New development / good news for the Lehigh River

[LehighRegular]

If you trust NYC and their word read the article about their resent battles concerning the flow from the upper Delaware.

AFISH,

Those reservoirs were built and owned by NYC. FEW is not owned by them nor will NYC have any control over FEW.

And, that is likely an outdated article considering the recent engagements between NYC/DRBC and ACOE.

Secondly, there are other Federally owned reservoirs, Beltzville, Blue Marsh to name a couple. But, I'm sure they are referring to FEW and would like to explore the option to use FEW to store more water for Saltline control giving DRBC more flexibility in managing the releases within the watershed, which they are federally mandated to do. DRBC already controls water in Beltzville and Blue Marsh.

The Upper D releases is a very complex issue and hard to wrap ones head around. Regardless any releases from FEW should not affect Upper D releases because of the Montegue target. Changing that target would be very difficult, if not almost impossible.

NYC will not have nearly as much say in how the water is being utilized in FEW then they do on the Upper D reservoirs, if it even comes to fruition.

 

[afishinado]

^ There is a lot of good info in the above link.

I care all about conservation, the environment as well as maintaining fisheries.

My only comment about the study is to proceed with caution.

Interests concerning maintaining a trout fishery are way down the list from the interests of others.

In addition one must weigh the interests and impacts to drinking water in cities and towns both downstream as well as upstream on the Delaware.

 

[silverfox]

LehighRegular wrote:

How do you justify that statement? Then why are they even doing the study? Why not just skip the study and enter into an agreement and screw everyone. Cmon!!

I guess I'm just thinking about the whole; "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few". If you reduce this to a cost/benefit analysis, then the winner is the potential biggest loser. What has greater cost, the tourism economy of the Lehigh valley, or the drinking water needs for millions of people in NY & NJ? If you take the "heart" out of it, it's a mathematical problem where the result is the solution with the greatest benefit with the least possible negative economic impact.

 

[LehighRegular]

My only comment about the study is to proceed with caution

AFISH....yes totally agree. Cautious optimism.

 

[afishinado]

LehighRegular wrote:

My only comment about the study is to proceed with caution

AFISH....yes totally agree. Cautious optimism.

I'm with you LR. If the project actually ends up with a result that benefits all parties, then everyone wins.

 

[lestrout]

The meeting was so well attended that seating for several hundred was filled. There were 500-700 there and the overflow lined both side walls and were several deep at the back. There was plenty of concern and passion but the meeting was very civilized. The term "win-win" was used a lot and the interest in fisheries was strong. The whole process looked pretty open and transparent to me. They are in the 3rd month of the 36 months study. I came away pretty encouraged, and the process and attention has a good chance of producing positive results. Several TV stations covered the meeting.

 

[afishinado]

Thanks for the recap of the meeting, Les.

Here is a link to a video of the entire meeting from FB >

https://www.facebook.com/tnlehighton/videos/1033672423634327/

New report about the meeting >

https://wnep.com/2020/01/09/packed-meeting-over-nyc-potentially-using-water-from-area-dam/

 

[vcregular]

Thanks for posting the FB video link.

First of all the AV was terrible at the beginning of the presentation but did get better. If you don't have time to watch the entire video - - here is the timing for the fishery-centric comments.

It is worth watching the PFBC clip.

:50 – Daryl Pierce, PFBC
21:15 - Rob Shane, TU
35:30 – John Mosovsky, LCFA
39:15 – Mike Stanislaw, LCFA

One item that is being stressed by all fishery advocates is that this study needs to take a serious look at how to implement that results of the Sec 22 Coldwater Study. This study was initiatied by the LCFA and cost shared by the PFBC and the DCNR and it showed modifications to FEW dam can influence water temps up to 30 miles downstream.

I remain cautiously optimistic. In my opinion this study is potentially the best opportunity to see significant improvements at FEW and the trout fishery in my lifetime.

That said - - talk to me in 33 months. LOL

 

[timmyt2]

Thanks for the video links and hints about where to jump around to

 

[lycoflyfisher]

This study appears to be the best opportunity to learn how alterations to the control tower, storage volume and facility operations as a whole could be modified to be more beneficial for the coldwater resources of the Lehigh Watershed. With some of the ongoing AMD restoration work this could lead to significant improvement to the habitat available for wild trout. It will be interesting to learn more through the process, which hopefully will be as transparent as possible. The biggest takeaway for the general public imo is that this is a multiyear process and proposed changes to facility operation will only be a recommendation following the study, Additional action would be required for Army Corps to take on any changes if I understand the process correctly.

 

[afishinado]

For those of you that aren't on Facebook, embedded below is the video of the entire meeting. My understanding is that some portion of the presentation was omitted due to technical difficulties. This, from my understanding, is the unabridged version uploaded to YouTube for all to view >




A really informative news article and video explaining some of the details of the purpose of the study and a possible scenarios brought forth as a result >

https://www.pahomepage.com/digital-exclusive/digital-exclusive-an-outside-look-lehigh-river-francis-e-walter-dam-concerns/?fbclid=IwAR2vA-_PmotwxP7XyQOQXJ7WdRIVfCE-FvIwK1KoI-zqvahyAr_hgeZcXL8

 

[Smike]

Hot off the press:

https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/poconos-lehigh-river-whitewater-rafting-delaware-river-francis-e-walter-dam-20200115.html

 

[Brianh]

Now we might be getting to the crux of the matter. Consistent releases would improve the fishing and help with the salt line, but could ruin the white water business.

 

[vcregular]

Or maybe some policy makers are thinking that whitewater release are wasteful? Especially if what we are hearing is true and that is that water in the watershed is so precious and finite?

 

[moon1284]

I got an email from FUDR yesterday discussing this.

They asked that this comment:

"Any changes made at F.E. Walter as a result of the re-evaluation study should improve conditions in both the UDR coldwater ecosystem and the Lehigh River watershed. Under no circumstances should water releases in the Upper Delaware River be reduced as a result of the re-evaluation study."

Be sent to the email address towards the bottom of this page:

https://www.nap.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Francis-E-Walter-Dam/Reevaluation-Study/?utm_source=F.E.+Walter+Dam+Re-evaluation+Study&utm_campaign=FE+Walter&utm_medium=email

 

[timmyt2]

I wonder why the email refers to the Upper D as a 'coldwater ecoaystem' and the Lehigh as a 'watershed'

 

[Smike]

timmyt2 wrote:
I wonder why the email refers to the Upper D as a 'coldwater ecoaystem' and the Lehigh as a 'watershed'

Technically speaking the Lehigh River by the PAFBC is referred to a cool water fishery. However years of observations show it is supporting a population of wild browns living in the river once you get about 10 miles below FEW. Numbers have been increasing due to adjustment in the flow plans and annual raising of the pool staring in 2008, but they have more or less maxed out what we should see in terms of wild trout at this point.

Regarding the FUDR's stance, we understand the general concern in making sure this study does not result in changes which could directly negatively affect the upper D basin. Given the relative size of FEW as compared to the 3 upper D reservoirs, the impact (if any) would not be significant if at all. Of course all of this needs to be fleshed out in details and results of the study for all to review and then we can make more informed decisions on next steps to see if we should actually implement any recommendation from this study.

This study have been sought out by Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance, PAFBC (John Arway @fishtales wrote a letter of recommendation back in 2014 https://4cd6a03f-124f-4971-bb99-9026d71b2582.filesusr.com/ugd/6e7004_35545b1278fe4831bf35d758217d52c9.pdf ) and others. This is finally a change to get real data on what we currently have and what can be done, and something we could actually use to get congressional funding for structural changes in the FEW Dam.

 

[timmyt2]

Quick question about fishing the lehigh right now. It used to be you could fish the whole river prior to opening day. when i looked at the 2020 regulations it says its only open to fish the upper river from the FE Dam down to Sandy run (i dont know exactly where sandy run is but it doesnt look like its too far below white haven)

Am I understanding this correctly? Thanks!

 

[krayfish2]

I understood that from the dam, down 5 miles is closed until opening day. The remainder was open all year...but.... I could be very wrong.

 

[Vaughn]

The 2020 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary list two sections of the Lehigh River as "Stocked trout waters open to year-round fishing" :

Outlet of F. E. Walter Reservoir downstream to confluence with Sandy Run.

.33 miles upriver from railroad bridge as Glenn Onoko downriver to Mauch Chunk Creek.