Blue Marsh Reservoir. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Key Tenets of DRBC Water Resource Management

   •  Understanding water withdrawals, water use and available supply is integral

   •  Proper management, utilization and conservation of water resources is needed to meet water demand and protect ecosystems

   •  Water conservation should be practiced at all times, not just during drought

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Water Conservation

• DRBC has passed numerous resolutions focused on water efficiency

Track & Project Basin Water Use

• Basin water use (surface water & groundwater)
  
  
• Water use by sector (for example, public water supply, power generation, industry)

Water Audits

•  DRBC requires water purveyors to annually perform water audits to identify and control water loss in their systems

Water Charging

• DRBC charges certain entities for the amount of water they use to help support water supply storage in the Basin
  
  

Will there be enough water available in the Basin to meet all needs, especially if the Drought of Record is repeated? To date, the following reports have been published: 

• NEW! Current surface water availability (September 2026; coming soon)
  
  
  
• Current and future groundwater availability (December 2022; archived PDF)
  
  
  
• Current and projected future water demand (October 2021) 

→ Water Resources Program
 

• DRBC Water Resources Program FY 27-29 (PDF; 2026)

→ State of the Basin

• DRBC State of the Basin Report 2025 (PDF)

→ Water Audit Program

•  A Comprehensive Assessment of the Delaware River Basin Commission's Water Audit Program (2012-2021) (PDF; 2023)
  

→ Future Water Storage Availability

• Evaluation of Additional Storage in the Delaware River Basin (2023)
  

→ Groundwater

• Estimated Groundwater Availability in the Delaware River Basin 2020 - 2060 (PDF; 2022)
  

→ Water Use Trends & Projections

• Water Withdrawal and Consumptive Use Estimates for the Delaware River Basin (1990-2017) With Projections Through 2060 (2021)
  

→ Water Resources Plan

• Water Resources Plan for the Delaware River Basin (Basin Plan; 2004)

→ Comprehensive Plan

• Comprehensive Plan (PDF; 2001)
  
  
• Comprehensive Plan (PDF; 1962)
  
  
  • 1962 Addendum (PDF)

→ Water Management Studies

• DRBC/ACOE: Multijurisdictional Study (2008)
  
  
• Level B Study (PDF; 1981)

→ Drought Management

• Good Faith Agreement (PDF; 1982)