HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS REPORT July 15, 2008

The observed precipitation for the Delaware River Basin above Montague, New Jersey for the period January 1 through July 14, 2008 was 24.86 inches or 2.08 inches above normal. The observed precipitation for the Delaware River Basin above Trenton, New Jersey for the same period was 25.65 inches or 2.18 inches above normal. Also for the same period, the observed precipitation for Wilmington, Delaware was 20.51 inches or 2.76 inches below normal.

The attached table summarizes precipitation for 2007 and thus far in 2008 for select stations in the Delaware River Basin.

Precipitation Departure Maps (National Weather Service Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center's Web Site)

The average observed streamflow of the Delaware River at Montague, New Jersey in June 2008 was 2,385 cubic feet per second (cfs), or 70.9 percent of the long-term average for the month.  The average observed streamflow of the Delaware River at Trenton, New Jersey in June was 5,869 cfs, or 71.6 percent of the long-term average for the month.

For the period of July 1-14, the average observed streamflow of the Delaware River at Montague was 1,955 cfs, or 75.9 percent of the long-term average for the month.  Similarly, the average streamflow at Trenton was 4,074 cfs, or 66.2 percent of the long-term average for the month.

Attached are graphical presentations of daily mean streamflows at Montague and Trenton for the period from January 2007 through July 14, 2008.

Lower Basin

Lower Basin Reservoir Storage as of July 15, 2008:
Beltzville	13.01 billion gallons (bg) usable, or 100.1% of usable storage
Blue Marsh	6.57 bg usable, or 101.1% of summer pool usable storage
Merrill Creek	15.358 bg usable, or 97.9% of usable storage (as of July 14)

Upper Basin

New York City (NYC) Delaware Basin Reservoir Storage as of July 15, 2008:
Pepacton	119.818 bg usable, or 85.5% of usable storage
Cannonsville	79.037 bg usable, or 82.6% of usable storage
Neversink	29.306 bg usable, or 83.9% of usable storage
Total	228.161 bg usable, or 84.2% of usable storage

As of June 30, the average ground water level in eight reported USGS observation wells in the Pennsylvania portion of the basin was below the long-term average for the month. Water levels (30-day moving averages) at five of these wells are within their normal range for July 14; water levels at the remaining three wells are below their normal range for July 14. Water levels at the Cumberland Co., New Jersey coastal plain observation well are currently within their normal range. Water levels at the New Castle Co., Delaware coastal plain observation well were within their normal range on June 26, when last observed. Attached are graphical representations of the average water level in the eight upland monitor wells and in each of the two coastal plain monitor wells (New Castle Co. and Cumberland Co.) over the last 45 months.

During June, the location of the seven-day average of the 250-ppm isochlor (salt line) ranged from river mile 70 to river mile 73.  The normal location of the salt line during June is river mile 67, a location which is two miles downstream of the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

As of July 14 (the most recent date for available data), the salt line was located at river mile 74. This location is two miles upstream of the normal location for July.

Prepared by DRBC Staff.
Acknowledgments: Kimberly-Clark Corp.; National Weather Service; New York City Department of Environmental Protection; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Geological Survey; and Delaware Geological Survey.

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