For its size, the Upper Delaware River contains some of the highest water quality in the eastern United States. The upper portion of the watershed remains largely forested. These forests act as a natural buffer against pollution and erosion by filtering water, which is very important for maintaining water quality. The river is also home to a variety of freshwater mussels, which filter an enormous volume of water each day. Larval Sea Lamprey also filter water and help to keep it clean. Together, all of these pieces, as well as others, contribute to the high water quality found in the Upper Delaware River. This high water quality provides habitat to diverse biological communities.
High water quality, the presence of many different habitats, and its free-flowing character all give the Upper Delaware River some of the most important fisheries and recreational opportunities in the Northeast.The upper segment of the river is also unique among large rivers in the eastern U.S. due to its relatively cold temperatures. Since 1967, when large volumes of cold water were first released from Cannonsville Reservoir, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation reclassified approximately 27 miles of river between Hancock and Callicoon, NY, as a coldwater fishery. This northernmost stretch of the Upper Delaware supports abundant populations of wild Rainbow and Brown Trout, offering some of the finest trout fishing in the Northeast. The 50 miles of warmwater fishery between Callicoon and Port Jervis, NY, offer habitat to many species including several species of sunfish, bass, minnows, and others.
American Eels are found throughout the corridor, sustaining one of the finest commercial eel fisheries in the world during the fall, when mature eels return to the sea to spawn. The Upper Delaware River also provides key spawning and nursery habitat for the American Shad, Striped Bass, Tesselated Darter, Fallfish, and many other important species.
Tributaries are also critical fisheries habitat and are vitally important to the biological resources of the river environment. The Delaware River also serves the water needs of 5% of the United States population, approximately two billion gallons daily. Thus, tributary stream ecosystems and the quality of water flowing into and from the Upper Delaware must be maintained.
