PA DEP News Release : DEP Lists Susquehanna River as Impaired for Multiple Uses, Develops New Analytic Methods for Semiannual Impaired Waterways Report

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a series of warnings about the Susquehanna River and its tributaries. Nearly five miles of the Susquehanna between Harrisburg and Columbia and 1,665 miles of the rivers tributaries were deemed unsuitable for recreational activity due to harmful coliform bacteria. The bacteria forms naturally, however its overabundance in the river is attributed to agricultural and storm water runoff. While the dwindling population of small mouth bass was mentioned during the announcement, none of the new impairments were related to the widespread sickness seen in the fish.

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