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): 25,999.06
  • Total Stream Length (miles): 47,161.40
  • Average Annual Flow at Station (NHD) (cfs): 38,515.00
  • Population (2010): 3,545,788
Stream Classifications (Pennsylvania)
Designation Miles
Exceptional Value 2010.62
High-Quality Cold Water Fisheries 9378.36
High-Quality Trout Stocked Fisheries 91.99
Trout Stocked Fisheries 3055.67
Warm Water Fisheries 8273.73
Total 22810.37
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 0.32
    Developed Open Space 5.20
    Low Urban 1.91
    Medium Urban 0.78
    High Urban 0.31
    Barren 0.42
    Deciduous Forest 45.37
    Coniferous Forest 2.83
    Mixed Forest 15.67
    Shrub Scrub 1.02
    Grassland Herbaceous 0.60
    Pasture/Hay 15.01
    Cropland 8.12
    Wetlands 1.76
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 11/30/2022 12:15:00 PM
Temperature  (F) 45.934
Specific Conductivity  (mS/cm)
PH 8.057
Turbidity  (NTU+) 49.45
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)
Natural Gas
  • Natural Gas Pads 1927
  • Natural Gas Water Withdrawals 104
Public Water Supply Withdrawals
  • Groundwater 9084
  • Surface Water 431
NPDES Discharges
Description Count
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation 305
Mining/Quarry 645
Stormwater 1130
Wastewater Treatment Plant/Sewage Treatment Plant 1124
Other 2561
Stream Impairments
Source Category Miles
Industrial Point Source Fish Consumption 10.80
Source Unknown Fish Consumption 566.20
Agriculture Fish Consumption 21.40
Combined Sewer Overflows Fish Consumption 21.40
Habitat Modification Fish Consumption 21.40
Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers Fish Consumption 21.40
Atmospheric Deposition Fish Consumption 606.40
Municipal Point Source Fish Consumption 28.10
On-Site Treatment Systems Fish Consumption 41.80
Acid Mine Drainage Potable Water Supply 8.70
Agriculture Potable Water Supply 0.40
Source Unknown Potable Water Supply 15.20
Agriculture Recreational 247.20
Source Unknown Recreational 5132.00
On-Site Treatment Systems Recreational 54.30
Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers Recreational 25.10
Combined Sewer Overflows Recreational 11.70
Acid Mine Drainage Aquatic Life 3112.01
Agriculture Aquatic Life 3562.90
Animal Feeding Operations Aquatic Life 7.25
Atmospheric Deposition Aquatic Life 509.69
Channelization Aquatic Life 73.37
Coal Mining Aquatic Life 1.79
Combined Sewer Overflows Aquatic Life 19.24
Construction Aquatic Life 52.59
Crop Production Aquatic Life 268.22
Dam or Impoundment Aquatic Life 53.58
Erosion from Derelict Land Aquatic Life 17.44
Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff Aquatic Life 1.90
Golf Courses Aquatic Life 22.42
Grazing in Riparian Zones Aquatic Life 264.36
Habitat Modification Aquatic Life 381.10
Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff Aquatic Life 339.69
Highways, Roads, Bridges Construction Aquatic Life 3.88
Dam or Impoundment Aquatic Life 81.47
Industrial Point Source Aquatic Life 60.46
Landfills Aquatic Life 3.61
Municipal Point Source Aquatic Life 46.90
Natural Sources Aquatic Life 20.64
On-Site Treatment Systems Aquatic Life 32.57
Removal of Vegetation Aquatic Life 95.37
Rural (Residential) Aquatic Life 168.77
Silvaculture Aquatic Life 11.50
Site Clearance Aquatic Life 19.41
Source Unknown Aquatic Life 340.33
Streambank Modifications Aquatic Life 33.15
Surface Mining Aquatic Life 32.62
Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers Aquatic Life 734.12