The Delaware River Basin Commission's (DRBC) 2006 Delaware River and Bay Integrated List Water Quality Assessment Report provides an assessment of the Delaware River and Bay's support of various uses during 2002, 2003, and 2004. The uses, which are protected by the DRBC's water quality regulations (600 KB*) or by the federal Clean Water Act of 1972, are:

• Maintenance of aquatic life;
• Providing a raw water source for human consumption;
• Swimming and recreation;
• Fish consumption; and
• Shellfish consumption.

The assessment primarily involves comparing levels of key water quality indicators (pH, for example) with DRBC stream quality objectives listed in the water quality regulations. DRBC's water quality regulations define "zones" in the Delaware River to which the stream quality objectives are applied, and the Integrated Report assesses water quality based in part upon those zones.

Data used for the report come from a variety of sources. The foundation for the assessment comes from DRBC's three water quality monitoring programs that cover different sections of the Delaware River. These include the Scenic Rivers Monitoring Program (From Hancock, N.Y. to the Delaware Water Gap), the Lower Delaware Monitoring Program (from the Delaware Water Gap to Trenton, N.J.), and the Delaware Estuary Boat Run Program (from Trenton, N.J. to the mouth of the Delaware Bay). In addition, data from a variety of other sources were utilized in making the water quality assessments. These other sources include the U.S. Geological Survey, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Stream and Wastewater Treatment Plant Water Quality Monitoring Program, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Surface Water Quality Monitoring Program, the New Jersey DEP Ambient Surface Water Monitoring Program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Coastal Assessment program.

2006 Delaware River and Bay Integrated List Water Quality Assessment Report

Introduction (47 KB*)

Entire Report (2.6 MB*)

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