Basin will close
for a major repair project, and the city has agreed to divert as much as 50
billion gallons of water from reservoirs to the Delaware River between
September 2009 and May 2010.

In addition to benefiting the freshwater fishery in the river and creating
more reservoir storage capacity, the increased flows will allow Pennsylvania
and other states in the basin to test a new weather and river forecasting tool
that was recently developed by the National Weather Service. The system will
incorporate long-range weather forecasting and weekly monitoring to determine
the amount of water to be released to maintain adequate reservoir levels and
to provide sufficient flows to support aquatic life and recreational uses.

Releases from the city reservoirs will be higher when they are full and before
wet weather arrives, further reducing reservoir levels below those established
under previous agreements.

"This program is the result of an historic, cooperative effort on the part of
New York City, Pennsylvania and other states in the Delaware River Basin to
use excess water from the city's reservoir system during the temporary
shutdown of the Rondout to West Branch Tunnel," Hanger said. "In addition, we
will be using new scientific methods to assess real flow conditions so we can
better manage water resources in the Delaware River basin to benefit
fisheries, improve flood forecasting and protect water supplies."

Pennsylvania and the other Delaware River states - Delaware, New Jersey and
New York - signed the Flexible Flow Management Program with New York City in
September 2007 that establishes a comprehensive, adaptive management program
to better protect the basin's water resources. The increased flows during the
water tunnel closing are temporary and will not have any affect on that
agreement.

The Delaware River and its tributaries provide drinking water supplies for 15
million people. For more information, visit the Delaware River Master's Web
site at: http://water.usgs.gov/osw/odrm/

CONTACT: Tom Rathbun
(717) 787-1323

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Tom Rathbun of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection,
+1-717-787-1323