The Delaware Project NOAA Trust Resources Potential Contaminant Sources Athos Oil Spill Restoration Projects GIS & Mapping GIS Data List Map Products GIS Tools Internet Mapping Contaminant Data Sediment & Bioeffects Data Query Manager MARPLOT Acronyms & Definitions Contacts Other Resources References Links IMS Mapping Site

 

The Delaware Project

Introduction

Delaware Estuary study area: Tidal Delaware River Click for high resolution PDF

The Delaware Estuary Watershed, located along the mid-Atlantic coast, extends across portions of Delaware , New Jersey and Pennsylvania encompassing all of the Delaware Bay and the tidal reaches of the Delaware River .  This rich estuarine ecosystem is a critical component of the economic well being of the region, supporting industry, fishing, transportation, natural resources, and recreation and is home to millions of people.  The Delaware Estuary, which contains an array of plant and animal species woven together into an intricate and vital ecosystem, has been impacted and degraded by human activities.  Several local, regional and governmental organizations are involved in efforts to improve the region’s ecological health and support the revitalization and redevelopment of coastal communities along the Delaware River and Estuary.  The Delaware Estuary Watershed Database and Mapping project, which includes this webguide, provides a standard database structure for contaminant data and a mapping component (GIS and internet mapping) which provides spatial context for evaluating and communicating the complexity of challenges and opportunities within the Delaware Estuary.

This Delaware Estuary Watershed Database and Mapping Project is a product of the 2006 Interagency Agreement (IAG) between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Hazardous Site Cleanup Division.  This collaborative effort, called the Upper Delaware Estuary (Urban Corridor) Regional Cleanup and Restoration Planning Initiative, is intended to support the EPA Land Revitalization Program and land revitalization efforts at the regional, federal, state and local levels.  This initiative will help in the redevelopment and revitalization of estuarine and coastal zone communities in the Delaware Estuary by providing information on coastal habitats, natural resources, sources of contamination, and identifying restoration opportunities that are critical in maintaining a healthy estuary.  Restoration actions are particularly significant in redevelopment and revitalization efforts in the Upper Delaware Estuary as habitat restoration typically increases recreational opportunities and improves environmental conditions that are important to a communities’ quality of life.

Upper Delaware Estuary Study Area

Lower Delaware Salinity Zones. Click for high resolution PDF

The Delaware Estuary has three major ecological zones distinguished by differences in salinity, turbidity, and biological productivity (Santoro 2004).  These zone boundaries are approximate and vary with seasonal and climatic changes.  The Upper Zone is tidal freshwater and extends from Trenton, New Jersey to Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania . The Transition Zone is from Marcus Hook to Artificial Island in Delaware near the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal (C&D Canal). The Lower Zone is open bay and extends to the Atlantic Ocean . The Upper Zone and the Transition Zone are also referred to as the Upper Estuary or the Tidal Delaware River. The targeted area for this webguide is the tidal Delaware River, its tributaries, and proximate upland buffers.

The Upper Zone and to a lesser extent the Transition Zone of the Delaware Estuary are the most impacted area from both a contaminant and habitat loss perspective. These portions of the estuary are highly urbanized, developed, and commercialized. Contamination has resulted in fishing restrictions and advisories, ecological impacts, and in some instances a negative societal stigma. Habitat loss has severely impacted many species, including migratory fish such as the endangered short nose sturgeon, and in many areas there is limited access for human use. There are significant areas of land along the tidal Delaware River that have been impacted by historic and anthropogenic activities which have resulted in the under-utilization of economic, ecological, recreational, and historic aspects of the Delaware River as a natural resource to the public. Identification of restoration opportunities and information on challenges and techniques is an integral part of land revitalization planning for the tidal Delaware River .  Although this project is focused on the Upper Estuary, there are very important watershed-wide programs and initiatives underway that benefit the Delaware Estuary and larger Delaware River Basin .

For more information:

• Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
• The Delaware River Basin Commission
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Delaware Estuary Watershed Grants Program

DARRP Fact Sheet:

• Delaware Estuary One-Pager (updated 1/23/07)

top