The Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers make up the headwaters of the Ohio River Basin and provide drinking water to over 5 million people and support a variety of plant and animal life.
These rivers suffer from a combination of legacy and novel pollution sources, the most common of which are acid mine drainage, combined sewage overflows, increased flooding and stormwater events, and industrial pollution.
Nearly a third of our region’s rivers and streams are considered impaired by the Department of Environmental Protection.
The report outlines general water quality, PFAS contamination, compliance to the Clean Water Act and more.
Three Rivers Waterkeeper sampled for PFAS at 60 locations across Southwestern PA – only 4 sites had 0 ppt (no PFAS detected).
The highest level of PFAS contamination detected in 2024 was Montour Run (Ohio River Watershed) with 134.9 parts per trillion.
Significant Noncompliance
During 2024, Three Rivers Waterkeeper also documented that of 69 facilities within our region, 55 had at least one quarter of noncompliance over a 12 quarter period, and 21 facilities were in extreme noncompliance with the federal Clean Water Act (in non-compliance at least 50% of the time).
“Our report emphasizes the ongoing presence of pollution in our waterways - both legacy and emerging – with a lack of accountability and oversight. Nevertheless, our waterways are worth protecting from pollution, and our river systems offer a vast array of resources - from drinking water to recreation and critical habitat to plants and animals,” said Heather Hulton VanTassel, PhD, Executive Director, Three Rivers Waterkeeper.
The report highlights river deltas, often called sand bars-- areas of land along waterways that form from sediment deposition.
In Western Pennsylvania, they form from smaller tributaries flowing into our mainstem rivers and depositing sediment at the convergence, ultimately recreating natural floodplains.
These floodplains were once naturally occurring, but have disappeared due to our lock and dam system.
Nevertheless, nature is resilient, and these river deltas are the re-emergence of critical floodplains in our region.
River deltas are incredibly important riparian areas that have many unique and early-establishing species.
“As your waterkeeper, it’s important for us to highlight the truth of what is polluting our waterways while emphasizing why it’s worth protecting. This report represents all of our waterways - from pollution to our natural treasures,” said Heather Hulton VanTassel, PhD, Executive Director, Three Rivers Waterkeeper.
Click Here for a copy of the Report.
Three Rivers Waterkeeper was founded in 2009 and works to improve and protect the water quality of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers and their watersheds. These waterways are critical to the health, vitality, and economic prosperity of our region and communities.
Three Rivers Waterkeeper is both a scientific and legal advocate for the community, working to ensure our three rivers are protected and safe to drink, fish, swim and enjoy.
Related Articles This Week:
-- PEMA Highlights Upgraded Weather Monitoring And Flood Warning System At Greencastle-Antrim School, Franklin County [PaEN]
-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners: Record-Breaking Rainfall In Lancaster County Put Stormwater, Watershed Restoration Projects To The Test [PaEN]
-- Eastern PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation Hosts 2 AmeriCorps Interns Funded By Federal Office Of Surface Mining [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension Aug. 25 Webinar On PFAS And 6PPD-q Chemicals In The Delaware River Basin [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension Hosts Sept. 9 Webinar On Proper Native Tree Planting For Long-Term Success; Master Watershed Steward Native Tree & Shrub Sale In August [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- PennLive: PA’s New Monitoring Stations Will Better Alert Residents To Floods, Other Weather Events
-- The Center Square: State Upgrades Flood Warning System
-- Post-Gazette: Emergency Alerts Sounded During Deadline West Virginia Flooding; Here’s How They Work And When They’re Used
-- LancasterOnline: Mountville Boro Wraps Up Stream Restoration Project At Spring Hill Park
-- PennLive: Rain Runoff Impacts Water Quality In State Park Lake Swimming Areas
-- TribLive: Avonmore Officials Assess Damage After Night Of Flash Floods In Westmoreland County
-- WTAE: Flash Flooding Causes Damage In South Franklin Twp., Washington County
-- Observer-Reporter: Southern Washington County Communities Hit Hard By Flooding
-- WTAE: GoFundMe Created After Washington County Teen Loses Barn In Extreme Floods
-- PennLive: Will A Catastrophic Flood Hit Central PA? It’s Only A Matter Of Time, Experts Say
-- Williamsport Sun: Reflections In Nature: Waterway Names Come From A Variety Of Sources
-- The Economist: America Is Remaking Its Disaster-Relief System; President Hopes To Undo Perverse Incentives [PDF of Article]
[Posted: July 31, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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