On June 8, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission released a 10-year evaluation of water use data from unconventional natural gas development in the watershed from 2008 to 2018.

Over those 10 years, the drilling industry used just over 25 billion gallons of water approved by the SRBC.

To put that in context, gas drilling is now the third largest daily water user in the Susquehanna River Basin using an average of 24.3 million gallons per day.  The larger users are public water supplies at 97.8 MGD and electric power generation at 90 MGD.

Agriculture uses about 20.9 MGD, manufacturing 10.9 MGD, recreation 8.1 MGD, pipelines 6.2 MGD, mining 4.8 MGD and other 0.6 MGD.

“Unlike many other consumptive users in the Susquehanna River Basin, the natural gas industry does not withdraw and consumptively use water consistently year-round; its withdrawals are highly variable and intermittent. From 2010-2018, the average occurrence of natural gas related water withdrawals ranged from 93 to 150 days per year.”

Report found two-thirds of the approximately 21.5 billion gallons of water withdrawn directly by this industry came from five sources-- the main-stem Susquehanna River, Tunkhannock Creek, Wyalusing Creek, Meshoppen Creek, and West Branch Susquehanna River.

Twenty individual watersheds accounted for approximately 96 percent of the approximately water withdrawn by the industry (map above).

An additional 2.35 billion gallons of water were withdrawn during the 10-year period from other approved sources, primarily public drinking water systems.

“Only five of the nine approved groundwater withdrawals were actively used as water sources from 2014 through 2018. A total of 854 million gallons, or 6.6 percent of the water consumptively used by the industry, originated solely from groundwater sources.”

“The Commission has also approved 13 importations of water, all from the Ohio River Basin, for use by the natural gas industry. As of December 2018, only three of  the approved importations had been actively used.

“Over the 10-year period, the total amount of water imported for natural gas development was approximately 351 million gallons, approximately 1.3 percent of the total amount of water consumptively used by the industry.”

“Throughout 10 years of high-volume hydraulic fracturing activity, even during years of limited development and production, the water use for hydraulic fracturing has remained steady or increased.

“From 2010 to 2018 water use per well increased from an average of approximately 4 million gallons to 12 million gallons.

“The increase in the average consumptive use amount for hydraulic fracturing processes was evidently related to industry infrastructure build-up, technology changes, and increasing lateral lengths of new wells.

“The natural gas industry continues to primarily rely on streams for its water sources. Although the Commission has approved more than 200 withdrawal sites, logistical constraints (primarily related to transportation costs) limit the viable withdrawals to a small number of watersheds.

“Approximately two-thirds of the water withdrawn by the industry comes from five watersheds.

“Potential adverse impacts to streams are focused on the quantity, timing, and location of the withdrawals.

“These concerns, including those related to withdrawals from headwater streams, have been addressed by protective operating conditions, such as withdrawal limitations and interruptions based on ecologically meaningful science backed up by on-site verification.

“Long-term monitoring will continue to ensure that low flow provisions provide adequate protection for aquatic communities, including fish, or  show that more conservative flow standards are needed.

“In the future, if water demand significantly increases, some watersheds and areas with concentrated withdrawals may need targeted management strategies.

“Water used for hydraulic fracturing makes up a significant fraction of the consumptive use in the Susquehanna River Basin.

“Further, the natural gas industry’s water demands are concentrated in a small number of watersheds, potentially creating competition and conflicts over water availability on a local scale.

“Various strategies could be implemented to reduce the strain on local freshwater resources, including the use of alternative water sources, additional produced water treatment and storage facilities, and efforts to recycle more of produced water.

“The highly mobile, decentralized and unique use patterns of the natural gas industry’s water use pose an ongoing challenge for management and oversight.

“The high magnitude but low frequency use, controlled to a large extent by fluctuating market forces, creates uncertainty for long-term planning of the natural gas industry’s demand for water.

“The natural gas industry’s needs regarding water sources and water use patterns will continue to be monitored, assessed and managed.

“Ongoing evaluation of industry trends will be necessary to plan for and implement appropriate adaptive measures that balance energy development and sustainable water resources”

Click Here for a summary of the report.

Visit SRBC’s Natural Gas Development webpage for more information on unconventional natural gas drilling operations in the Susquehanna River Watershed.

For more information on programs, training opportunities and upcoming events, visit the Susquehanna River Basin Commission website.  Click Here to sign up for SRBC’s newsletter.   Follow SRBC on Twitter, visit them on YouTube.

(Photo: Top 20 watershed water withdrawal points.)

Related Article:

Attorney General Shapiro: Range Resources Pleads No Contest To Negligent Oversight Of Natural Gas Well Sites In Washington County; To Pay $150,000 In Penalties, Contributions

[Posted: June 8, 2020]

6/15/2020