Future of horseshoe crabs in Delaware Bay in the cross-hairs, activists say
Fewer female crabs mean fewer eggs, which is bad news for red knot birds
Horseshoe crabs, those crawly creatures that look like they belong in an “Alien” movie, have survived for hundreds of millions of years. But now, their population in the Delaware Bay is threatened because of proposed new rules allowing more of them – particularly females — to be killed to meet a growing commercial demand for…
Both sides on Delaware River National Park plan dig in
In the year since the plan was first proposed, opponents have galvanized while advances have been slow
Note: Since the time this article was published, Representative Josh Gottheimer has issued a statement clarifying his position about the Delaware River National Park. The article has been updated to reflect his statement. Drive along some roads in Sussex County, N.J., and Pike County, Pa., and you will see lawn signs that have sprouted like…
Reporter’s notebook: What goes on at a DRBC meeting
“So, what is the DRBC all about?” Delaware Gov. John Carney asked in his welcoming address to this, the first in-person meeting of the Delaware River Basin Commission in more than two years, which happened at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del., on June 8. He was recalling his first contact with the DRBC back…
Teamwork saves a stream in the Upper Delaware – and more
There were several “stars” of the show on the banks of the Little Beaver Kill in Livingston Manor, N.Y., on June 17. One is the stream itself, famous for its trout fishing. The other is the teamwork that brought $300,000 into Upper Delaware for use as matching funds to benefit fish, of course, but importantly…
Lackawaxen Basin earns top scores for water quality
Pristine conditions and lack of industry combine to keep it clean
Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of stories exploring water quality in the nine basins in Pennsylvania that are part of the larger Delaware River watershed. How clean are your waterways, Pennsylvania? If the Lackawaxen basin in Pennsylvania were an Olympic competitor, it would easily win a gold medal. Of the nine…
Wild celery grass restoration underway in the Delaware Estuary
The plant is both an indicator of water quality and an improver of it
In a small classroom at the Center for Aquatic Sciences at Adventure Aquarium in Camden, N.J., the early stages of a massive science project are underway. In eight clear plastic totes equipped with bubblers and lights, rows of wild celery grass, Vallisneria americana, wave bright and green. This plant is among the most important species…
Upper Delaware basin is cursed and blessed
Pristine streams are a plus but draw little notice from Pa. officials
Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of stories exploring water quality in the nine basins in Pennsylvania that are part of the larger Delaware River watershed. How clean are your waterways, Pennsylvania? Compared with the eight other Delaware River basins in Pennsylvania, the Upper Delaware basin in the Poconos comes out the…
Monthslong closure of major NYC aqueduct delayed a year
This story was originally posted on The Washington Post. A long-planned temporary shutdown of a leaking aqueduct that supplies about half of New York City’s drinking water will be pushed back a year, giving officials more time to prepare for the monthslong closure. The city has spent nine years working on a $1 billion bypass tunnel…
New tool comes to the Delaware watershed to analyze plastics pollution
A pilot program introduces a device called Seabin
In the fight against plastics in waterways comes a garbage collector that takes no lunch or coffee breaks – no breaks, at all, in fact. Part pool skimmer, part pump and part trash can, the collector is a device called Seabin that runs on electricity (or solar power) and can be plopped into waterways, particularly…
A bottomless problem: acid mine drainage in the Schuylkill Basin
Innovative solutions and funding sought to improve water quality
Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of stories exploring water quality in the nine basins in Pennsylvania that are part of the larger Delaware River watershed. How clean are your waterways, Pennsylvania? Go for a drive with Bill Reichert and he will take you along an unpaved, rutted road just outside New…
$588 million to improve water in New Jersey
$83 million for projects in the Delaware River watershed
Hardly a day goes by when we don’t read of a host of problems with our water-supply system from lead pipes to aging water-treatment plants. Yep, this story is about money because it takes heaps of money to address those issues. New Jersey, home to lots of aging water infrastructure, has scored some significant help to…