FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January
5, 2006
CONTACT:
Ian Michaels (DEP)
718-595-6600
Maureen Wren (DEC)
518-402-8000
Snow
Pack-Based Spill Reduction Program Expanded to the Neversink
Reservoir
Pepacton
and Neversink Now Protected as DEC and DEP Work to Prevent
Flooding
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan and New York City Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Emily Lloyd announced
today that the spill reduction program which has been in place
at the City’s Pepacton Reservoir has been expanded this year
to include the Neversink Reservoir in Sullivan County.
“Following the success of the spill reduction program at
Pepacton, the City and State jointly advocated for its expansion
to Neversink,” Commissioner Sheehan said. “This
will help protect the people and properties in flood-prone areas
during the winter and spring months when snow causes water levels
to rise sharply. Through work with DEP, local municipalities,
and the federal government, we have been able to create a unique
controlled release program that will alleviate the pressure of
snowfall and melt. This will help protect the residences
while also ensuring that water supply remains at desired levels
to serve the millions of New Yorkers that rely on this important
resource.”
Commissioner Lloyd said, “This agreement balances the interests
of areas immediately downstream, the concerns of the nine million
people who depend on these reservoirs as a critical part of their
drinking water supply, and the millions of people in other states
who rely on the Delaware River for drinking water, transportation
and commerce. This will help absorb much of the anticipated
spring run-off, but residents must remember that while controlled
releases will help decrease the risk, communities downstream should
still take steps to improve their flood preparedness and to closely
examine their uses of the downstream flood plain.”
Under the program, controlled releases will be made from Pepacton
and Neversink in order to maintain voids in the reservoirs equal
to one-half of the water equivalent of any existing snow pack surrounding
the reservoirs, meaning that the void will vary as the snow pack
increases or decreases. The program will continue until March
31.
The snow pack program was first implemented at the Pepacton Reservoir
last winter after a smaller program, which created a five billion
gallon void in the reservoir, proved to be successful the year
before. The snow pack program at Pepacton was the result
of an agreement reached after months of discussion by a committee
seeking ways to help alleviate flooding concerns along the East
Branch of the Delaware River. Members of the committee included
DEP, DEC, Delaware County, the Town of Colchester, and the federal
government.
The City and State sought to expand the program to the Neversink
Reservoir for the following winter and were able to secure the
approval of all the parties to the 1955 Supreme Court consent decree,
which governs the use of the Delaware River’s headwaters.
The approval of all four Delaware River basin states (New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware) is required for any controlled
releases from the City’s Delaware River reservoirs.
Releases from Pepacton will not be made when the river stage
at Fishs Eddy is above 11 feet, or is projected to be above 11
feet within 48 hours. Releases may also be suspended if ice
threatens flood-prone areas. The flood stage for the East
Branch of the Delaware River is 13 feet as measured by the gauging
station at Fishs Eddy.
Flood stage for the Neversink River at Bridgeville is 8 feet. Accordingly,
releases will not be made when the measurement at Bridgeville is
above 6 feet or is forecast to be above 6 feet within 48 hours. These
guidelines are subject to modification based on information that
may become available demonstrating the necessity of a lower cautionary
stage.
The Pepacton Reservoir is the largest of the four reservoirs
that make up New York City’s Delaware Water System, which
provides about 50 percent of the City’s daily supply of about
1.2 billion gallons. It was put into service in 1955 and
has a capacity of 143.7 billion gallons. As of the morning
of January 4, Pepacton was filled to 91.3 percent of capacity.
The Neversink Reservoir is another component of the Delaware
Water System and was put into service in 1954. It has a capacity
of 34.9 billion gallons and as of January 4 was filled to 95.1
percent of capacity. Normal storage for the City’s
entire water supply system on January 4 would be 78.2 percent.
“Normal reservoir levels are based on averages from previous
years,” said Commissioner Lloyd. “Some years
are higher and some years will of course be lower. That is
why the system has experienced six droughts since 1980. Above
average water levels are an important hedge against the possibility
of future droughts, which are impossible to predict.”
Releases and river levels are directed by Delaware River Master
according to the Supreme Court consent decree. Releases can
also be dictated by the DEC in accordance with the DRBC experimental
fisheries program. The DEP cannot take unilateral action
to increase or decrease the downstream releases from the City’s
Delaware River reservoirs.
Snow pack estimates are issued daily by the National Weather
Service. The DEP also takes snow pack measurements and with
the assistance of DEC is in the process of upgrading its system
for more accurate results.