Susquehanna River Basin Commission

Natural Gas Development

January 29, 2010

 Susquehanna River Basin
The Basin
• 27,510-square-mile watershed
• Comprises 43 percent of the
Chesapeake Bay watershed
• 4.2 million population
• 60 percent forested
• 32,000+ miles of waterways
• 72% is underlain by Marcellus Shale

The Susquehanna River

•444 miles, largest tributary to the
Chesapeake Bay
•Supplies approximately 18 million
gallons per minute to the Bay
Susquehanna River Basin Commission
• Federal-interstate compact commission established by
the federal government (USACE) and the states of New
York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

• Responsible for managing the basin’s water resources.

• Regulatory authority – water withdrawals and

consumptive use

• Water quality monitoring and coordination

 Commission Regulations
• Projects requiring review and approval
– Water withdrawals §806.4(a)(8)

100,000 gpd/30-day average (3,000,000 gallons)

Any natural gas well development project in the basin targeting

the Marcellus or Utica shale formations, or any other formation
identified in a determination issued by the Executive Director
pursuant to § 806.5, for exploration or production of natural gas
involving a withdrawal, diversion or consumptive use, regardless
of the quantity.

– Consumptive water use §806.4(a)(1)

20,000 gpd/30-day average (600,000 gallons)

– Approval by Rule §806.22(f)(i)

 Water Withdrawal Review
• Environmental Screening
•Classification
•Natural Diversity Inventory
•Wetlands
•Water Quality
• Aquatic Resource Survey
• Passby Evaluation
• Cumulative Impact Evaluation
• Aquatic Invasive Species
• Intake Design & Metering Plan
• Compliance Activities
 Passby Flow Determination
Compare Cumulative Water Demand to Safe Yield

• If Cumulative Water Demand is:

• </= 10% Q7-10 (de minimis Standard), Passby Flow Not Required
• > 10% Q7-10, Passby Flow Required
• Reduce Proposed Withdrawal Rate to </= 10% Q7-10, or
• Determine Passby Flow Condition (SRBC Policy No. 2003-01)
 Passby Flow Determination
Tennant Method vs. IFIM Method

• Determine Chapter 93 Existing/Designated Water Use

• Apply IFIM Method (SRBC, 1998) for:
• Coldwater Streams in Study Area with DA < 100 Square Miles
• EV = </= 5% Habitat Loss (De minimis Standard)
• HQ = </= 5% Habitat Loss or </= 7.5% Habitat Loss*
• CWF, Class B Trout = </= 10% Habitat Loss
• CWF, Class C/D Trout = </= 15% Habitat Loss
• Passby Flow Never To Be < Q7-10
 Passby Flow Determination
Tennant Method vs. IFIM Method, Cont.

• Determine Chapter 93 Existing/Designated Water Use

• Apply Tennant Method for:
• Streams Not Covered by IFIM Method Criteria
• EV, HQ, and Wild Trout = 25% Average Daily Flow (ADF)
• Non- EV, HQ, and Wild Trout and Not AMD-Impaired = 20%
ADF
• Partially AMD-Impaired with Some Aquatic Life = 15% ADF
• Passby Flow Never To Be < Q7-10
 Annual Hydrograph - Larrys Creek
400
Full Range of Flow (P0 - P100) (cfs)

Approved Withdraw al (cfs)

Daily Median Flow (P50) (cfs)
300 7-Day, 10-Year Low Flow (7Q10) (cfs)
20% of Average Daily Flow (20% ADF) (cfs)

200

100

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
40

30

20

10

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
 Annual Hydrograph - Larrys Creek
15 Full Range of Flow (P0 - P100) (cfs)

Approved Withdrawal (cfs)

25% of Average Daily Flow (25% ADF) (cfs)
12
Daily Median Flow (P50) (cfs)
7-Day, 10-Year Low Flow (7Q10) (cfs)
20% of Average Daily Flow (20% ADF) (cfs)
9

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

5
Full Range of Flow (P0 - P100) (cfs)

Approved Withdrawal (cfs)

25% of Average Daily Flow (25% ADF) (cfs)
4
Daily Median Flow (P50) (cfs)
7-Day, 10-Year Low Flow (7Q10) (cfs)
20% of Average Daily Flow (20% ADF) (cfs)
3

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
 Low Flow Thresholds
01574000 WEST CONEWAGO CREEK NEAR MANCHESTER, PA
78 Years of Record

The Commission is 10000

moving toward a
more 1000
P10

P25

environmentally P50

protective

Flow (cfs)
P75

management system 100 20% ADF

P90

P95

based on ecological Annual P92 P99

flows. 10 Q7-10

1
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

64731.1
 Ecological Flow Management

Cold-water Instream
Flow Study PA, MD,
USACE, USGS, PFBC

TNC Instream Flow

Project in PA

Environmental Flow
Study USACE & TNC
 Natural Gas Well Development
Water Use Data
• Total water withdrawn as of 01/2010: 262.2 M/gal
– 117.5 M/gal from public water supply (45%)
– 144.7 M/gal from surface water sites (55%)

• Average total volume of fluid used per well: 2.7 M/gal

– Average fresh water used per well: 2.2 M/gal
– Average flowback reuse per well: 0.5 M/gal

• Average recovery of fluids: 13.5%

– Reuse 17.8 M/gal
– Disposal 11.6 M/gal

131 wells reported

 Remote Water Quality Monitoring
Network
Station Locations
• Increased activities associated with natural
gas development
• Sensitivity of headwater areas
• Public concerns
• Site considerations

Parameters of interest
• Conductance
• Temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity,
and depth
• Supplemental data
– Calibration visits and field checks
(integration with existing programs)
– Grab sampling for lab analyses and flow
measurements
Website Interface
Conductance
pH

Depth
Temperature

Turbidity
Dissolved Oxygen
 Current Analysis
• Science-based decision making
• Cumulative impacts – data driven
• Water use can be accommodated
• Timing and location of withdrawals
• Disposal of produced fluids and brines
• Remote real-time water quality monitoring
• The move from exploration to production may
necessitate yet more regulatory changes
Susquehanna River Basin Commission

Jennifer Hoffman
Chief, Monitoring &
Assessment Section
717-238-0426 ext. 111
jhoffman@srbc.net

January 29, 2010