Low-Flow Water Conditions Trigger Big Jump In Susquehanna River Basin Water Withdrawal Restrictions, Most Shale Gas-related

On November 1, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission Hydrologic Conditions Monitor reported a significant increase in low stream flows that have triggered water withdrawal restrictions on water users, including multiple shale gas development water withdrawals.

A total of 62 water withdrawals are operating under water use restrictions-- most are shale gas-related-- and five more have hydrologic conditions approaching restrictions.

A total of 53 other water users are operating with consumptive use mitigation measures operating.

Shale gas development-related water withdrawals are often affected first by low stream flows because they take water from smaller streams.

Contact the Susquehanna River Basin Commission to report suspected violations of these requirements.

Visit SRBC’s Hydrologic Conditions Monitor webpage to learn more. 

Water withdrawals with restrictions found on the Hydrologic Conditions Monitor can be looked up on SRBC’s  Search for Projects webpage.

For more information on programs, training opportunities and upcoming events, visit the Susquehanna River Basin Commission website.  Click Here to sign up for SRBC’s newsletter.   Follow SRBC on Twitter, visit them on YouTube.

(Photos: October 19 water use restrictions (red dots); November 1 water use restrictions.)

NewsClips - Drought:

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley Enters ‘Severe Drought’ As October Dryness Sets Record

-- WNEP: Crews Battle Forest Fire In Lackawanna County; Advise Residents Not To Burn  

-- KYW: Christmas Tree Growers In PA Concerned About Record-Breaking Drought  

-- Republican Herald: No End In Sight For Try Conditions In Schuylkill County

-- ABC27: Dover Township, York County Issues Mandatory Nonessential Water Use Restrictions  

-- Courier Times: Bucks County Water Authority Seeks Voluntary Restrictions Amid Drought 

-- Reading Eagle: Berks County Enacts Outdoor Burn Ban Due To Dry Weather Conditions

-- PennLive: This October Will Be One Of The Driest Ever Recorded In Central PA

-- TribLive: Trick-Or-Drought? How Dry Is It In Western Pennsylvania? 

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- Environmental Quality Board To Consider Proposed Spill Notification Regulation; Blasting; NOx & VOC Corrections Nov. 12  [PaEN]  

-- PUC Approves Emergency Order Appointing Aqua Pennsylvania Temporary Operator For 6 Rhodes Estate Water Companies As Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Ag Council Recognizes Cong. GT Thompson, Chair of the US House Agriculture Committee; Members Of The PA In The Balance Farm Conservation Initiative Team; Student Jessica Herr  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: As 2025 Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Deadline Looms, Officials Propose Next Phase  [PaEN]

-- CBF: New Chesapeake Bay Assessment Reveals Concerns, New Restoration Data Tool Offers Hope  [PaEN] 

-- Dirty Work: Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Adding 130,000 New Trees During Fall Planting Season In Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- Coldwater Heritage Partnership Now Accepting Applications For Conservation Grants; Natural Gas Pipeline Mitigation Projects  [PaEN]

-- Shapiro Administration Launches New Discover State Grants Website To Streamline Access To Government Funding Opportunities  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Now Accepting Applications For Consumptive Use Mitigation Grants; Nov. 20 Webinar  [PaEN]

-- USGS Releases New Video: Susquehanna River Story - What Does The Science Say About Water Quality?  [PaEN]

-- Registration Now Open For PASA 2025 Sustainable Agriculture Conference Feb. 5-7 In Lancaster  [PaEN] 

-- PA Forestry Assn. 138th Annual Symposium - What Makes A Healthy Forest;  Awards Program Nov. 16 In State College  [PaEN] 

-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Educators Now Accepting Nominations For Annual PAEE Awards, Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences Awards  [PaEN] 

-- Help Wanted: Foundation For Pennsylvania Watersheds -  Grants Program Administrator  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- The Allegheny Front: PA Receives Another Round Of Record-Level Federal Funding For Abandoned Coal Mine Cleanups

-- Chesapeake Bay Program: Chesapeake Bay Shows Slight Water Quality Improvement In 2020-22 Assessment Period

-- Williamsport Sun: State Of The Susquehanna River - A Closer Look At Our River

-- ABC27: Dover Township, York County Issues Mandatory Nonessential Water Use Restrictions 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Workforce Shortage Slows Progress On Stream Buffers In Pennsylvania

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners Blog: Cocalico Creek Watershed Association’s Collaborative Path To Restoration

-- TribLive: Nature Focus Of Artwork Featured In Loyalhanna Watershed Association’s 40th Annual Auction 

-- MCall Guest Essay: Delaware River Basin Commission Should Help Fight Climate Change - By Tracy Carluccio, Delaware RiverKeeper Network

[Posted: November 1, 2024]  PA Environment Digest