Shale's effect on Susquehanna streams surprising everyone

August 19, 2015 | By Jaclyn Brandt

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) conducted a study on the effects of shale and other effects from the Marcellus shale region on the water quality in the area -- and the results are surprising.

Susquehanna River. Credit: Meander/Wikimedia Commons

SRBC said that, before 2010, when they began collecting the data through its Remote Water Quality Monitoring Network (RWQMN), there was little to no water quality data for many smaller streams in northern Pennsylvania and the southern tier of New York. SRBC's first report in 2012 established existing conditions within the first 37 of 59 watersheds that SRBC is monitoring through the RWQMN. The third report provides a more comprehensive report of conditions across the full monitoring network.

"The Commission takes very seriously one of its core functions of monitoring water quality conditions in the streams and rivers of the Susquehanna Basin," said SRBC Executive Director Andrew Dehoff. "This third report provides more information on the data collected as part of the Commission's effort to evaluate whether or not water quality conditions in streams are reflecting impacts associated with natural gas drilling."

SRBC's report tests 58 different watersheds, and found that from 2010 to 2013, data collected did not find any changes in water quality, and the water chemistry at the monitoring stations indicates good water quality. The tests also looked at aquatic insect monitoring, and found they were not affected by the density of upstream natural gas wells or pads.

"The mean DO [dissolved ozygen] concentrations range from 10.3 to 11.8 mg/l with 20 stations having a mean DO concentration of over 11 mg/l. Overall, the water temperatures remain cool in these streams with mean temperatures ranging from 8.4°C to 12.1°C," the report said. "The large forested tracts provide canopy cover and erosion control which helps to maintain cooler water temperatures, which in turn sustains higher DO concentrations."

The report also found that the range of median pH values showed slightly acidic to neutral systems (5.9 – 7.5), and the low concentrations of alkalinity and calcium found in the study indicate the streams have a low buffering capacity.

"A low buffering capacity means that even a small introduction of acidic solutions could significantly alter the pH having adverse impacts on aquatic organisms," he report said. "Conductance is the ability of water to conduct electrical current and is influenced naturally by geology or can be exacerbated by human impacts."

SRBC said low conductance concentrations in streams show that minimal influences to the water chemistry is being caused by geology or human activities.

The goal of the RWQMN is to track changes in water quality conditions over time to be able to quickly react to any pollution or other adverse effects on water by shale in the region. They also are working to reduce the cost of data collection by using advanced technologies, to enhance water supply protection through source water monitoring, and to be responsive to public concerns.

SRBC has equipped each RWQMN station with sensors that continuously test changes in water quality. The water is tested every five minutes, and the results are sent to SRBC headquarters in Harrisburg each two to four hours.

According to SRBC, the majority of the RWQMN stations are located in heavily forested watersheds -- with forests comprising more than 90 percent of the land use in 10 of the monitored watersheds and only five monitored watersheds with less than 80 percent forested land use.

SRBC hopes to expand their research, in order to establish longer-term water quality trends and react to any potential impacts.

For more:
- view the report

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