# Presentation: 377431

## Flexible Flow Management Program(FFMP)

## History

- 1954 Supreme Court Decree
- Docket D-77-20 (Revised) – Good Faith Agreement - 1983
- Docket D-77-20 Revisions 2 through 10
- Docket D-77-20 Revision 7 (extended through September 30, 2007) – Interim fishery program
- Docket D-77-20 Revision 9 (extended through September 30, 2007) Temporary spill mitigation program

## FFMP Objectives

- Flexible! – incorporates adaptive management principles
- Manage reservoir diversions and releases
- Sustainable source of water
- Safe supplies to NYC and NJ customers
- Flood mitigation
- Flows and temperatures for tailwater fisheries
- More natural flow regime
- Consider withdrawal and non-withdrawal uses in mainstem, estuary and bay, including aquatic resource needs and salinity repulsion

## FFMP Next Steps

- Parties have reached agreement
- Will be signed on or before October 1, 2007
- Will be posted to the River Master web page
- DRBC will begin rulemaking process

## FFMP Elements

**Diversions **
- NYC – 800 mgd maximum
- NJ – 100 mgd monthly average
**Flow Objectives**
- Montague – 1750 cfs Sept. 16 - June14 and 1850 cfs June 15 - Sept. 15
- Trenton – follow section 2.5.3 DRBC Water Code
- 			2500-3000 cfs
**Releases**
- Conservation – as described in Tailwater Habitat Protection and Discharge Mitigation Program
- Interim Excess Release Quantity (IERQ) – specified as 15, 468 cfs-days and released 6/15 -9/15
- IERQ Extraordinary Needs Bank – upon unanimous consent

## FFMP Elements (Cont.)

**Drought Management**
- Revises drought management curves – Watch, Warning, and Emergency
- Replaces Drought Emergency salt front vernier with fixed seasonal releases, for Montague flow objective
- Increases NJ’s Drought Warning and Emergency diversion allowances to 85 mgd

## FFMP Elements (Cont.)

**Tailwaters Habitat Protection and Discharge Management Program (THPDMP)**
- Replaces previous bank-based fishery program with storage-based, seasonally-adjusted, fixed release program
- Benefits assessed using the OASIS basinwide model and the Decision Support System (DSS) developed by SEF/USGS
- Release adjustments provide more natural flow regime
- Spill mitigation component incorporates storage- and snowpack-based programs

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## FFMP Elements (Cont.)

- Discharge Management – Currently incorporated in THPDMP
- Salinity Repulsion – retains Good Faith objective
- Dwarf Wedgemussels – Provision to review impacts
- Lake Wallenpaupack – Provision to consider spill mitigation program
- Recreational Boating – Provision to consider future proposals

## FFMP Elements (Cont.)

- Estuary and Bay Ecological Health – Provision for future consideration when studies currently underway provide meaningful information
- Warm-water and Migratory Fishery – Placeholder
- Monitoring, Reporting and Periodic Evaluation – Requires annual evaluation of FFMP and provides adaptive management flexibility

## FFMP Elements (Cont.)

- Reassessment study
- Temporary Suspension or Revision – for unforeseen circumstances
- Effective Date – Through May 31, 2011
- Renewal – Upon agreement of Decree Parties in 2011 and automatically thereafter in 5-year increments
- Cancellation – On any automatic renewal date, upon notification of any Party at least 180 days prior to renewal date
- Rescissions