Watershed Profile: Susquehanna River near Columbia, PA
Watershed Overview
The Susquehanna River begins at the outflow of Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, NY. The River flows 444 miles through New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland, before reaching its confluence with the Chesapeake Bay in Havre de Grace, MD. The monitoring station is in the Lower Susquehanna Subbasin near the town of Columbia, PA.
Drainage Characteristics
- Drainage Area (square miles): 25999.06
- Total Stream Length (miles): 47173.6
- Average Annual Flow at Station (NHD) (cfs): 38515.0
- Population (2020): 3,567,670
Stream Classifications (Pennsylvania)
| Designation | Miles |
|---|---|
| Exceptional Value | 2029.38 |
| High-Quality Cold Water Fisheries | 9675.82 |
| High-Quality Trout Stocked Fisheries | 91.99 |
| Trout Stocked Fisheries | 3055.16 |
| Warm Water Fisheries | 8265.76 |
| Total | 23118.11 |
Stream Classifications (New York)
| Classification | Use | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Class A | Drinking Water Source | 154.70 |
| Class A (T) | Drinking Water Source With Trout Population | 33.94 |
| Class A (TS) | Drinking Water Source With Trout Spawning | 24.49 |
| Class AA | Drinking Water Source | 31.09 |
| Class AA (T) | Drinking Water Source With Trout Population | 7.13 |
| Class AA (TS) | Drinking Water Source With Trout Spawning | 3.08 |
| Class B | Contact Recreation (Not Drinking Water Source) | 369.04 |
| Class B (T) | Contact Recreation With Trout Population | 53.09 |
| Class C | Support Fisheries (Non-Contact) | 7630.30 |
| Class C (T) | Support Fisheries, Non-Contact With Trout Population | 1990.31 |
| Class C (TS) | Support Fisheries, Non-Contact With Trout Spawning | 884.85 |
| Class D | Fishing, But Does Not Support Fish Propagation | 8.98 |
| Exempt | Exempt | 0.03 |
| Total | 11191.03 | |
- Land Use
-
Description Percentage Water 0.98 Developed Open Space 5.22 Low Urban 2.33 Medium Urban 1.17 High Urban 0.48 Barren 0.29 Deciduous Forest 45.18 Coniferous Forest 2.63 Mixed Forest 15.47 Shrub Scrub 0.54 Grassland Herbaceous 0.70 Pasture/Hay 14.93 Cropland 8.16 Wetlands 1.91
Underlying Geology
| Rock Type | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Conglomerate | 0.27 |
| Dolomite | 1.69 |
| Limestone | 4.61 |
| Other | 1.28 |
| Quartzite | 2.43 |
| Sandstone | 37.82 |
| Shale | 51.90 |
Map
Recent Results
| Sample Time | 4/30/2025 1:15:00 AM |
|---|---|
| Temperature (F) | 64.753 |
| Specific Conductivity (mS/cm) | |
| PH | 8.823 |
| Turbidity (NTU+) | 17.15 |
| Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) |
Dissolved Oxygen (last month of readings)
pH (last month of readings)
Specific Conductivity (last month of readings)
Temperature (last month of readings)
Turbidity (last month of readings)
Natural Gas
- Natural Gas Pads 1929
- Natural Gas Water Withdrawals 109
Public Water Supply Withdrawals
- Groundwater 5121
- Surface Water 233
NPDES Discharges
| Description | Count |
|---|---|
| Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation | 197 |
| Mining/Quarry | 666 |
| Stormwater | 1993 |
| Wastewater Treatment Plant/Sewage Treatment Plant | 594 |
| Other | 1279 |
Stream Impairments
| Source | Category | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Acid Mine Drainage | Aquatic Life | 1874.60 |
| Animal Feeding Operations | Aquatic Life | 7.30 |
| Atmospheric Deposition | Aquatic Life | 493.40 |
| Channel Erosion/Incision from Upstream Hydromodifications | Aquatic Life | 17.30 |
| Channelization | Aquatic Life | 65.30 |
| Coal Mining | Aquatic Life | 5.20 |
| Combined Sewer Overflows | Aquatic Life | 18.20 |
| Construction | Aquatic Life | 51.10 |
| Crop Production | Aquatic Life | 227.60 |
| Dam or Impoundment | Aquatic Life | 54.20 |
| Erosion from Derelict Land | Aquatic Life | 17.40 |
| Forest Roads | Aquatic Life | 1.90 |
| Golf Courses | Aquatic Life | 22.40 |
| Grazing in Riparian Zones | Aquatic Life | 181.40 |
| Habitat Modification | Aquatic Life | 359.20 |
| Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff | Aquatic Life | 278.90 |
| Highways, Roads, Bridges Construction | Aquatic Life | 3.90 |
| Impacts from Hydrostructure Flow Regulation | Aquatic Life | 78.80 |
| Impervious Surface/Parking Lot Runoff | Aquatic Life | 23.10 |
| Industrial Point Source | Aquatic Life | 48.20 |
| Landfills | Aquatic Life | 3.60 |
| Municipal Point Source | Aquatic Life | 41.70 |
| Natural Sources | Aquatic Life | 15.60 |
| On-Site Treatment Systems | Aquatic Life | 32.60 |
| Removal of Riparian Vegetation | Aquatic Life | 104.90 |
| Rural (Residential) | Aquatic Life | 140.40 |
| Silviculture | Aquatic Life | 6.40 |
| Site Clearance | Aquatic Life | 14.80 |
| Source Unknown | Aquatic Life | 244.80 |
| Streambank Modifications | Aquatic Life | 33.20 |
| Surface Mining | Aquatic Life | 27.80 |
| Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers | Aquatic Life | 538.20 |
| Atmospheric Deposition | Fish Consumption | 693.70 |
| Industrial Point Source | Fish Consumption | 10.80 |
| Source Unknown | Fish Consumption | 565.80 |
| Acid Mine Drainage | Potable Water Supply | 85.60 |
| Source Unknown | Potable Water Supply | 15.20 |
| Combined Sewer Overflows | Recreational | 11.70 |
| Grazing in Riparian Zones | Recreational | 6.70 |
| On-Site Treatment Systems | Recreational | 54.30 |
| Rural (Residential) | Recreational | 227.10 |
| Source Unknown | Recreational | 5071.00 |
| Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers | Recreational | 134.90 |