This year’s report focuses on “Clean Water by the
Numbers” emphasizing the efforts and results of the commission and its
staff of engineers, aquatic biologists, geologists, modelers, planners,
and others to provide clean and sustainable
water resources throughout the Delaware River Basin.
“Measuring changes to water quality can be
complex,” said DRBC Executive Director Steve Tambini. “In 2016, we saw a
continuation of DRBC-driven water quality improvements throughout the
basin.” For example, in watersheds that drain to
the basin’s Special Protection Waters (from Hancock, N.Y. to Trenton,
N.J.), DRBC’s goal is
no measurable change to existing water quality except toward natural conditions.
DRBC’s monitoring and assessment programs confirmed in a report
published in 2016 that the Lower Delaware – a 76-mile stretch of the
river extending from just below
the Delaware Water Gap at Portland, Pa./Columbia, N.J. to Trenton – not
only met the
no measurable change water quality objective, but showed
reductions in nutrient pollution at most sites. “Our annual report
highlights these improvements along with many other DRBC programs that
we employ to effectively manage our shared water resources
in the basin,” said Tambini.
The annual report, along with short supporting videos that give an overview of the commission’s work, can be viewed at
www.nj.gov/drbc/about/public/annual-report2016.html.
The compact that formed the DRBC in 1961 requires
the publication of an annual report covering the commission’s programs,
operations, and finances.
The DRBC is a federal/interstate government agency
responsible for managing the water resources within the Delaware River
Basin without regard to political boundaries. The five commission
members are the governors of the basin states (Delaware,
New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) and the commander of the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers’ North Atlantic Division, who represents the
federal government.
To learn more about the commission, please visit www.drbc.net or follow DRBC on Twitter at
@DRBC1961
