Water Snapshot

 

Nearly 18 million people rely on the Delaware River system for water. The main stem of the Delaware extends 330 miles from the confluence

Nearly 18 million people rely on the Delaware River system for water. The main stem of the Delaware extends 330 miles from the confluence of its East and West branches near the Catskill Mountain town of Hancock, NY to the mouth of the Delaware Bay. In all, the basin comprises 13,539 square miles, draining parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware. In order to monitor the water quality of the river basin, water samples must be collected and analyzed. A segment of those collection and analysis responsibilities fall to school children involved in the annual Water Snapshot program.

This program was devised to allow students to get a "snapshot" of the health of the Delaware River basin and learn how they can make a difference in their own back yard. This program instills in the students who participate an awareness of the importance of the watershed of the Upper Delaware River Valley and the valuable role it plays in all of our lives. Students are also provided with the opportunity to learn some lessons in the field while collecting water samples to be analyzed for nitrate and phosphate levels, dissolved oxygen, pH levels, turbidity, and water temperature.

If you are interested in scheduling this program for your students please contact Biologist Jamie Myers by phone [phone] or email.

Upper Delaware Water Snapshot Reports

2012 Report

2011 Report

2010 Report

2009 Report

2008 Report

2007 Report

2006 Report

2005 Report

More snapshot reports are available from the Delaware River Basin Commission.