Warm Weather Puts A Halt To Water Withdrawal Along Susquehanna

It’s that time of year again – warm weather means the Susquehanna River Basin Commission is temporarily suspending water withdrawal permits at about 60 locations. Pennsylvania Public Radio’s Mary Wilson reports:

Near-drought conditions persist throughout the Susquehanna River Basin, and businesses that usually take large amounts of water out of the system’s streams and rivers are being told to stop.

It’s mostly natural gas companies that have seen their water withdrawal permits suspended, but others got the kibosh as well: resorts, golf courses, a trout park and hatchery.

Susan Obleski of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission says the list of who can withdraw water from the Susquehanna River and its tributaries is constantly changing – on Monday, 64 permits were suspended.  Obleski called it “somewhat of a peak.”  By Tuesday, that number had dropped to 57.