Watershed Profile: Susquehanna River near Columbia, PA

Provisional Data Graph Results Zoom to Map
 Data Sources Readme
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): 47173.60
  • Average Annual Flow at Station (NHD) (cfs): 38515.00
  • Population (2010): 3567670
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

  • 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
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 6/9/2025 12:45:00 AM
Temperature  (F) 69.904
Specific Conductivity  (mS/cm)
PH 8.238
Turbidity  (NTU+) 11.2
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)