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T
HE
2008 S
USQUEHANNA
R
IVER
B
ASIN
W
ATER
Q
UALITY
A
SSESSMENT
R
EPORT
Publication No. 255 March 31, 2008Prepared by
Jennifer L. R. HoffmanSection Chief, Monitoring & Assessment
This report was prepared to meet the requirements of Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act.The format used is specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its "Guidelinesfor Preparation of the 1996 State Water Quality Assessments (305(b) Reports)."Printed on recycled paperThis report is prepared in cooperation with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under ContractNo. I-00399104-0.
S
USQUEHANNA
R
IVER
B
ASIN
C
OMMISSION
Paul O. Swartz, Executive Director
Kenneth P. Lynch, N.Y. AlternateKathleen A. McGinty, Pa. Commissioner Cathleen Curran Myers, Pa. AlternateJohn T. Hines, Pa. Alternate/Advisor Susan K. Weaver, Pa. Alternate/Advisor Dr. Robert M. Summers, Md. Commissioner Herbert Sachs, Md. Alternate/Advisor Brigadier General Todd T. Semonite, U.S. Commissioner Colonel Peter W. Mueller, U.S. AlternateColonel Christopher J. Larsen, U.S. AlternateLloyd Caldwell, U.S. Advisor Amy M. Guise, U.S. Advisor
The Susquehanna River Basin Commission was created as an independent agency by a federal-interstatecompact* among the states of Maryland, New York, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the federalgovernment. In creating the Commission, the Congress and state legislatures formally recognized thewater resources of the Susquehanna River Basin as a regional asset vested with local, state, and nationalinterests for which all the parties share responsibility. As the single federal-interstate water resourcesagency with basinwide authority, the Commission's goal is to coordinate the planning, conservation,management, utilization, development and control of basin water resources among the public and privatesectors.
*Statutory Citations: Federal - Pub. L. 91-575, 84 Stat. 1509 (December 1970); Maryland - Natural Resources Sec. 8-301(Michie 1974); New York - ECL Sec. 21-1301 (McKinney 1973); and Pennsylvania - 32 P.S. 820.1 (Supp. 1976).
This report is available on our website (www.SRBC.net) by selecting Public Information/Technical Reports. For aCD Rom or for a hard copy, contact the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, 1721 N. Front Street, Harrisburg,Pa. 17102-2391, (717) 238-0423, FAX (717) 238-2436, E-mail:srbc@srbc.net.
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1PART I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................1PART II: BACKGROUND............................................................................................................1Total Waters................................................................................................................................2Summary of Classified Uses.......................................................................................................2PART III: SURFACE WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT........................................................2Surface Water Monitoring Program............................................................................................2Subbasin surveys.....................................................................................................................5Interstate stream water quality network..................................................................................6Large River Assessment Project.............................................................................................8Monitoring/data management needs.....................................................................................10Assessment Methodology and Summary Data..........................................................................10Assessment methodology......................................................................................................10Water quality summary.........................................................................................................12Lake Water Quality Assessment...............................................................................................14Estuary and Coastal Assessment...............................................................................................14Wetlands Assessment................................................................................................................14Public Health/Aquatic Life Concerns.......................................................................................14PART IV: WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM......................................................15Point Source Control Program..................................................................................................15 Nonpoint Source Control Program............................................................................................15Cost/Benefit Analysis................................................................................................................15Special State Concerns and Recommendations........................................................................15Acid mine drainage...............................................................................................................15Chesapeake Bay....................................................................................................................16REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17
FIGURES
Figure 1. The Susquehanna River Basin Subbasins.....................................................................4
TABLES
Table 1. Susquehanna River Basin Geographic Statistics...........................................................3Table 2. Susquehanna River Basin Overall Use Support Summary for Rivers and Streams...13Table 3. Susquehanna River Basin Total Stream Miles Not with Insufficient Informationfor Aquatic Life Use Impairment Designation by Various Causes of SuspectedImpairment..................................................................................................................13Table 4. Susquehanna River Basin Total Stream Miles with Insufficient Information for Aquatic Life Use Impairment by Various Sources of Impairment.............................13
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