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Pa. Legislators Discover the Delaware & Learn about DRBC Aboard the AJ Meerwald
The AJ Meerwald docked in Bristol, Pa. Photo by DRBC. 
The A.J. Meerwald docked in Bristol, Pa.
Photo by DRBC. 

Recently, members of the Pennsylvania Joint Legislative Conservation Committee (JLCC), Pa. House and Senate Appropriations Committees, staffers, and local leadership took part in an educational sail aboard the historic schooner AJ Meerwald to learn more about the DRBC and its programs. Preceding the sail, the legislators held a press conference at the Bristol Borough Wharf along the Delaware River recognizing the importance of the river to the Commonwealth and to the region.

The JLCC is a bipartisan committee made up of members of the Pa. House and Senate whose mission is to assist the Pa. General Assembly in ensuring the sustainable use and care of Pa.’s land, water, and air. Local members of the JLCC who participated on Friday include Sen. Andrew Dinniman (D, PA-19), Rep. Marguerite Quinn (R, PA-143), Rep. Perry Warren (D, PA-31), Rep. Donna Bullock (D, PA-195), and Rep. Mary Jo Daley (D, PA-148). Several of the JLCC members, including committee chair Senator Scott E. Hutchinson (R, PA-21) and Senator Scott Martin (R, PA-13), represent districts outside of the basin, but attended this event to learn more about the commission and show their support for the Delaware River.

The event came to fruition based on a recommendation from JLCC member Bullock for DRBC to engage the committee on major DRBC water management programs. Instead of holding the meeting in a traditional conference space, the commission decided on a more experiential approach and reached out to the Bayshore Center at Bivalve to see if they would be willing to host the event aboard the schooner AJ Meerwald. What better way to learn about the Delaware River and DRBC than on an historic sailing vessel, and once on board, participants got right to work helping hoist the sails and then split into three groups for short educational sessions with DRBC staff.

DRBC Manager for Water Quality Assessment John Yagecic, P.E., talked about the commission’s programs that assess and protect water quality throughout the basin, for example, DRBC’s efforts to reduce PCBs and other toxic pollutants in the Delaware Estuary (the tidal Delaware River and Bay); its Special Protection Waters program that protects the existing high quality waters of the non-tidal Delaware River; and a new, multi-year effort to examine whether criteria for dissolved oxygen can be improved to further support all life stages of resident and migratory fish in the Delaware Estuary and Bay. You can’t manage what you don’t measure, and monitoring is an important part of the commission’s programs to manage and improve water quality for all those that depend on this resource for drinking, agricultural, and industrial use, as well as for aquatic life.

View Presentation: DRBC Water Quality Monitoring Programs (pdf 2 MB)

The lesson by DRBC Manager for Water Resource Operations Amy Shallcross, P.E., focused on flow management in the Delaware River Basin. Even though the Delaware River is undammed, its flow is still highly managed through reservoir releases and flow regimes. This is especially important in times of drought or dry periods to ensure that there is enough fresh water flowing downstream to repel the salty water from the ocean that could impact drinking water and industrial intakes along the tidal portion of the river. During past droughts in the basin, DRBC’s drought management programs have proven successful in ensuring drinking water sources were protected and other water uses, for example, industry and power generation, were not curtailed.

View Presentation: Flow Management in the Delaware River Basin (pdf 858 KB)

DRBC Manager for Water Resource Planning Chad Pindar, P.E., focused his talk on various water uses in the basin and how DRBC manages water supply. Thermoelectric power generation, public water supply, out of basin diversions, and industry are the largest water users in the basin, and DRBC regulatory policies are in place to help balance these needs to ensure there is enough water for all uses, as well as for in-stream flow needs. The commission is also looking at projected demands to ensure a dependable water supply for the basin in the future.

View Presentation: Overview of Water Supply and One Process - One Permit Program (pdf 1.2 MB)

At the end of the sail, participants disembarked the AJ Meerwald with a greater understanding of the Delaware River’s importance to the region and a new appreciation of the commission's efforts to manage and protect this resource, which provides drinking water for about 15 million people, including nearly 5.5 million Pennsylvanians.

Special thanks also go to event sponsor Pennoni, the Bayshore Center at Bivalve, the AJ Meerwald crew, the Bristol Borough Council, and Rob Strasser of the King George II Inn.
The wharf in historic Bristol Borough before everyone's arrival. This was the location of the press conference that preceded the sail. Thank you to Bristol Borough's Merle Winslow and his team for helping set up for the press conference! Photo by DRBC.DRBC's External Affairs and Communications Director Peter Eschbach welcomes everyone to Bristol Borough's waterfront. Photo by DRBC.The crowd listens to DRBC's External Affairs and Communications Director Peter Eschbach's opening remarks. Photo by DRBC.During the press conference, this tanker went by, a reminder that the Delaware River is both a living and working river. Photo by DRBC.Bristol Borough Council Vice President Betty Rodriguez welcomes everyone to the borough. "Welcome Friend" is the motto of the borough. Photo by DRBC.JLCC Chair Sen. Scott Hutchinson provides remarks at the press conference. "On behalf of the JLCC, thank you for this opportunity to discover the Delaware. The river connects past and present and also state to state. We appreciate the work of the DRBC and other stakeholders to address important issues that affect the basin and look for sustainable solutions," said Hutchinson. Photo by DRBC.JLCC and House Appropriations Committee member Rep. Marguerite Quinn provides remarks at the press conference, noting that the work of the DRBC is important to support. Photo by DRBC.JLCC member Sen. Andrew Dinniman said at the press conference that "we must come together across party lines to support the work of DRBC and unite to protect and preserve our environment." Photo by DRBC.
The AJ Meerwald is a 1928 restored oyster schooner. It is used by the Bayshore Center at Bivalve for educational programs along the tidal Delaware River and Bay. In this photo, event participants board the AJ Meerwald in Bristol Borough for an educational sail to learn about DRBC and its programs. Photo by DRBC.Participants get a safety lesson from Meerwald First Mate Joshua Scornavacchi. Photo by DRBC.AJ Meerwald's Marine Operations Manager Ali Place gives a quick history lesson about the Meerwald and the Bayshore Center at Bivalve. Photo by DRBC.All hands on deck! Everyone had an opportunity to help hoist the Meerwald's sails. Photo by DRBC.No one said this journey would include exercise! Participants get a good workout and enjoy helping one another hoist the sails. Photo by DRBC.Sen. Scott Martin (black shirt) and Sen. Andrew Dinniman (blue shirt) are all smiles as they take a moment to catch up before the educational lessons begin. Photo by DRBC.DRBC Manager of Water Quality Assessment John Yagecic, P.E., (blue shirt holding a water quality meter) talks about DRBC's water quality programs and why it is important to monitor the Delaware River. Pictured L to R are Clarice Schillinger of Rep. Todd Stephens' office (R, PA-151), Rick Rickman of WBCB Radio, John Yagecic, P.E., Lara Flynn of U.S. Sen. Robert Casey's office, Rep. Donna Bullock, Denise Plummer of the JLCC, Angela Garland of Pennoni, Sakura Ung of the JLCC, and Rep. Mary Jo Daley (in blue hat). Photo by DRBC.DRBC Manager for Water Resource Planning Chad Pindar, P.E., (in blue shirt holding map) discusses water use in the Delaware River Basin and commission water supply programs. Also pictured are Sen. Scott Hutchinson (in hat), Sen. Hutchinson staffers Justin Leventry and Nathan Akers, JLCC Executive Director Terry Guerrieri, AJ Meerwald First Mate Joshua Scornavacchi, and Pennoni's Mark Bickerton. Photo by DRBC.DRBC Manager for Water Resource Operations Amy Shallcross, P.E., (blue shirt pointing to map) talks about flow management in the Delaware River Basin and DRBC's drought management program. Pictured L to R are Melissa Knepper of Sen. Richard Alloway II's office, DRBC's Amy Shallcross, P.E., Craig Bryson of Pennoni, Sen. Scott Martin, and Sen. Andrew Dinniman. Photo by DRBC.
Learning with a view. DRBC believes that to really get an appreciation for the river, you have to experience it first-hand. What better way to learn about the Delaware than to sail its magnificent waters. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's Amy Shallcross, P.E., talks with Sen. Scott Hutchinson (standing, black shirt and hat) about how basin reservoirs impact and support the river's flow, especially during dry conditions. Photo by DRBC.JLCC member Rep. Perry Warren (standing, blue shirt) and others listen to DRBC's Chad Pindar, P.E., discuss various water uses in the basin and how DRBC regulates them. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's John Yagecic, P.E., uses a map showing DRBC's monitoring locations on the Delaware River during his talk about the commission's water quality monitoring programs. You can't manage what you don't measure. Photo by DRBC.The AJ Meerwald's crew is led by Captain Johann Steinke (at the wheel). Photo by DRBC.Folks listen attentively to DRBC's Chad Pindar, P.E., as he talks about water uses in the basin. Thermoelectric power generation, public water supply, out of basin diversions, and industry are the largest water users in the basin. Photo by DRBC.Learning with a view. DRBC believes that to really get an appreciation for the river, you have to experience it first-hand. What better way to learn about the Delaware than to sail its magnificent waters. Photo by DRBC.DRBC's John Yagecic, P.E., explains DRBC's current multi-year effort to examine whether criteria for dissolved oxygen can be improved to further support all life stages of resident and migratory fish in the Delaware Estuary and Bay. Sen. Scott Hutchinson (seated, in black shirt nad hat) listens with interest. Photo by DRBC.There are several reservoirs in the basin located on tributaries to the Delaware River. Using a map of reservoir locations, DRBC's Amy Shallcross, P.E., explains how DRBC can make releases from two reservoirs in Pa. - Blue Marsh and Beltzville - to bolster freshwater flow in the river to keep salty water from the ocean away from Philadelphia's drinking water intakes. Photo by DRBC.Learning with a view. DRBC believes that to become a steward of the river, you have to experience it first-hand. What better way to learn about the river than sailing its magnificent waters. Photo by DRBC.