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 Rockville, PA. The station is downstream of the confluence with the Juniata River, but due to the lack of river mixing and location of the station on the left bank, its water quality is highly influenced by the mainstem.
Drainage Characteristics
Drainage Area (square miles): 23557.62
Total Stream Length (miles): 42746.00
Average Annual Flow at Station (NHD) (cfs): 36002.00
Population (2010): 2381396
Stream Classifications (Pennsylvania)
Designation
Miles
Exceptional Value
1977.92
High-Quality Cold Water Fisheries
9304.49
High-Quality Trout Stocked Fisheries
79.30
Trout Stocked Fisheries
2426.92
Warm Water Fisheries
5655.59
Total
19444.22
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
0.95
Developed Open Space
4.85
Low Urban
1.80
Medium Urban
0.89
High Urban
0.33
Barren
0.26
Deciduous Forest
47.07
Coniferous Forest
2.81
Mixed Forest
16.36
Shrub Scrub
0.83
Grassland Herbaceous
0.63
Pasture/Hay
14.81
Cropland
6.44
Wetlands
1.97
Natural Gas
Natural Gas Pads
1946
Natural Gas Water Withdrawals
96
Public Water Supply Withdrawals
Groundwater
7163
Surface Water
377
NPDES Discharges
Description
Count
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation
199
Mining/Quarry
459
Stormwater
1259
Wastewater Treatment Plant/Sewage Treatment Plant
414
Other
1183
Stream Impairments
Source
Category
Miles
Acid Mine Drainage
Aquatic Life
1816.50
Agriculture
Aquatic Life
1757.60
Animal Feeding Operations
Aquatic Life
7.25
Atmospheric Deposition
Aquatic Life
428.50
Channelization
Aquatic Life
50.20
Channel Erosion/Incision from Upstream Hydromodifications