At its October 17 meeting, the DEP Citizens Advisory Council will hear a presentation on the water quality impacts of the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River now that its reservoir is no longer effective at stopping sediment from flowing into the Chesapeake Bay.

In April of 2016 at a joint hearing on the Conowingo and Susquehanna Dams issue by the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committees, the U.S. Geological Survey told state officials the Conowingo was at capacity in its ability to trap sediment going down the Susquehanna River.

At the first meeting of the PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Planning Steering Committee in April, presenters noted there were several issues that will make the state’s job harder to meet Bay nutrient and sediment reduction goals, one was the fact Pennsylvania could no longer count on the Conowingo Dam to trap sediment.

Also on the agenda is the regular report from DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell and a legislative report by DEP’s Director of Legislative Affairs Sarah Clark.

Click Here to read the DEP monthly report to the Council.

The meeting will be held in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg starting at 10:00.  There is an option to join the meeting by conference call: (toll-free) 855-734-4390, PIN 298795#

For more information, visit the DEP Citizens Advisory Council webpage.  Questions should be directed to Lee Ann Murray, Executive Director Citizens Advisory Council, 717-787-8171 or send email to: LeeMurray@pa.gov.

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[Posted: Oct. 5, 2017]

10/9/2017