The Delaware River basin flows from the Catskill Mountains of New York through Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and into the Atlantic at Delaware Bay. This web of rivers and streams is the lifeblood of the region. It provides drinking water for 15 million people, including the communities of New York City, Trenton, Philadelphia and Wilmington. It sustains orchards, wineries, dairy farms and nurseries. Its free-flowing waters, world-class fisheries, and streamside parks draw anglers, birders, bicyclists and paddlers from across the region and the world.
Smart laws and caring landowners have helped clean up historic pollution, but poorly planned development is still a threat. Rain running off roads and parking lots carries oil and chemicals. The loss of trees and native plants that act as natural water filters leads to flooding, and streams clogged with silt, trash and algae.
That is why more than fifty nonprofit organizations have come together to protect and restore the waterways our communities and economy rely on. Together with scientists, home and landowners, local officials and volunteers, they are conserving forests and farms, cleaning up streams, and bringing back native plants.
