Delaware River Basin Commission recently published its State of the Basin Report, the fourth since 2004, benchmarking conditions and tracking progress toward meeting key DRBC goals for an adequate supply of water with suitable quality in the Delaware River basin.

The report evaluates five categories – watersheds and landscapes, water quantity, climate change, water quality, and living resources – using 36 indicators rated from “Very Good” to “Poor.”

Most indicators in this year’s report received either a “Good” or “Very Good” rating, while some trends were predominantly neutral. Lower or declining trends pinpoint areas where additional study and stewardship are necessary.

In the Water Quantity category, groundwater availability was rated “Very Good,” while water withdrawals, consumptive use, water loss and conservation, flow, and salt front all received a “Good” rating. All remained consistent with the previous report, except for water loss and conservation, which was a new measure.

In the Water Quality category, nutrients declined from “Very Good” to a “Good” rating compared to the last report, while dissolved oxygen decreased from “Good” to “Fair.” Temperature and pH received a “Good” rating, while salinity, pollutants, emerging contaminants, and HABs were rated “Fair.” Microplastics, measured for the first time, received a “Poor” rating.

Read the entire State of the Basin Report report at NJ.gov.