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): 47172.5
  • Average Annual Flow at Station (NHD) (cfs): 38515.0
  • Population (2020): 3,567,670
Stream Classifications (Pennsylvania)
Designation Miles
Exceptional Value 2009.83
High-Quality Cold Water Fisheries 9669.11
High-Quality Trout Stocked Fisheries 91.99
Trout Stocked Fisheries 3055.16
Warm Water Fisheries 8268.24
Total 23094.33
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 0.99
    Developed Open Space 5.23
    Low Urban 2.33
    Medium Urban 1.16
    High Urban 0.47
    Barren 0.25
    Deciduous Forest 45.08
    Coniferous Forest 2.60
    Mixed Forest 15.41
    Shrub Scrub 0.83
    Grassland Herbaceous 0.61
    Pasture/Hay 14.94
    Cropland 8.19
    Wetlands 1.90
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 9/8/2023 12:00:00 AM
Temperature  (F) 0.018
Specific Conductivity  (mS/cm)
PH 0.023
Turbidity  (NTU+) 0.49
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 1946
  • Natural Gas Water Withdrawals 96
Public Water Supply Withdrawals
  • Groundwater 9084
  • Surface Water 431
NPDES Discharges
Description Count
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation 343
Mining/Quarry 516
Stormwater 2434
Wastewater Treatment Plant/Sewage Treatment Plant 531
Other 1731
Stream Impairments
Source Category Miles
Industrial Point Source Fish Consumption 10.80
Source Unknown Fish Consumption 565.80
Atmospheric Deposition Fish Consumption 698.00
Acid Mine Drainage Potable Water Supply 8.50
Agriculture Potable Water Supply 0.40
Source Unknown Potable Water Supply 15.20
Agriculture Recreational 247.20
Source Unknown Recreational 5249.00
On-Site Treatment Systems Recreational 54.30
Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers Recreational 25.10
Combined Sewer Overflows Recreational 11.70
Municipal Point Source Recreational 16.30
Acid Mine Drainage Aquatic Life 1872.80
Agriculture Aquatic Life 2865.30
Animal Feeding Operations Aquatic Life 7.25
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 0.90
Combined Sewer Overflows Aquatic Life 18.20
Construction Aquatic Life 51.10
Crop Production Aquatic Life 230.90
Dam or Impoundment Aquatic Life 54.20
Erosion from Derelict Land Aquatic Life 17.44
Forest Roads Aquatic Life 1.90
Golf Courses Aquatic Life 22.42
Grazing in Riparian Zones Aquatic Life 191.50
Habitat Modification Aquatic Life 316.80
Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff Aquatic Life 303.00
Highways, Roads, Bridges Construction Aquatic Life 3.88
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 3.61
Municipal Point Source Aquatic Life 59.50
Natural Sources Aquatic Life 16.30
On-Site Treatment Systems Aquatic Life 32.57
Removal of Riparian Vegetation Aquatic Life 109.50
Rural (Residential) Aquatic Life 133.00
Silviculture Aquatic Life 8.00
Site Clearance Aquatic Life 14.80
Source Unknown Aquatic Life 330.40
Streambank Modifications Aquatic Life 33.15
Surface Mining Aquatic Life 27.80
Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers Aquatic Life 540.30
Source Unknown Aquatic Life 18.00