Tonight, there will be a public meeting — really more of a brainstorming session — on a re-evaluation study of the Francis E. Walter Dam on the Lehigh River in Luzerne County in northeast Pennsylvania.

Expect fireworks.

Much of that energy might come from some misunderstanding — and rumor mongering — of the point of the study, and some from the role of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

So let’s tackle the major concern: that New York City wants to “take” water from Francis E. Walter. Local whitewater outfitters have protested the move, saying that it will affect the tourist industry. A nonprofit group, Friends of the Lehigh River has formed to create awareness of the study. The group has a petition online and Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon, has urged people to attend.

“New York City is not asking for any water supply from F.E. Walter,” said Daniel Caprioli, a strategic planner with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, which built and operates the dam and reservoir. It also initiated the study with its partners, the Delaware River Basin Commission and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

Here’s a statement from NYCDEP: “New York City does not want to draw drinking water from F.E. Walter Reservoir, have control of its operations, or purchase space within the reservoir. Its interest in the study is related to drought planning in the face of sea-level rise that is accelerating due to climate change, and how the operation of reservoirs throughout the basin can help meet these future challenges.”

Flow management

Amy Shallcross, manager of water resource operations for the DRBC explained: “These three, the Army Corps, New York City Water and the DRBC are uniquely concerned about flow management in the watershed.”

You can see why. The Army Corps has built and maintains reservoirs throughout the watershed, as well as Francis E. Walter. New York City’s reservoirs form the headwaters of the Delaware River.

The Delaware River Basin Commission is charged with the responsibility for the Delaware River’s water quality (what’s in the water) and water quantity (how much, or little water there is).

It may be that Francis E. Walter Reservoir has a role to play in the planning for the future of the watershed’s water supply, because the Lehigh River is part of the Delaware River watershed.

But the study isn’t going to change its primary purposes — flood mitigation and recreational use.

Those purposes were defined by Congress, and it would take another act to change those uses. No one is interested in that.

The dam was constructed in 1961 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in response to flooding in the Lehigh Valley after Hurricane Alice inundated communities in the river’s watershed and repeated flooding in the past.

Once it was built, the opportunities provided by releases from the dam gave birth to a vibrant recreational use of the reservoir and river: whitewater rafting and all sorts of boating, as well as fishing and hunting provide serious dollars to the watershed communities.

The study

Caprioli, from USACE, explained that the study could well increase recreational opportunities.

Shallcross, from DRBC, pointed out that the meeting is an opportunity to hear from all stakeholders. The study might suggest improvements to releases for whitewater rafting or improvements to the cold-water fisheries.

“It’s important that we gather input early,” said Shallcross. “This is a pivotal reservoir in the Lehigh Valley and for the whole watershed. We want to manage it as effectively as possible,”

But, again, why is New York City involved? The answer to that lies in the point of the study.

Really, it’s all about the water supply for the whole watershed.

When the three Delaware River reservoirs were being built by New York City in the late 1950s and early 1960s, New Jersey was a little worried that NYC would soak up too much water from the river, leaving little for New Jersey. (There are four states interested in Delaware water, so it does get complicated.)

States’ disputes are handled by the U.S. Supreme Court, and that court issued a decision and all parties to the dispute had to sign on. In this case, that meant New York City, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

A main stipulation of the decision was that New York City had to maintain a certain flow at the Montague (New Jersey) gauge, thus ensuring that New York can’t take “too much” of the river’s waters.

Shallcross explained — if all signatory parties agree — the flow rate can be changed; an example is in times of serious drought. The basinwide drought management plan, agreed to by the five parties and incorporated into DRBC’s Water Code, calls for reductions in the Montague flow target to help conserve water.

Concerns

One of the biggest concerns for those three flow managers is how the ocean and its salt waters can affect municipalities that take water from the river. That ocean water washes in and out with the tide but also pushes north, pushing salty water into the estuary and the river.

If that salt water gets pushed too far, it can interfere with the supply of the drinking water that municipalities such as Philadelphia get from the river. Basically, municipal water-supply systems can’t handle salty water.

So there has to be enough fresh water coming south to push that salt front away.

The idea of using Francis E. Walter’s water to help in that push has been, according to Shallcross, “kicking around for years.”

What’s creating a sense of urgency are the changes expected from sea-level rise — more water moving with more force upriver — and climate change — maybe more water will come south, maybe less. All the modeling suggests that there will be changes.

“We have to plan for the future,” said Adam Bosch, director of public affairs, NYC Environmental Protection. “We don’t want to get caught flat-footed. Then people would want to know why we didn’t look ahead at how we use our water resources.”

“We have to be proactive,” he said.

Timeline

Here’s a timeline of what’s happening when for this study:

Sept. 25, 2019: Feasibility cost sharing agreement executed/study begins

Jan. 9: Public meeting

Feb. 3: Alternatives milestone meeting

October/November: Public meeting

December: Tentatively selected plan milestone meeting

January 2021: Draft report submittal to USACE headquarters

March 2021: Public meeting

June 2021: Agency decision milestone meeting

March 2022: Final report submitted to USACE North Atlantic Division

April 2022: USACE Headquarters completes review of final report

Meg McGuire is an independent online publisher of news about the Delaware River, its watershed and its people.