Directed Releases on the Upper Delaware River
Photo Caption: Cannonsville Dam
If you’ve ever tried to read about how the NYC Delaware River Basin reservoirs in the western Catskills are managed, you’ve probably run into a wall of technical terms and acronyms. It can feel like you need a translator just to figure out what’s going on!
That’s why one of the goals of the FUDR Angling Advocacy Program is to cut through the jargon and make reservoir management easier to understand. We want anglers and everyone who cares about the river to feel confident joining the conversation.
One term you’ll hear a lot is “Directed Releases.” In simple terms, these are specific amounts of water that New York City releases from its three Delaware River Basin reservoirs - Cannonsville, Pepacton, and Neversink -under the rules of the Flexible Flow Management Program (FFMP), the plan that governs overall reservoir operations.
Directed releases are additive to baseline FFMP conservation releases and are mandated under the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court Decree, which established a minimum flow target of 1,750 cubic feet per second (CFS) at the USGS Montague, NJ gauge on the Delaware River.
On a daily basis, the USGS Delaware River Master, based in Trenton, NJ, monitors weather patterns, precipitation and other basin inflows, including hydropower releases from mid and upper basin facilities above the Montague gauge. When river flows are predicted to drop below the Montague target, the River Master is authorized by the 1954 Decree to require New York City to release additional water - known as directed releases - from the upper basin reservoirs.
For many anglers on the Upper Delaware River (UDR), directed releases are often welcome especially under low flow conditions in the tailwater wild trout fishery. Increased flows can enhance habitat conditions and improve angling opportunities. However, several important considerations apply:
Cold Water Supply is Limited: The annual cold-water reserves in the NYC reservoirs that are essential for trout survival are also finite. Frequent directed releases during dry periods can deplete this supply, potentially impacting fishing conditions later in the season.
Forecasting Limitations: Directed releases are based largely on weather forecasts, which, while generally reliable, are not infallible. Additionally, hydropower releases in the upper basin are not always known or predictable. As a result, actual flows may exceed or fall short of the Montague target. Such discrepancies are managed through the River Master’s “balancing adjustment” procedure.
Spawning Season Impacts: Directed releases often occur during fall dry spells, which coincide with brown and brook trout spawning. Rapid decreases or shutdowns in releases can expose redds (spawning beds), endangering trout reproduction.
Mitigation Measures: In 2017, the UDR angling and conservation community successfully advocated for the creation of the FFMP “Rapid Flow Change Mitigation Bank.” This reserve allows for gradual reductions in directed releases once flow targets are met while attempting to mimic the natural rhythms of a river (not controlled by dams/reservoirs) and help protect spawning habitat.
Reservoir Selection: The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) determines which reservoir(s) supply directed releases. Typically, Cannonsville Reservoir is used due to its large release capacity, while Pepacton and Neversink are prioritized for NYC’s water supply. As a result, enhanced angling conditions often occur in the West Branch and main stem, but less so in the East Branch and Neversink.
Recently, the UDR angling and conservation community urged NYC to use all three reservoirs for directed releases. This approach could help reduce the risk of exposing trout redds when releases are sharply cut and could improve habitat conditions throughout the UDR tailwaters without compromising NYC’s water supply needs. Unfortunately, NYC declined this proposal, citing their priority to use Pepacton Reservoir for water supply and operational flexibility at Cannonsville.
While we recognize that water supply is a critically important element in the management of the NYC Delaware River basin reservoirs, there is also a commitment to the recreational and social value that the river provides below the dams. We believe this is a conservation strategy worth continued advocacy, especially during dry periods that threaten habitat in the East Branch and Neversink.
To learn more about directed releases and other aspects of the FFMP that influence fishing and recreation on the Upper Delaware River, please contact Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR).
For the River,
Jeff