Editing Delaware River (section)

==Environmental issues==
===New York City water supply===
{{further|New York City water supply system}}

After [[New York City]] built 15 reservoirs to supply water to the city's growing population, it was unable to obtain permission to build an additional five reservoirs along the Delaware River's tributaries. As a result, in 1928 the city proposed to draw water from the Delaware River, putting them in direct conflict with villages and towns across the river in [[Pennsylvania]] which were already using the Delaware for their water supply. Additionally, the [[Government of New Jersey]] raised concerns that New York's water diversions might hinder New Jersey's future development of dams and [[hydropower]]; that the [[water quality]] of the river would be impacted, due to reduced flows of fresh water; and that its [[Riparian water rights|riparian rights]] would be diminished. New Jersey filed suit against New York State and New York City, with the [[Government of Pennsylvania]] intervening in the case to protect its interests. In 1931 the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] decided that New York could draw water from the Delaware tributaries, subject to the laws of [[United States Congress|Congress]] and regulation by the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|US Army Corps of Engineers]].<ref>United States Supreme Court. ''New Jersey v. New York,'' {{ussc|283|36|1931|el=no}}</ref> New York City was allowed to draw {{convert|440|e6USgal|m3}} of water a day from the Delaware and its upstream tributaries.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

===Pollution===
The Delaware River has been attached to areas of high [[pollution]]. The Delaware River in 2012 was named the 5th [[List of most-polluted rivers|most polluted river]] in the United States, explained by PennEnvironment<ref name="BucksLocalNews2012">{{cite news |title=Environmental group: Delaware River tops list of most polluted waterways |url=https://www.buckslocalnews.com/news/environmental-group-delaware-river-tops-list-of-most-polluted-waterways/article_b94c90d5-a5c1-5c8e-b39d-2319fa2a511a.html |work=Bucks Local News |date=Mar 29, 2012 |access-date=January 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128175024/https://www.buckslocalnews.com/news/environmental-group-delaware-river-tops-list-of-most-polluted-waterways/article_b94c90d5-a5c1-5c8e-b39d-2319fa2a511a.html |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Environment New Jersey.<ref name="Augenstein2012">{{cite news |last1=Augenstein |first1=Seth |title=Delaware River is 5th most polluted river in U.S., environmental group says |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2012/04/delaware_river_is_5th_most_pol.html |access-date=March 30, 2019 |work=NJ.com News |date=April 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128180116/https://www.nj.com/news/2012/04/delaware_river_is_5th_most_pol.html |archive-date=January 28, 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The activist groups claim that there is about 7–10&nbsp;million pounds of toxic chemicals flowing through the waterways due to dumping by DuPont Chambers Works. PennEnvironment also claims that the pollutants in the river can cause birth defects, infertility among women, and have been linked to cancer.<ref name="BucksLocalNews2012" />

In 2015, the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|EPA]] saw the Delaware River as a concern for mass pollution especially in the Greater Philadelphia and Chester, Pennsylvania area. The EPA was involved after accusations that the river met standards made illegal by the [[Clean Water Act]]. In complying with the Clean Water Act, the EPA involved the Delaware County Regional Water Authority (DELCORA) where they set up a plan to spend around $200&nbsp;million to help rid the waterway of about 740&nbsp;million gallons of sewage and pollution. DELCORA was also fined about $1.4&nbsp;million for allowing the Delaware River to have so much pollution residing in the river in the first place and for not complying with the Clean Water Act.<ref>{{cite web|title=Settlement to Improve Water Quality in Delaware River, Philadelphia-Area Creeks|work=U.S. EPA Region 3 Water Protection Division|date=August 20, 2015|url=https://www.epa.gov/pa/settlement-improve-water-quality-delaware-river-philadelphia-area-creeks|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128180617/https://www.epa.gov/pa/settlement-improve-water-quality-delaware-river-philadelphia-area-creeks|archive-date=January 28, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

Part of the Clean Water Act explains how conditions of the river should be stable enough for human fishing and swimming.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}  Even though the river has had success with the cleanup of pollution, the Delaware River still does not meet that standard of swimmable or fishable conditions in the Philadelphia/Chester region.

In March 2023, [[2023 Delaware River chemical spill|a pipe rupture at a Trinseo chemical plant]] in [[Bristol, Pennsylvania]], released over 8,000 gallons of [[latex]] finishing material into the [[Mill Creek (Delaware River tributary)|Otter Creek tributary]], leading to a water advisory in [[Philadelphia]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hanna |first=Maddie |title=Philly residents advised to drink bottled water Sunday afternoon following chemical spill, officials say |url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-water-department-delaware-river-chemical-spill-20230326.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326154840/https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-water-department-delaware-river-chemical-spill-20230326.html |archive-date=2023-03-26 |access-date=2023-03-26 |website=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |date=March 26, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

===Flooding===
With the failure of the dam project to come to fruition, the lack of flood control on the river left it vulnerable, and it has experienced a number of serious flooding events as the result of snow melt or rain run-off from heavy rainstorms. Record flooding occurred in August 1955, in the aftermath of the passing of the remnants of two separate hurricanes over the area within less than a week: first [[Hurricane Connie]] and then [[Hurricane Diane]], which was, and still is, the wettest tropical cyclone to have hit the northeastern United States. The river gauge at [[Riegelsville, Pennsylvania|Riegelsville]], Pennsylvania recorded an all-time record crest of {{convert|38.85|ft}} on August 19, 1955.

More recently, moderate to severe flooding has occurred along the river. The same gauge at Riegelsville recorded a peak of {{convert|30.95|ft}} on September 23, 2004, {{convert|34.07|ft}} on April 4, 2005, and {{convert|33.62|ft}} on June 28, 2006, all considerably higher than the flood stage of {{convert|22|ft}}.<ref>[http://nj.usgs.gov/special/flood0606/ USGS] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213212133/http://nj.usgs.gov/special/flood0606/|date=February 13, 2007}}
See Also: [http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/Flood_Website/events.htm State of New Jersey: Recent flooding events in the Delaware River basin] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916094959/http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/Flood_Website/events.htm |date=September 16, 2008 }}</ref>

Since the upper Delaware basin has few population centers along its banks, flooding in this area mainly affects natural unpopulated flood plains. Residents in the middle part of the Delaware basin experience flooding, including three major floods in the three years (2004–2006) that have severely damaged their homes and land. The lower part of the Delaware basin from Philadelphia southward to the Delaware Bay is tidal and much wider than portions further north, and is not prone to river-related flooding (although tidal surges can cause minor flooding in this area).

The [[Delaware River Basin Commission]], along with local governments, is working to try to address the issue of flooding along the river. As the past few years have seen a rise in catastrophic floods, most residents of the river basin feel that something must be done. The local governments have worked in association with FEMA to address many of these problems, however, due to insufficient federal funds, progress is slow.<ref>Delaware River Basin Commission (July 20, 2005). [http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/Flood_Website/10ptsJuly2005.pdf "Delaware River Basin Commission's Role in Flood Loss Reduction Efforts."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060818133339/http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/Flood_Website/10ptsJuly2005.pdf |date=August 18, 2006 }} West Trenton, NJ.</ref>

===Oil spills===
A number of [[oil spill]]s have taken place in the Delaware over the years.<ref>{{cite web
| date = November 3, 2005
| url = http://www.ocean.udel.edu/oilspill/
| title = Athos 1 Oil Spill
| publisher = University of Delaware Sea Grant Program
| access-date = April 29, 2006
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060427224449/http://www.ocean.udel.edu/oilspill/
| archive-date = April 27, 2006
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| date = December 16, 2004
| url = http://www.ocean.udel.edu/oilspill/Grandeagle.html
| title = 1985 Grand Eagle Oil Spill
| publisher = University of Delaware Sea Grant Program
| access-date = April 29, 2006
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060418210759/http://www.ocean.udel.edu/oilspill/Grandeagle.html
| archive-date = April 18, 2006
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| date = December 8, 2004
| url = http://www.ocean.udel.edu/oilspill/PresidenteRiveraSpill.html
| title = Presidente Rivera Spill – June 24,&nbsp;1989
| publisher = University of Delaware Sea Grant Program
| access-date = April 29, 2006
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060619053228/http://www.ocean.udel.edu/oilspill/PresidenteRiveraSpill.html
| archive-date = June 19, 2006
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

* January 31, 1975: around {{convert|11,172,000|USgal|m3}} of crude oil spilled from the ''Corinthos'' tanker
* September 28, 1985: {{convert|435,000|USgal|m3}} of crude oil spilled from the ''Grand Eagle'' tanker after running aground on [[Marcus Hook Bar]]
* June 24, 1989: {{convert|306,000|USgal|m3}} of crude oil spilled from the ''Presidente Rivera'' tanker after running aground on [[Claymont Shoal]]
* November 26, 2004: {{convert|265,000|USgal|m3}} of crude oil spilled from the ''Athos 1'' tanker; the tanker's hull had been punctured by a submerged, discarded anchor at the [[Port of Paulsboro]]. In 2020, the [[CITGO Asphalt Refining Co. v. Frescati Shipping Co.|Supreme Court ruled]] that [[Citgo]] had failed to provide a safe berth for the vessel and was therefore jointly responsible for clean up costs. The company was ordered to pay $143&nbsp;million.

===Atlantic sturgeon===
The [[National Marine Fisheries Service]] is considering designating sixteen rivers as endangered habitat for the [[Atlantic sturgeon]] which would require more attention to be given to uses of the rivers that affect the fish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/16/06/07/feds-move-to-protect-endangered-atlantic-sturgeon-in-delaware-river/|title=Feds Move to Protect Endangered Atlantic Sturgeon in Delaware River - NJ Spotlight|website=www.njspotlight.com|date=June 8, 2016|access-date=June 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611104516/http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/16/06/07/feds-move-to-protect-endangered-atlantic-sturgeon-in-delaware-river/|archive-date=June 11, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===National Wild and Scenic River===
The river is part of the [[National Wild and Scenic Rivers System]].