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DRBC Science Showcased at PDE Summit
Delaware Estuary Science & Environmental Summit
DRBC staff presents on Delaware River Estuary water quality at the PDE Science Summit. From L to R (top): Jake Bransky, Fanghui Chen, Li Zheng and Namsoo Suk. From L to R (bottom): John Yagecic, Tom Amidon, Sarah Beganskas and Steve Tambini. Photo by the DRBC.
From L (top): Jake Bransky, Dr. Fanghui Chen, Dr. Li Zheng and Dr. Namsoo Suk. From L (bottom): John Yagecic, P.E., Tom Amidon, Dr. Sarah Beganskas and Steve Tambini, P.E. Photo by the DRBC.

Science Summit: Estuary on the Rise

The Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit was back in person this year! Held January 30 - February 1 in Atlantic City, N.J., this biennial Science Summit brings together scientists and environmental professionals, researchers and leaders to discuss the problems facing the Delaware River Estuary and potential solutions.

The Science Summit featured more than 80 poster and in-person presentations about environmental topics ranging from threats to ecosystems and drinking water from sea level rise to microplastic pollution and environmental justice.

The Summit is organized by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE). Since the Summit's early years, DRBC staff has been involved, providing presentations on DRBC water resource management efforts, moderating sessions and simply being an attendee, learning about what others are doing in the estuary and seeking opportunities for collaboration and partnership.

This year was no different.

Science Summit: Day 1

On Day 1, DRBC staff presented in two sessions, moderated two sessions and participated in the poster session.

The two sessions moderated by DRBC staff were Environmental DEIJ for Community Leaders (moderated by Dir. of External Affairs & Communications Elizabeth Brown) and Monitoring and Assessment (moderated by Manager of Water Resource Modeling Thomas Amidon).

2022 Technical Report for the Delaware Estuary and Basin (TREB)

PDE officially unveiled its 2022 TREB at the Science Summit. This session featured DRBC Water Resource Scientist Dr. Sarah Beganskas and Aquatic Biologist Jake Bransky to present on DRBC-authored chapters three and four, respectively.

  • DRBC Presentation on Chapter 3: Water Quantity (pdf)

  • DRBC Presentation on Chapter 4: Water Quality (pdf)

  • Learn more and download the 2022 TREB

Improving Dissolved Oxygen and Aquatic Life Uses in the Delaware River Estuary

This session was focused on the DRBC's ongoing effort to improve dissolved oxygen levels in the urban stretches of the Delaware River Estuary (around Philadelphia, Camden and Wilmington) to better support fish populations. This project reached an important milestone in September 2022 with the publication of the DRAFT Analysis of Attainability, which provides a roadmap on how to achieve this. This draft product represents the culmination of five years of intensive studies involving scientific and technical expertise across multiple disciplines.

Eight DRBC staff (pictured above) participated in this session and took turns presenting the various components of this important work, sharing next steps and sitting on a panel for discussion and Q&A.

  • View/Download Entire Presentation (pdf; 14 MB)

  • Introduction: Why are we here? (pdf)

  • How did DRBC address low dissolved oxygen in the Delaware Estuary - then and now? (pdf)

  • Where do ammonia and other nutrients in the Delaware Estuary originate, and how do we know? (pdf)

  • What is this estuary-wide eutrophication model and why do we need it? (pdf)

  • What matters and what doesn't with regard to low dissolved oxygen events in the Delaware Estuary? (pdf)

  • What combination of wastewater improvements will achieve the best dissolved oxygen outcome in the Delaware Estuary? (pdf)

  • What is the highest attainable dissolved oxygen condition in the Delaware Estuary, and what will it mean for aquatic life uses? (pdf)

Poster Session

DRBC staff finished Day 1 activities by presenting three posters during the poster session.

  • Reducing Microplastics in the Delaware River Estuary (pdf)

  • Improving Dissolved Oxygen and Aquatic Life Uses in the Delaware River Estuary (pdf)

  • Social and Economic Factors Affecting the Attainment of Aquatic Life Uses in the Delaware River Estuary (pdf)

 

DRBC Aquatic Biologist Jake Bransky presented a poster on a DRBC study that looked at levels of microplastics in the Delaware River Estuary. Photo by the DRBC. Dr. Sarah Beganskas talks with a Summit attendee about the DRBC's effort to improve dissolved oxygen in the Delaware River Estuary. Photo by the DRBC. DRBC Manager of Water Quality Assessment John Yagecic, P.E., talks with a Summit attendee about our examination of socio-economic factors affecting improved dissolved oxygen in the Delaware River Estuary. Photo by the DRBC.
DRBC Aquatic Biologist Jake Bransky
presented a poster on a DRBC study
about microplastics in the Delaware River
Estuary. Photo by the DRBC.
Dr. Sarah Beganskas talks with a Summit
attendee about the DRBC's dissolved
oxygen improvement work. Photo by the
DRBC.
DRBC Mgr. of Water Quality Assessment
John Yagecic, P.E., discusses the socio-
economic factors affecting improved
dissolved oxygen in the Delaware River
Estuary. Photo by the DRBC.
Forum on Climate Change in the Delaware River Basin
From L: DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin,
DRBC Dep. Ex. Dir. Kristen Kavanagh, DRBC
Ex. Dir. Steve Tambini, NJDEP Commissioner
Shawn LaTourette & EPA Region 3 Admin.
Adam Ortiz. Photo by the DRBC
.

Science Summit: Day 2 - DRBC Climate Forum

For the second time, Day 2 of the Science Summit featured a Forum on Climate Change in the Delaware River Basin, hosted by the DRBC's Advisory Committee on Climate Change (ACCC).

Current ACCC chair and Water Center at Penn Executive Director Howard Neukrug said, "The DRBC’s Advisory Committee on Climate Change is thrilled to bring distinguished leaders across science and policy together to address climate change in the Delaware River Basin. We recognize that confronting a changing climate will take collaboration and innovation more than ever before and we look forward to convening these critical conversations."

This year, the Forum featured two keynote speakers. The morning keynote speaker was NASA Scientist Dr. Phillippe Hensel, who discussed his work and the important interconnection between sea level rise and land movement. The afternoon keynote speaker was journalist Catrin Einhorn of the New York Times Climate Desk.

The day's agenda included presentations on monitoring and modeling water quality in the Delaware River Estuary, a session on local/regional climate change impacts, a panel discussion among environmental leaders on climate planning and adaptation and a session on community climate resilience.

The highlight of the Climate Forum was the conversation among government leaders, who discussed their respective planning and adaptation strategies throughout the Delaware River Basin. Panelists were New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette; Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin; New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. "Rit" Aggarwala; and EPA Region 3 Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. The panel was moderated by DRBC Executive Director Steve Tambini and Deputy Executive Director Kristen Kavanagh, who is also the DRBC liaison to the ACCC.

In addition to welcoming everyone to the Climate Forum, DRBC staff moderated the water quality session, moderated and presented during the session on local/regional impacts, moderated the panel discussion, moderated the climate resilience session and helped introduce the final poster session.

We thank PDE staff and all who helped organize, support and host the Summit. Its focus on science, data & working together across the Delaware River Estuary towards clean and sustainable water resources is unmatched.

Please visit https://delawareestuary.org/delaware-estuary-science-and-environmental-summit/ to view complete information on the three-day Science Summit, including presenter bios, presentation abstracts and poster descriptions.

 

The agenda for the DRBC Climate Forum. Photo by the DRBC. From L to R: DRBC Advisory Committee on Climate Change Chair Howard Neukrug, NOAA's Dr. Philippe Hensel and DRBC Deputy Exec. Director Kristen Kavanagh. Photo by the DRBC. From R: DRBC Manager of Water Resource Operations Amy Shallcross, P.E., Sr. Water Resource Engineer Dr. Fanghui Chen and Water Resource Scientist Anthony Preucil present at the DRBC Climate Forum. Photo by the DRBC.
The agenda for the DRBC Climate Forum.
Photo by the DRBC.
From L: DRBC Advisory Committee on
Climate Change Chair Howard Neukrug,
NOAA's Dr. Philippe Hensel and DRBC
Deputy Exec. Director Kristen Kavanagh.
Photo by the DRBC.
From R: DRBC Manager of Water Resource
Operations Amy Shallcross, P.E., Sr. Water
Resource Engineer Dr. Fanghui Chen and
Water Resource Scientist Anthony Preucil
present at the DRBC Climate Forum.
Photo by the DRBC.
From L: DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin, NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, DRBC Dep. Dir. Kristen Kavanagh, NYCDEP Commissioner Rit Argawalla, EPA Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz and DRBC Ex. Dir. Steve Tambini. Photo by the DRBC. From L to R: NYCDEP Commissioner Rit Aggarwala, NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, DRBC Dep. Ex. Dir. Kristen Kavanagh, DRBC Ex. Dir. Steve Tambini & DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin. Photo by the DRBC. A photo of the sponsors' list for the Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit. Photo by the DRBC.
From L: DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin,
NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette,
DRBC Dep. Dir. Kristen Kavanagh,
NYCDEP Commissioner Rit Aggarwala,
EPA Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz
and DRBC Ex. Dir. Steve Tambini.
Photo by the DRBC.
From L: NYCDEP Commissioner Rit
Aggarwala, NJDEP Commissioner Shawn
LaTourette, DRBC Dep. Ex. Dir. Kristen
Kavanagh, DRBC Ex. Dir. Steve Tambini
and DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin.
Photo by the DRBC.
A photo of the sponsors' list for the
Delaware Estuary Science and
Environmental Summit.
Photo by the DRBC.