SRBC -- A Watershed Agency
The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) is a federal-interstate watershed agency. The law establishing SRBC is the Susquehanna River Basin Compact, which was signed on December 24, 1970 and went into effect 30 days later.

The compact joined the federal government and the states of New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland as equal partners for a 100-year period to manage the Susquehanna basin's water resources through proper planning, development and regulations.

SRBC is located at 1721 N. Front St., Harrisburg, PA 17102.

Coordination, Planning and Public Information
One of the important and required functions of SRBC is coordination. SRBC coordination activities include its work in: flood forecast and warning; flood plain management and protection; sediment management; debris management; migratory fish restoration; water-based recreation; greenways; and river trail management.

Various long-term and short-term planning documents guide SRBC activities, including a comprehensive plan; Commissionwide and division strategic plans; an annual water resources program; and an annual budget and work plan.

To enhance the public's knowledge of the basin's water resources, SRBC produces publications, issues press releases, maintains a Speakers' Bureau and a website and does direct outreach to community-based organizations.

Watershed Monitoring and Assessment
SRBC is involved extensively in many monitoring and assessment projects. Activities under monitoring and assessment include: Chesapeake Bay Program monitoring, interstate streams monitoring, assessment of unassessed streams and subbasin surveys. Much of the data SRBC collects and analyzes helps SRBC's members determine the effectiveness of their respective regulatory programs.

Watershed Restoration
Many of SRBC's restoration activities are site-specific, and can be short- or long-term efforts. Restoration projects include constructed wetlands and stream restoration such as streambank fencing and riparian buffer projects. SRBC also works with its members to establish total maximum daily loads for impaired stream reaches.

Watershed Protection
One of the primary responsibilities of SRBC is to review and approve water withdrawal and consumptive use applications under the Project Review program. This regulatory effort affords SRBC a significant opportunity to protect the basin's water resources. Other major SRBC programs that protect water resources include: low flow management, reservoir feasibility studies, water resource monitoring, water withdrawal documentation, groundwater management, and source water management and protection.

Administration and Data Management
Administrative and data management functions are critical to SRBC's daily watershed management activities for effective internal and external communications and transfer of data. The primary SRBC activities in this category include: GIS mapping, flood stage forecast mapping and data repository, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 305(b) reporting, and Susquehanna River water quality trend analysis.