8. a. Whenever the flow of water in the south branch of the Raritan river is less than 40 million gallons daily at the United States Geological Survey stream gauging station at Stanton, or less than 70 million gallons daily at the United States Geological Survey stream gauging station at Manville, or less than 90 million gallons daily at the United States Geological Survey stream gauging station at Bound Brook, a sufficient amount of water shall be released from the Spruce Run reservoir, or from the Round Valley reservoir or any other reservoir or reservoirs as may be constructed on the Raritan river or its tributaries, and from the Round Valley reservoir in the amounts as will maintain not less than the aforementioned flows of 40 million gallons daily at Stanton and 70 million gallons daily at Manville and 90 million gallons daily at Bound Brook, and the released water shall be returned to the south branch of the Raritan river at the point of diversion or pumping into the reservoir or at some point upstream thereof, except that the amount of water to be released from the Spruce Run reservoir shall not exceed an amount which lowers the water level in the reservoir between June 1 and August 31 more than 8 feet below its usual mean high-water height of each year to ensure the continued availability of the Spruce Run reservoir for water recreational activities.

b. The commissioner is authorized to alter the passing flow requirements set forth in subsection a. of this section as necessary to ensure the protection of the public health, safety or welfare, or the protection of the environment.

c. The commissioner shall alter the releases of water from the Spruce Run reservoir or the Round Valley reservoir as provided in subsection a. of this section whenever there are inadequate moneys in the New Jersey Water Supply Authority Round Valley Fund created pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2001, c.82 (C. 58:1B-9.2) for the New Jersey Water Supply Authority to replenish the water released from the Round Valley reservoir for the purpose of sustaining water recreational activities at the Spruce Run reservoir.

L.1958,c.34,s.8; amended 1981, c.10, s.1; 2001, c.82, s.3.