Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR) is excited to be playing an important leadership role in the development of the first-ever comprehensive watershed-wide plan to protect and restore New York’s Neversink River!
A beautiful sunny day on the Bashakill
The Neversink River, a main tributary to the Upper Delaware in New York State, is steeped in natural, cultural, and historic history. Its upper reaches are an integral part of the New York City water supply system, and its lower reaches include ecological jewels such as the Neversink Gorge and the expansive wetlands system of the Bashakill. The Neversink is an outstanding trout fishery and includes multiple outdoor recreational opportunities that drive a flourishing tourism economy that benefits local communities and residents.
To develop the plan, FUDR needed other “friends” of the Upper Delaware to launch this project. Our primary on-the-ground partners are the Sullivan County (NY) Planning Department, Trout Unlimited, and Natural Lands. But we will need many more conservation interests involved to get across the finish line!
Another key partner in the Neversink effort is the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed (CDRW). Thanks to the CDRW, we now have a growing coalition of state, regional, and local conservation organizations who will play an important role in the development of the Neversink plan.
So, what is the plan?
The Neversink Watershed Management Plan (NWMP) is a non-regulatory guidance document that profiles the entire Neversink watershed, outlines resource management goals and recommendations, and identifies pilot sites for project implementation. It will serve as an implementation blueprint that encourages collaborative partnerships and addresses the water resource needs of the Neversink watershed in the coming decades
Sullivan County was awarded a federal grant to develop a NWMP and FUDR, Trout Unlimited, and Natural Lands were asked to be partners on the project. This project is funded by the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program which is administered by the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation. Project leaders have been spearheading a comprehensive and collaborative effort with a wide diversity of Neversink watershed stakeholders to begin developing the plan.
Developing the NWMP includes a process that looks at all aspects of living and doing business in the watershed. The plan will evaluate impacts to the watershed from existing and planned development and other land uses, flooding concerns, water quality/quantity issues, recreational opportunities, and how the river system contributes to local economic needs and interests.
Watersheds do not follow municipal boundaries, so a holistic multi-jurisdictional planning approach is necessary to ensure the sound future management of the watershed. This plan acts as a tool for municipalities, conservation organizations, community members, and other partners to develop and work towards a shared vision and goals that benefit the watershed and all of its stakeholders.
Community members participating in a mapping exercise at one of the in-person Neverisnk Watershed Management Plan public meetings.
Throughout 2023, project leaders hosted a series of in-person and virtual community education and outreach meetings. Each meeting highlighted different watershed topics and included expert speakers from various backgrounds. We are encouraged by the number of interested watershed stakeholders who attended our meetings and the energy and knowledge they brought to the table! Participants included local government leaders and public agencies, businesses that rely on tourism and natural resources, hunters and anglers, watershed home/landowners, conservation organizations, and members of the general public. We have been using an array of outreach methods such as various social media platforms, mailing lists, local event calendars, radio advertisements, and press releases.
You can view the content and outcome of all our community meetings by visiting our website www.fudr.org/neversinkwmp.
Thanks to our project partners and the CDRW for helping us embark upon this historic effort to ensure the Neversink River remains a crown jewel of the Upper Delaware watershed!
For more information and to get involved with the NWMP go to: www.fudr.org/neversinkwmp
Jillian Pagnotti is the UDR Watershed Program Coordinator for Friends of the Upper Delaware River based in Hancock, NY.