Watershed Profile: Susquehanna River near Peach Bottom 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 Peach Bottom, PA.
Drainage Characteristics
  • Drainage Area (square miles): 26980.63
  • Total Stream Length (miles): 48706.00
  • Average Annual Flow at Station (NHD) (cfs): 39826.00
  • Population (2010): 4094058
Stream Classifications (Pennsylvania)
Designation Miles
Exceptional Value 2043.66
High-Quality Cold Water Fisheries 9841.72
High-Quality Trout Stocked Fisheries 101.90
High-Quality Warm Water Fisheries 58.25
Trout Stocked Fisheries 3397.09
Warm Water Fisheries 8993.20
Total 24435.82
Stream Classifications (New York)
Classification Use Miles
Class A Drinking Water Source 154.69
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) 7630.29
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 11191.01
  • Land Use
  • Description Percentage
    Water 1.05
    Developed Open Space 5.39
    Low Urban 2.51
    Medium Urban 1.24
    High Urban 0.51
    Barren 0.25
    Deciduous Forest 44.15
    Coniferous Forest 2.52
    Mixed Forest 15.04
    Shrub Scrub 0.83
    Grassland Herbaceous 0.60
    Pasture/Hay 14.80
    Cropland 9.26
    Wetlands 1.85

  • Natural Gas
  • Natural Gas Pads 1946
  • Natural Gas Water Withdrawals 96

  • Public Water Supply Withdrawals
  • Groundwater 10234
  • Surface Water 445

NPDES Discharges
Description Count
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation 423
Mining/Quarry 528
Stormwater 2985
Wastewater Treatment Plant/Sewage Treatment Plant 574
Other 1931

Stream Impairments
Source Category Miles
Acid Mine Drainage Aquatic Life 1872.80
Agriculture Aquatic Life 3371.10
Animal Feeding Operations Aquatic Life 7.25
Atmospheric Deposition Aquatic Life 493.40
Channelization Aquatic Life 78.10
Channel Erosion/Incision from Upstream Hydromodifications Aquatic Life 17.30
Coal Mining Aquatic Life 0.90
Combined Sewer Overflows Aquatic Life 18.20
Construction Aquatic Life 51.10
Crop Production Aquatic Life 338.70
Dam or Impoundment Aquatic Life 59.00
Erosion from Derelict Land Aquatic Life 18.20
Forest Roads Aquatic Life 1.90
Golf Courses Aquatic Life 26.40
Grazing in Riparian Zones Aquatic Life 364.30
Habitat Modification Aquatic Life 727.00
Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff Aquatic Life 312.40
Highways, Roads, Bridges Construction Aquatic Life 3.88
Impacts from Hydrostructure Flow Regulation Aquatic Life 78.80
Impervious Surface/Parking Lot Runoff Aquatic Life 23.10
Industrial Point Source Aquatic Life 49.10
Landfills Aquatic Life 3.61
Municipal Point Source Aquatic Life 59.50
Natural Sources Aquatic Life 16.30
On-Site Treatment Systems Aquatic Life 32.57
Removal of Vegetation Aquatic Life 122.20
Rural (Residential) Aquatic Life 146.70
Silviculture Aquatic Life 8.00
Site Clearance Aquatic Life 19.50
Source Unknown Aquatic Life 352.40
Streambank Modifications Aquatic Life 33.15
Surface Mining Aquatic Life 32.30
Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers Aquatic Life 693.70
Source Unknown Aquatic Life 18.00
Atmospheric Deposition Fish Consumption 698.00
Industrial Point Source Fish Consumption 10.80
Source Unknown Fish Consumption 607.60
Acid Mine Drainage Potable Water Supply 8.50
Agriculture Potable Water Supply 0.40
Source Unknown Potable Water Supply 15.20
Agriculture Recreational 356.50
Combined Sewer Overflows Recreational 11.70
Municipal Point Source Recreational 16.30
Source Unknown Recreational 5941.60
On-Site Treatment Systems Recreational 54.30
Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers Recreational 134.30
Underlying Geology
Rock Type Percentage
Conglomerate 0.38
Dolomite 2.17
Limestone 5.31
Other 2.49
Quartzite 2.67
Sandstone 36.79
Shale 50.17
Map
Recent Results
Sample Time 4/26/2024 8:15:00 PM
Temperature  (C) 13.41
Specific Conductivity  (mS/cm)
PH 7.64475
Turbidity  (NTU+) 1.15625
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)