PA Environment Digest

Susquehanna River Basin Revised Comprehensive Water Resources Plan Now Available

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission’s revised Comprehensive Plan for the Water Resources of the Susquehanna River Basin, as adopted on December 4, is now available.

SRBC is required to have a Comprehensive Plan to manage and develop the Susquehanna basin’s water resources and guide SRBC’s programs and activities.

“The Commission devoted nearly two years of steady effort to substantially revise its Comprehensive Plan,” said SRBC Executive Director Paul Swartz. “We now have a plan that addresses the basin’s water resource needs of today and for the next 15 years.”

Swartz said, “In the process of completely overhauling the Comprehensive Plan, staff worked hand in hand with the commissioners and obtained public comments from a broad range of interests. This revised plan will help guide the Commission’s work, and serve as a resource for our member jurisdictions, water resource managers and other governmental, non-profit and private interests.”

In addition to addressing the more traditional water management issues such as water supply, water quality and flooding, the revised Comprehensive Plan also features numerous current and emerging special-interest topics such as climate change, energy production and emerging contaminants.

The revised Comprehensive Plan includes:

-- an assessment of water resource needs;

-- principles, guidance and standards;

-- six priority management areas with goals and actions needed for water supply; water quality; flooding; ecosystems; Chesapeake Bay; and coordination, cooperation and public information;

--12 areas of special interest featuring present-day management activities and future directions forabandoned mine drainage; climate change; consumptive use mitigation; drought coordination; economic development, recreation and other public values; emerging contaminants; energy production; flood forecast and warning; invasive species; migratory fish restoration; potentially stressed and water challenged areas; and water and wastewater infrastructure; and

-- procedures for implementing the plan.

A copy of the Plan is available online. A limited number of hard copies also are available by contacting Ava Stoops, SRBC, 717-238-0423, ext.302, by sending email to:astoops@srbc.net.

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