By John Zaktansky, Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper

 A tiny waterway – more a trickle than a stream – winds down through an under-road culvert at the intersection for a small Snyder County community.

A few scattered populations of minnows and macroinvertebrates share the tiny channel un-interrupted until a hose is lowered into the stream from a roadside truck and water is drawn into an approximately 700-gallon tank to be used for a nearby hydroseeding project.

The truck returned for several additional water draws from the same stream later that day.

“Ultimately, when water is drawn from a waterway for whatever reason, the larger the water body, the less the likelihood of an impact (within the aquatic ecosystem within),” said Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) Manager of Compliance Jeremy Hoffman. “These small streams are not the ideal place to get water, but oftentimes, they are the closest proximity to where a project may be happening. If people are willing to truck water a little bit farther, a larger stream would certainly be the better place to target vs. some of the smaller streams in our area.”

Hoffman admitted this is a best-practice suggestion, but in the case of the reported hydroseeding water draw concern, no regulatory thresholds were breached.

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For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how to get involved, visit the Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper Association website.

[Note: The Delaware River Basin Commission is responsible for water withdrawals in the eastern part of Pennsylvania.]

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[Posted: May 2, 2022]

5/9/2022