Upper Delaware River (UDR) Network Newsletter

July 2025 Edition

Mid Summer is upon us and there is so much going on in the Upper Delaware River Region! Check out the interesting research currently being done in our waterways and don’t miss out on great upcoming events and opportunities!

Registration for the 2025 Upper Delaware River Rendezvous is now open!

Attendees can click here to register for the conference. Use the discount code (25EarlyBird) for $50.00 off at check out.

Register now to take advantage of this limited time offer and ensure you have a spot at the Rendezvous! Early Bird pricing is available until Friday, August 8th. 

Call for Participation in UDR Science & Research SWOT Analysis

The Upper Delaware River Watershed Network Science & Research Subcommittee met on Monday July 21st to begin conducting a S.W.O.T. analysis of work taking place in the UDR basin. During the S.W.O.T. analysis, the subcommittee discussed the results of the UDR science survey, assessed internal and external factors at play, and gathered consensus for forward thinking conservation in the UDR. The S.W.O.T. analysis will support the development of an Upper Delaware River Science & Research Plan.

Partner participation is paramount in ensuring that all stakeholders are represented in this plan. We thank those of you who have been allies of conservation, both in the field and behind the scenes! Please email Emily Baldauff (ebaldauff@fudr.org) if you would like to participate in the future S.W.O.T. meetings taking place in August 2025.

The Delaware River Watershed and its tributaries is home to many species of interest for scientists and naturalist alike!

Attention Anglers!!

NYDEC wants your input! Upon your travels within the coldwater sections of the Upper Delaware Region be on the lookout for signs posted by NYDEC at various accesses along the East Branch, West Branch, and Mainstem.

On these signs you will find a QR code to a survey opportunity relating to your trout fishing experience. The data collected from the survey will help aid in future management decision making.

Have no fear, Sea Lamprey is here!

Sea lamprey are a native fish species of the Delaware River unlike their geographically isolated and invasive siblings in the Great Lakes. Despite their fang like teeth, bloodsucking nature, and overall evil appearance, sea lamprey are actually good samaritans of the Delaware River and play a vital role in ecosystem health. Sea Lamprey are anadromous, meaning they live in saltwater and spawn in freshwater. Fascinatingly, adults locate spawning grounds by following pheromones released by ammocoetes (larvae) who live in the substrate for 3-10 years after hatching depending on environmental factors. After spawning, adult sea lampreys die which contributes immensely to nutrient cycling in the system. So, if you see a dead sea lamprey, don’t worry! https://www.fws.gov/media/adult-sea-lamprey

New USGS Data Collection Announcement

The USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP) will soon be releasing its Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 3D National Topography Model (3DNTM) Data Collaboration Announcement (DCA). The 3DNTM DCA provides a mechanism for partnering with the USGS and other Federal Agencies to acquire high-quality 3D Elevation or 3D Hydrography data to provide the Nation with high-resolution topographic products to support a broad array of applications.

The USGS NGP is planning to host the FY26 3DNTM DCA Instructional Webinar on Wednesday, August 6, 2025. Check the 3DNTM DCA website for additional webinar information as it becomes available: https://www.usgs.gov/3d-national-topography-model/data-collaboration-announcement-portal

Featured Watershed Partner - The City of Port Jervis

In this newsletter we are featuring UDR Network member the City of Port Jervis. Thanks for everything you do!

The City of Port Jervis is located 90 miles northwest of NYC. At the juncture of NY, NJ and PA and the Delaware and Neversink rivers, it is the southernmost entry for the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway. Incorporated in 1907, the city was a major stop on the Delaware & Hudson Canal and later a prominent railroad repair depot.

As part of the Delaware and Neversink River watersheds, the city’s three-reservoir gravity-fed water system located in the surrounding Town of Deerpark services 8,600 residents within the city’s 2.5 square land miles. Contained within the city’s Watershed Park, multiple trailheads link a 50-mile network of hiking and biking trail built by Outdoor Club of Port Jervis volunteers.

This protected area is expanding through land acquisitions made possible through the NYS DEC Water Quality Improvement Program (WQIP) and supportive partners including the Orange County Land Trust and the Open Space Institute (OSI). Under this program, two major 2025 purchases are expected to expand the watershed to 2,800 heavily wooded acres.

The City’s partnership with the Friends of the Upper Delaware and participation in the Upper Delaware River Network are other components of the good stewardship of shared natural resources on which we all depend.

The banks of the Delaware River in the City of Port Jervis

Thanks for taking a moment to read the UDR Network Watershed Newsletter! We hope it helps you gain a broader understanding of all the work happening in the watershed and provides you with an opportunity to meet new partners, learn new strategies, and identify opportunities to strengthen your watershed work! 

If there is an activity or event that your organization would like featured in the next newsletter, please email info@fudr.org. To learn more about the UDR Watershed Network, visit our website https://www.udrwatershed.org.

-The UDR Watershed Network Team

Activities and Important Dates