LOCK HAVEN-The Susquehanna River Basin Commission has announced that 64 separate water withdrawals have been suspended due to lower streamflow levels in the Susquehanna River basin.
The suspended withdrawals are operated by 33 natural gas exploration/support companies in 13 Pennsylvania and one New York counties.
Included are:
- XTO Energy's water withdrawal in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River in Clinton County.
- Pennsylvania General Energy Co.'s water withdrawal in Pine Creek at Poust Taxidermy in Lycoming County.
- EXCO Resources water withdrawal in Muncy Creek at McClintock and West Branch Susquehanna River at Johnson in Lycoming County.
- Hughesville-Wolf Township Joint Municipal Authority's water withdrawal for wastewater treatment in Lycoming County.
- Keystone Clearwater Solutions' water withdrawal in Lycoming Creek in Lycoming County.
- XTO Energy's water withdrawal in Lick Run in Little Muncy Creek in Lycoming County.
- Carrizo's water withdrawal in Mosquito Creek in Clearfield County.
- Chevron Appalachia's water withdrawal in Clearfield Creek in Clearfield County.
- KMI's water withdrawal in the Susquehanna's West Branch in Clearfield County.
Under SRBC's passby flow restrictions, when streams drop to predetermined protected low flow levels, operators who are required to meet the agency's passby requirement must stop taking water.
They cannot resume taking water until streams have recovered above the protected level. Many projects must also wait for an additional 48 hours until they can resume operations.
SRBC pointed out that the public will continue to see water-related activities taking place for a number of reasons.
First, where SRBC has determined that withdrawal quantities considered along with other upstream uses are insignificant compared to streamflows, approvals do not contain passby restrictions.
Second, operators subject to SRBC's passby conditions can continue to transport and use any amount of water that was withdrawn prior to passbys going into effect.
And third, water withdrawals less than 100,000 gallons per day and not associated with natural gas development are not subject to SRBC's regulations.
