The Susquehanna River Basin Commission’s Hydrologic Conditions Monitor shows as of June 4 low stream flows have triggered water withdrawal restrictions on 49 water withdrawals, including 45 unconventional shale gas drilling-related and four other large water users in Northcentral Pennsylvania.

The U.S.G.S. Real-Time Water Data Map for Pennsylvania also shows very low stream conditions all over the Commonwealth. 

The oil and gas development withdrawal points under restrictions by SRBC and below trigger flows include--

Bradford County

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Sugar Creek: [triggered]

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Towanda Creek Leroy Twp: [triggered]

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Towanda Creek Monroe Twp. [just triggered]*

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Wyalusing Creek Rush Twp.: Cease Withdrawal*

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Wyalusing Creek Wyalusing Twp. Cease Withdrawal

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Fall Brook - Bense: Cease Withdrawal

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Seeley Creek [Taken off triggered list June 4]

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Sugar Creek: [triggered]

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Towanda Creek Franklin Twp. Fire Dept.: [triggered]

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Tributary to North Branch Sugar Creek: [triggered]

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Wappasening Creek Adriance:  [triggered]

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Wappasening Creek Antisdel: [triggered]

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Wyalusing Creek: Cease Withdrawal

-- SWN Production Company, LLC - Wyalusing Creek: Cease Withdrawal

Clearfield County

-- PPG Operations, LLC - West Branch Susquehanna River [just triggered]*

Lackawanna County

-- Linde Corporation - Lackawanna River: [triggered]

Lycoming County

-- EQT ARO LLC - Lycoming Creek Huff: [triggered]

-- EQT ARO LLC - Pine Creek 2: [Taken Off Trigger List June 4]

-- EQT ARO LLC - Pine Creek Jersey Mills: [Taken Off Trigger List June 4]

-- EQT ARO LLC - Pine Creek PC1N: [triggered]

-- Green Leaf Water LLC - Lycoming Creek: [triggered]

-- Inflection Energy (PA) LLC - Loyalsock Creek: [triggered]

-- Keystone Clearwater Solutions LLC - Lycoming Creek: [triggered]

-- PA General Energy Company - Pine Creek: [triggered]

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC - Lycoming Creek: [triggered]

-- SWN Production Company, LLC - Lycoming Creek Bodines [just triggered]*

Sullivan County

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Loyalsock Creek [just triggered]*

Susquehanna County

-- Adams & Hollenbeck Waterworks LLC - Salt Lick Creek: Cease Withdrawal

-- ADLIB Resources, Inc. - Meshoppen Creek: Cease Withdrawal

-- BKV Operating, LLC - East Branch Wyalusing Creek: Cease Withdrawal

-- BKV Operating, LLC - North Branch Wyalusing Creek: Cease Withdrawal

-- BKV Operating, LLC - Tributary to Middle Branch Wyalusing Creek: Cease Withdrawal

-- Coterra Energy Inc. - Meshoppen Creek Brooks Property: Cease Withdrawal

-- Coterra Energy Inc. - Tunkhannock Creek Marcy Site: Cease Withdrawal

-- Pro-Environmental LLC - Martins Creek: Cease Withdrawal

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA, LLC - Choconut Creek: [triggered]

-- Sugar Hollow Water Services, LLC - Martins Creek: Cease Withdrawal*

-- SWN Production Company, LLC - Tunkhannock Creek Lenox: Cease Withdrawal

Tioga County

-- Diversified Production LLC - Wilson Creek: Cease Withdrawal

-- LDG Innovation, LLC - Tioga River [just triggered]*

-- Seneca Resources Company, LLC - Cowanesque River Deerfield: [triggered]

-- Seneca Resources Company, LLC - Cowanesque River Westfield:  [triggered]

-- Seneca Resources Company, LLC - Elk Run: Cease Withdrawal

-- Seneca Resources Company, LLC - Marsh Creek Brooks: Cease Withdrawal

Wyoming County

-- BKV Operating, LLC - Meshoppen Creek: Cease Withdrawal

-- Coterra Energy Inc. - Hatchery Wellfield (wells 1,2,3): Cease Withdrawal*

-- Coterra Energy Inc. - Meshoppen Creek Lemon Twp.: Cease Withdrawal

-- Coterra Energy Inc. - Tunkhannock Creek Mulqueen Site: [triggered]

-- Sugar Hollow Water Services LLC - Bowman Creek: Cease Withdrawal

-- SWN Production Company, LLC - Cowanesque River Westfield Twp.: [Taken off trigger list June 4]

[* Added to list June 4]

Click Here for details on these and other withdrawal points under restrictions.

Report Violations

If you suspect violations of water withdrawal restrictions are occurring, report what you witness to Jeremy Hoffman, Manager of Compliance & Enforcement at SRBC, by calling 717-238-0423 ext. 1228 or send email to: JMHoffman@srbc.net.

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.

Western Pennsylvania

As noted, the U.S.G.S. Real-Time Water Data Map for Pennsylvania shows very low stream conditions all over the Commonwealth. 

The Department of Environmental Protection requires unconventional shale gas operators to have water use management plans for their operations, particularly in Western Pennsylvania where there is no regulation of water withdrawals..

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission regulates shale gas-related water withdrawals and DEP primarily relies on their evaluations in considering water use plans.

The Delaware River Basin Commission has banned gas drilling involving hydro-fracking in its watershed so no shale gas drilling occurs there.

The DEP water plans must include a stream impact and low flow analysis.

(Photos: SRBC map showing current restrictions; Inflection Energy Loyalsock Creek withdrawal point from May 21 to 28 in Lycoming County; Coterra Energy Tunkhannock Creek Marcy Site withdrawal point from May 21 to 28 in Susquehanna County.)

Related Articles - SRBC Water Withdrawals:

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Meets June 15 On Water Withdrawal Projects, Including 12 Related To Shale Natural Gas Drilling  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 36 Shale Gas Well Drilling Pad Water Use Permits In Bradford, Clearfield, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wyoming Counties  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Monitors Hydrologic Conditions Across The Basin; Including Oil & Gas Operations [PaEN]

-- Citizen Complaints Result In DEP Issuing PA General Energy More Violations At Loyalsock Creek Gas Pipeline/Water Withdrawal Construction Site In Lycoming County  [PaEN]

-- NO SPECIAL PROTECTION: The Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek In Lycoming County Is Dammed And Damned - Video Dispatch From The Loyalsock - By Barb Jarmoska, Keep It Wild PA [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Has No Exclusion Zones For Water Withdrawals From Any Streams, Including EV Or HQ Streams Subject To Water Quality Antidegradation Rules  [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Public Notice Dashboards:

-- DEP Moves To Enforce Order To Plug 4 Abandoned Conventional Gas Wells Leaking Methane In Allegheny County Owned By Michael Harju & Economy Natural Gas, Inc.  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 27 to June 2 -- Conventional Operators Fail To Start Plugging, Fail To Cleanup Spills; More NOVs For Abandoning Wells  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - June 3   [PaEN]

-- DEP Posts 59 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 3 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- PA Capital-Star: Lawmakers Are Clawing Back State’s Power To Prevent The Abandonment Of Conventional Oil/Gas Wells

-- Warren Times Guest Essay: Simple Truth - Conventional Oil/Gas Well Operators Frequently Abandoned Their Wells, Better Bonding Is A Solution To This Ever-Growing Problem - By Sierra Club

-- Observer-Reporter: Environmental Groups Seek Results Of Pitt Health Studies On Impact Of Natural Gas Development

-- Post-Gazette-Megan Tomasic: Elizabeth Twp. Residents Concerned About Planned Shale Gas Drilling Well Pad Near High School In Allegheny County

-- Warren Times: Environmental Group Announces PA General Energy To Plug Gas Well Proposed As Oil/Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Indiana County  [Read more here]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports PA Natural Gas Production Peaked In 4th Quarter 2021 [PaEN]

-- UPDATED: Susquehanna River Basin Low Stream Flows Trigger SRBC Water Withdrawal Restrictions On 49 Oil & Gas Drilling Operations & Other Water Users  [PaEN]

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets June 13 To Hear Acting DEP Secretary Negrin Outline His Vision For Changing DEP; Enforcement, Customer Service Strategies; Permit Review Changes; Environmental Justice Plans; More  [PaEN]

[Posted: June 4, 2023]

6/5/2023