AN OVERVIEW OF THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN COMMISSION

June 2018

THE SUSQUEHANNA York, until it empties into the Chesapeake the Congress of the United States and the Bay at Havre de Grace, Maryland. The legislatures of New York State, Pennsylvania, The Susquehanna River is the nation’s Susquehanna contributes one-half of the and Maryland, provides the mechanism to sixteenth largest river and is the largest river freshwater flow to the Bay. guide water resource management of the lying entirely in the United States that flows Susquehanna River Basin. into the Atlantic Ocean. The Susquehanna The Basin borders the major population and its hundreds of tributaries drain 27,510 centers of the east coast, and although square miles, an area nearly the size of South relatively undeveloped, has experienced THE SUSQUEHANNA Carolina, spread over parts of the states of problems of water pollution and over usage. RIVER BASIN COMMISSION New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The Susquehanna River flows through three The Compact, which went into effect on states and is classified as a navigable The river meanders 444 miles from its origin January 24, 1971, also established the waterway by the federal government, at Otsego Lake near Cooperstown, New Susquehanna River Basin Commission as thereby, state, regional, the agency to coordinate these water and national interests are resources efforts. involved. Commission Members THE COMPACT Each member state/jurisdiction is represented by a commissioner who serves as In the late 1960s, a broad the spokesperson for the government that he group of concerned or she represents. In the case of the federal citizens saw the need for government, the commissioner has been a federal-interstate identified in legislation as the Division coordinating agency to Engineer, North Atlantic Division, U.S. lead the conservation, Army Corps of Engineers. For the three development, and states, the commissioners are the governors administration of the or their designees. The commissioners also Basin’s resources that appoint alternate commissioners. would preserve and enhance its value as a The commissioners, or their alternates, meet scenic and recreational quarterly to act on a variety of asset for the people who programmatic and administrative matters, live in the Basin. The including applications for projects using need to coordinate these water; adopting regulations, policies, and efforts, along with those budgets; and enacting various planning and of three states and the management activities. Each of the four agencies of the federal commissioners has a single vote. government, led to the drafting of the Under the leadership of the Executive Susquehanna River Basin Director, technical and administrative Compact, which was personnel support the daily operations of the signed into law on Commission. December 23, 1970. The Compact, as adopted by

Susquehanna River Basin Commission n 4423 N. Front Street n Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110 n (717) 238-0423 n srbc.net RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER MISSION STATEMENT BASIN COMMISSION The mission of the Susquehanna Commission staff develops and implements the programs as directed by the commissioners River Basin Commission, which is and as found in Commission’s comprehensive plan. The six priority management areas of the defined in the Compact, is to Comprehensive Plan are listed below, along with desired results. The Commission is enhance public welfare through committed to taking the actions necessary to achieve the results. comprehensive planning, water supply allocation, and management of the water resources of the Sustainable Water Development Chesapeake Bay Susquehanna River Basin. To regulate and plan for water resources To manage the water resources of the Basin To accomplish this mission, the development in a manner that maintains to assist in restoring and maintaining the Commission works to: reduce economic viability, protects instream users, Chesapeake Bay so it meets or exceeds damages caused by floods; provide for the reasonable and sustained and ensures ecological diversity; and meets applicable water quality standards and development and use of surface and immediate and future needs of the people supports healthy populations of living ground water for municipal, of the Basin for domestic, municipal, resources, including oysters, crabs, fish, agricultural, recreational, commercial commercial, agricultural and industrial waterfowl, shore birds, and underwater and industrial purposes; protect and water supply and recreational activities. grasses. restore fisheries, wetlands and aquatic habitat; protect water quality and instream uses; and ensure future Water Quality Coordination, Cooperation and availability of flows to the To support the existing and designated uses Public Information Chesapeake Bay. of all water bodies by achieving water To maximize available human resources The Commission is uniquely qualified quality that meets or exceeds standards. and achieve common and complementary to carry out this mission. As a management objectives by the federal-interstate compact Flooding Commission, its member jurisdictions and commission, its focus is defined by others; to promote the planning and the natural boundaries of the river To prevent loss of life and significantly management of the Basin’s water resources Basin rather than the political reduce future damages from floods within in the most efficient manner possible; to boundaries of the member states. As the Basin through an integrated system of inform the public on the Commission’s such, the Commission serves as a structural and nonstructural flood damage water management responsibilities; and to forum to provide coordinated reduction measures. management, promote enhance the public’s access to Commission communication among the members, information and in commenting on and resolve water resource issues Ecosystems Commission activities. and controversies within the Basin. To achieve healthy ecosystems that provide groundwater and surface water of sufficient quality and in adequate supply to support abundant and diverse populations of aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial organisms, as well as human use.

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Commission completes much of its work through four program areas. These programs include: Project Review The permitting arm of the Commission’s regulatory program, the Project Review team receives and reviews applications for water withdrawals and consumptive water use, makes recommendations to the commissioners for actions on those applications, and helps to develop key standards guiding how, when and where the Commission’s policies and regulations are exercised.

Compliance & Enforcement sampling for macroinvertebrates & fish, Planning and Operations team also leads The enforcement arm of the Commission’s stormwater, nutrient and sediment coordination efforts to help ensure that regulatory program, the Compliance loadings, and abandoned mine drainage. Basin agencies and residents are prepared to Program works to ensure that water related Key protection efforts include operation of withstand and react to flooding and projects have the appropriate approvals and systems that provide real-time monitoring drought conditions. operate within the constraints of those in sensitive watersheds and in the vicinity approvals. Site inspections, quarterly of drinking water supplies, establishing reporting requirements, and an extensive Total Maximum Daily Load criteria, project database are some of the essential assessing risks to drinking water sources, tools used by the program. and characterizing the cause and extent of impairment to Basin waterways. Monitoring & Protection Monitoring and Protection scientists collect Planning & Operations data to better understand the interactions Planning and Operations provides of biological, chemical, and physical traits technical support to the other programs of streams throughout the Basin. These and is tasked with assessing the nature and activities include water quality monitoring/ quantity of water use in the Basin. The

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