Delaware County may only have about 45,000 residents, but it’s New York’s fifth-largest county by land area. Bordering Pennsylvania in the western Catskills and part of the Southern Tier region, Delaware County is a place of big landscapes and small towns shaped by rivers, reservoirs, and farms.
Named for the Delaware River, water defines much of Delaware County’s infrastructure. Two of New York City’s reservoirs, Pepacton and Cannonsville, sit within its borders. Pepacton, placed into service in 1955, is the largest reservoir in NYC’s system by volume, holding over 140 billion gallons of water and supplying more than a quarter of the city’s daily flow on average. The reservoirs are renowned for recreation and trout fishing areas, bringing in seasonal visitors and second-home owners. 
Agriculture is the backbone of Delaware County’s local economy, ranking among New York’s leading dairy and livestock producers, supported by the USDA and other federal agricultural programs that provide technical and financial support. Beyond large-scale production, small and mid-sized farms sustain the local food economy through diversification. A significant recent development is Lactalis USA announcing significant upgrades to its Walton manufacturing facility to expand dairy product production. Agritourism is also on the rise, as visitors to the Catskills seek rural experiences like tasting rooms and farm-to-table dining.
Delaware County is a working landscape: part agricultural heartland, part outdoor gateway. Reservoirs link the Catskill Valleys to the largest city in the nation.
