Is the Delaware River Safe for Boating and Swimming?
Subscribe | What is RSS Date: July 20, 2006 Contact: Loren Goering, 570-729-7574 The National Park Service at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River (NPS) has received a lot of questions about whether it’s safe to go back on the Delaware River after the recent flooding. These are valid concerns; river users are advised to continue to exercise considerable caution. Concerns include high flows, debris, hazards to navigation, diminished water clarity, and possible elevated bacteria levels. The National Park Service and other agencies (federal, state, and county) routinely monitor surface waters to determine the typical or average water quality but no-one continuously monitors water quality. Many sewage treatment plants (STPs) have been flooded and are off-line, or are operating at diminished capacity. Some STPs are only able to treat discharged sewage with chlorine; others with primary (partial) treatment, while other plants are fully functional. The National Park Service sampled wa
