Good morning and happy new year,
Some of you have surely heard by now that there is a three-year scoping study taking place currently on Francis E. Walter Dam, reservoir and the tailwater between the Army Corps of Engineers, Delaware River Basin Commission, and New York
City Department of Environmental Protection to observe the capacity for water storage in the Delaware River Basin. TU, along with our partners in the region, have been involved in initial conversations about what exactly will be taken into account during this
study and how it might impact the wild trout fishery that exists below the dam as well as the tributaries to the upper Lehigh River.
Next week, on Thursday January 9 from 6-8 pm there will be a public meeting at Mountain Laurel Resort in White Haven PA. You can find more information on the meeting itself through the link below. If you are interested in learning more
about what’s going on, I encourage you to join myself and other TU members at this meeting.
We have worked closely with partners on drafting an official position outlining our hopeful results of this study. The final version of this will be released in the coming weeks. In short, our hope is to see improved coldwater release by
modification to the existing release tower, maintained minimum flow requirements that support wild trout survival through warmer months and drought periods and maintain water quality, consideration of the multi-million dollar recreation economy as a whole
as part of the scoping study, and maintaining or improving coldwater fisheries management in the rest of the watershed, specifically the Upper Delaware River.
I’m also happy to answer any other particular questions regarding what has happened to date and what we expect going forward – feel free to reach out by email or phone (contact information below). Other great background information can
be found by visiting Lehigh Coldwater Fisheries Alliance’s website.
If you do plan to attend, please let me know. This is a three year study so there will plenty more opportunity to make your voice heard if you can’t make it next week.
Thanks and hope to see you there,
Rob
Rob Shane / Mid-Atlantic Organizer
Trout Unlimited
1777 N. Kent St, #100
Arlington, VA 22209
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