Delaware • New Jersey • Pennsylvania
New York • United States of America
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| The DRBC Commissioners at the dais. Photo by the DRBC. |
On September 2, 2026, the Delaware River Basin Commission, Our Shared Waters partners and the public gathered at Washington Crossing Historic Park, Washington Crossing, Pa., for the DRBC's third-quarter business meeting and wraparound programming.
• View information about the DRBC's September 2 Business Meeting
The day prior, DRBC Commissioners and staff had the opportunity to tour the grounds of Washington Crossing Historic Park, which is managed by the Pa. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), in partnership with the non-profit Friends of Washington Crossing Park. Folks got to check out several of the park's historic buildings, including the Durham Boat Barn and the Frye House, and learned how a musket is fired (note: humidity makes it difficult!).
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The September 2 Business Meeting featured in-person remarks from Friends of Washington Crossing Park Executive Director Jennifer Martin, as well as from U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1). Each welcomed folks to the meeting and to Washington Crossing, highlighting the importance of this site and the Delaware River to the formation of our nation 250 years ago and how the park is stewarding this vital history today.
• DRBC Resolution for the Minutes honoring Washington Crossing Historic Park and the Friends of Washington Crossing Park (archived PDF)
Other meeting highlights included Resolutions for the Minutes recognizing Ken Warren, DRBC General Counsel for the past 25 years, and Pam Bush, DRBC Assistant General Counsel and Commission Secretary for the last 27 years, for their dedication and service to the Commission.
- Resolution for the Minutes recognizing Ken Warren (archived PDF)
- Resolution for the Minutes honoring Pam Bush (archived PDF)
Before the start of the business meeting on September 2, DRBC held the Our Founding Waters Festival at Washington Crossing Historic Park. The festival was open to the public and featured educational and interactive tables showcasing Our Shared Waters partners and their work in the watershed. In addition to DRBC staff, other festival exhibitors included:
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- Lewis Fishery (Lambertville, N.J.)
The DRBC would like to express our gratitude to all festival participants and attendees and especially to DCNR Washington Crossing Historic Park and the Friends of Washington Crossing Park for their partnership in hosting this meeting.
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| Monument marking where Washington crossed the Delaware. Photo by the DRBC. |
DRBC staff & Commissioners tour Washington Crossing Historic Park. Photo by the DRBC. |
DRBC staff and Commissioners tour Washington Crossing Historic Park's Durham Boat Barn. Photo by the DRBC. |
Friends of Washington Crossing Park's Alex Robb shows how to fire a musket. Photo by the DRBC. |
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| With the DRBC office close to Washington Crossing, DRBC Commissioners and staff had an opportunity to gather. Here, they are posed for a photo at the DRBC Building sign. Photo by the DRBC. |
DRBC Commissioners pose for a photo along with DRBC Executive Director Kristen Bowman Kavanagh (far R), DRBC General Counsel Ken Warren (2nd from L) and current DRBC Commission Secretary Naomi Mendelsohn (far L). Photo by the DRBC. |
From L: Beth Brown, DRBC; Jill Whitcomb, PADEP and current DRBC Chair; Taylor Cromer, DCNR; Jennifer Martin, Friends of Washington Crossing Park; and Kristen Bowman Kavanagh, DRBC, pose with the Resolution for the Minutes honoring DCNR & the Friends. Photo by the DRBC. |
From L: Jill Whitcomb, PADEP and current DRBC Chair; Ken Warren, DRBC General Counsel; Pam Bush, DRBC; and Kristen Bowman Kavanagh, DRBC, pose with the Resolution for the Minutes recognizing Ken Warren. Photo by the DRBC. |
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| From L: Ken Warren, DRBC General Counsel; Jill Whitcomb, PADEP and current DRBC Chair; Pam Bush, DRBC; and Kristen Bowman Kavanagh, DRBC, pose with the Resolution for the Minutes honoring Pam Bush. Photo by the DRBC. |
At the Festival, (from L) |
At the Festival, DRBC's Zach Soricelli (L) and Bailey Adams introduced folks to DRBC's Water Resources Resilience Plan. Photo by the DRBC. |
Jill Whitcomb, PADEP & current DRBC Chair (far R), poses with her PADEP colleagues at the Festival. Photo by the DRBC. |
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| We were pleased to have DCNR Washington Crossing Historic Park staff participate, along with Pa. Fish & Boat Commission's Andy Desko (2nd from R). Photo by the DRBC. |
(from L) Friends of Washington Crossing Park staff Ross Heutmaker, Corinne Kauermann and Alex Robb mingled with attendees, sharing stories what it was like 250 years ago. Photo by the DRBC. |
The Our Founding Waters Festival was held on the grounds of Washington Crossing Historic Park, along the Delaware River. Photo by the DRBC. |
We were pleased to have staff from N.J. Department of Environmental Protection's Community Collaborative Initiative participate in the Festival! Photo by the DRBC. |
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| The Lewis Fishery is the last commercial shad fishing entity in the non-tidal Delaware River, operating in Lambertville, N.J. since the late 1800s. They catch shad each spring as they come upriver to spawn, collecting vital data about the shad population & selling fish to the local community. Photo by the DRBC. |
Not only was the Festival a |
Not only was the Festival a learning opportunity for attendees, it also was for fellow exhibitors! Here, folks from Pa. Fish & Boat Commission (far L), N.J. DEP & the Lewis Fishery chat with folks from the Honey Hollow Nature Center. Photo by the DRBC. |
Not only was the Festival a learning opportunity for attendees, it also was for fellow exhibitors! Here, Steve Meserve with the Lewis Fishery chats with folks from the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. Photo by the DRBC. |
