2022 Pennsylvania Integrated Water Quality Report
Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List and 305(b) Report
Introduction
This report, prepared by the Pennsylvanian Department of Environmental Protection, is the fifteenth in a series of reports for the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) listing of impaired waters requiring total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and Section 305(b) reporting of the overall condition of Pennsylvania’s aquatic resources. It is compiled and submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) once every two years. Unlike the 305(b) report, EPA must approve or disapprove the 303(d) list.
The following narrative contains the data used to satisfy the requirements of Sections 303(d) and 305(b). This report covers the current status of Pennsylvania's waters and summarizes various programs in place to protect and improve water quality.
This report format is interactive and offers the ability to convey tremendous amounts of information in a way that is flexible and easy to understand. Please scroll down to view the Integrated Report or use the top menu to jump to a specific topic. If you encounter problems while viewing the content, please try opening the website using another web browser. Changing the browser zoom level may also provide a better user experience. DEP hopes this digital format significantly increases the transparency and public understanding of the programs currently in place to protect Pennsylvania's waters. To facilitate the use of this report, DEP has also created a demonstration video that provides useful instructions and covers some advanced features of this report.
DEP provided notice in the PennsylvaniaBulletin of a 45-day public comment period for this Integrated Report that was open from January 15, 2022 to March 1, 2022. After the public comment period, DEP compiled, considered, and responded to the comments provided. The comment-response document is available by clicking on the link below.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this report is based on the data contained in DEP information systems at the time of publication. Most information pertains to the biennial reporting period (October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2021); however, some information may cover longer periods of record. Some datasets may be incomplete due to DEP's jurisdictional restrictions.
Pennsylvania Water Resources
Pennsylvania is a water-rich state with approximately 85,500 miles of rivers and streams connecting over 2,000,000 acres of lakes, bays, and wetlands. Protection of these waters and the groundwater below is a challenging but vital mission. Scroll through the statistics or download them in tabular format by clicking on the arrow in the bottom-right corner.
Protected Water Uses and Categories
As part of the obligation to protect Pennsylvania's waters, DEP conducts assessments of protected water uses (e.g., Potable Water Supply, Fishing). For more information on Pennsylvania's protected water uses, see 25 Pa. Code § 93.3 .
Assessment determinations fall into three general statuses: attaining, impaired, or unassessed. For example, a body of water is considered "impaired" if it fails to meet one or more water quality standards. The categories below follow these general statuses but add more qualifiers. Category 5 and 5alt are the “list” of impaired waters (i.e., 303(d) list) that require the development of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). In the process of developing this list, a full status of all Pennsylvania waters is created to satisfy Section 305(b) reporting requirements. It is the integration of these requirements (i.e., Section 303(d) requirements and Section 305(b) requirements) that establishes the structure and function of DEP’s Integrated Report. A fully interactive mapping application with advanced search capabilities is also available with DEP’s 2022 Integrated Report Viewer . DEP has also created a demonstration video that covers all of the advanced features of this tool. It is important to note that DEP uses the United States Geological Survey’s National Hydrography Dataset (provided at the 1:24,000 scale) to represent data geospatially throughout this Integrated Report and in the Integrated Report Viewer. Consequently, some geospatial information may appear to extend beyond Pennsylvania’s jurisdiction, but it should not be applied or interpreted for areas outside of Pennsylvania.
Category 1: Waters attaining all uses.
Category 2: Waters where some but not all uses are met. The assessment status of the remaining uses may be unknown because data are insufficient to assess the water, or it may be impaired.
Category 3: Waters for which there are insufficient or no data to determine if any uses are met.
Category 4a: Waters impaired for one or more uses, not needing a TMDL because a TMDL has been completed.
Category 4b: Waters impaired for one or more uses, not needing a TMDL because uses are expected to be attained within a reasonable timeframe.
Category 4c: Waters impaired for one or more uses, not needing a TMDL because the impairment is not caused by a pollutant.
Category 5: Waters impaired for one or more uses by a pollutant that requires the development of a TMDL.
Category 5alt: Waters impaired for one or more uses by a pollutant that are selected for alternative restoration implementation. A TMDL is still required if the alternative is not successful.
2020 to 2022 Changes
The data that make up this Integrated Report consists of over 300,000 assessment records ; however, much of this information has been reviewed and approved by EPA during previous Integrated Reports. To make reviewing new information easier, DEP produces lists of changes that were made from the previous Integrated Report (2020). Click the buttons below to view changes in tabular format, or explore the dashboard for an interactive experience.
ArcGIS Dashboards
2022 Delistings Report
DEP provides additional information for assessment changes called "delistings" because these changes require the review and approval of EPA. Technically, a "delisting" is any removal of a cause of impairment from Category 5 (the 303(d) list); however, the term has been used interchangeably for several other situations, including: removal of one or more causes from other impaired categories (4a, 4b, and 4c); full restoration of water quality standards; or even corrections to previous assessment determinations or delineations. DEP exceeds EPA's delisting reporting requirements by providing a report on all impairment cause removals. Click the button below to see DEP's delistings report for 2022.
Section 303(d)
Listing Data
Just like Pennsylvania's waters, the datasets used to create this report are extensive. Explore the chart to see what types of data DEP uses for assessments. Most data used to build this report originate from DEP's data collection protocols and assessment methods . Combined with a comprehensive assessment plan, these protocols and methods allow DEP to make sound decisions regarding water quality. Click the button below to see DEP's comprehensive assessment plan.
DEP also readily accepts all outside datasets and information through the Existing and Readily Available Data webpage . By using a set of data acceptance tiers, DEP ensures that all data are used according to their purpose and level of quality assurance. Click the buttons below to see DEP's data acceptance policy and the 2022 data solicitation report.
The List - Categories 5 and 5alt
Section 303(d) mandates the creation of a list of impaired waters that require the development of a TMDL (Categories 5 and 5alt). Once a TMDL is approved by EPA, the related causes will be placed in Category 4a until water quality standards are restored.
Category 5alt - known as restoration alternatives - is a list of waters where implementation of restoration activities will begin immediately without the development of a TMDL. DEP first incorporated 5alt in the 2016 Integrated Report. Waters are selected to be in the 5alt category because they have implementation plans and active public engagement. The goal of 5alt listings is to restore water quality standards before TMDLs are written, which brings possible advantages to the regulated community. Category 5alt still requires that a TMDL be completed unless water quality standards are achieved through alternative restoration activities within a reasonable time.
Use the Integrated Report Viewer to view the status of waters in Category 5 and Category 5alt. It is important to note that Categories 5 and 5alt make up a large portion of Pennsylvania's impaired waters, but these categories do not include all impairments. Impaired waters also include Categories 4a, 4b, and 4c. The picture below represents all of Pennsylvania's impaired waters (approximately 28,000 stream and river miles and 69,000 lake acres) in the 2022 Integrated Report.
Restoration Priorities
As part of Section 303(d), states are required to set prioritization ranking for restoring impaired waters. DEP meets this requirement by creating a list of watersheds that are identified as restoration priorities. For more information on how waters are selected as restoration priorities, DEP has created a restoration prioritization strategy .
Click on the map to view the current set of restoration priority watersheds. These priority watersheds, along with cause(s) of impairment, may also be viewed in tabular format below.
Section 305(b)
General Overview
DEP has created a general overview of popular assessment statistics across Pennsylvania. Scroll through these statistics or download them in tabular format by clicking on the arrow in the bottom-right corner. Additional assessment summaries by county and watershed can be accessed by clicking on the buttons below.
Stream Assessment Status
The number of stream miles assessed and the attainment/impairment status of each stream varies by protected use. All wadeable streams in Pennsylvania have been assessed at least once for the Aquatic Life use category. DEP is currently conducting the second round of Aquatic Life assessments on Pennsylvania's wadeable streams. DEP continues to work towards the goal of 100% assessment for all waterbodies in the state for protected uses. The chart contains the 2022 stream assessment status for each of the four main protected water use categories.
Sources of Stream Impairment
Explore the chart to see the leading sources of stream and river impairments. Click the button below to view a tabular summary of all sources of impairment for rivers and streams.
Causes of Stream Impairment
Explore the chart to see the leading causes of stream and river impairments. Click the button below to view a tabular summary of all causes of impairment for rivers and streams.
Lake Assessment Status
As part of Section 305(b) reporting, Section 314 of the CWA requires states to report on the status of public lakes. DEP's definition of a public lake is any lake that has publicly owned contiguous land around the lake; in addition, a lake is considered public if a privately owned lake has public access. To meet assessment goals , DEP developed and applies several lake assessment methods to make assessment determinations. Explore the chart to see the 2022 assessment status of Pennsylvania's public lakes.
DEP, along with its partners, assesses other lakes that are not considered publicly owned. Please visit the Integrated Report Viewer to explore the assessment status of all lakes currently assessed.
Sources of Lake Impairment
Explore the chart to see the leading sources of public lake impairment. Click the button below to view a tabular summary of all sources of impairment in public lakes.
Causes of Lake Impairment
Explore the chart to see leading causes of public lake impairment. Click the button below to view a tabular summary of all causes of impairment in public lakes.
Lake Trophic Status
As part of Section 305(b) reporting, Section 314 requires states to report the trophic status (amount of biological productivity in an aquatic ecosystem) of publicly owned lakes. DEP calculates overall lake trophic status on average seasonal values of phosphorus, Secchi depth, and chlorophyll a. These values are used to calculate the Carlson's Trophic State Index (TSI) for each parameter. TSI scores of 40 and below indicate oligotrophic (not productive) conditions. TSI scores between 40 and 50 indicate mesotrophic (moderately productive) conditions. TSI scores between 50 and 65 indicate eutrophic (productive) conditions. TSI scores greater than 65 indicate hypereutrophic (excessively productive) conditions.
Click on the map to see the trophic status of each publicly owned lake.
Groundwater Status
Groundwater monitoring efforts in Pennsylvania are displayed in the Status of Statewide and Legacy Groundwater Quality Monitoring Programs . Pennsylvania's Legacy Ambient and Fixed Station Network Groundwater Quality Monitoring Program began in 1985 to characterize general background and assess changes in groundwater quality within 478 groundwater basins identified in the state. Because of resource constraints, monitoring efforts have been limited since the late 1990s, and only ~12% of the state has been monitored. Under a joint funding agreement with DEP in 2005, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) compiled electronically available groundwater quality data to help point out data gaps and guide future monitoring efforts; over 24,000 wells from 14 different agencies/programs were included in the project. For more information and to access the full report, please visit the USGS reports webpage .
A project was initiated in 2014 to sample select groundwater stations throughout the state on a regular basis. This effort is referred to as the “Expanded” (or “Statewide”) Fixed Station Groundwater Quality Monitoring Network to distinguish it from the original “Legacy” effort. From this information, DEP has begun to better understand the status of groundwater quality in Pennsylvania. A report by USGS titled “ Characterization of Ambient Groundwater Quality with a Statewide Fixed Station Monitoring Network in PA, 2015-2019 ” is currently under review and will be released in late 2021. Use the map to see the status of select water quality parameters in Pennsylvania’s groundwater from the new, expanded/statewide network.
DEP previously identified and prioritized sources of groundwater contamination based upon regional office input for earlier versions of the report. The information was reviewed and updated in the Sources of Groundwater Contamination and Prioritization Document .
Control Programs
DEP has a series of programs in place to control sources of water quality impacts. Click on each program name to see an expanded overview of how the programs protect water quality, how much the programs invest, and to visit important links related to that program.
Agriculture - DEP's Agriculture Program, located within the Chesapeake Bay Office, is responsible for developing regulations, policies, guidance, outreach, and inspection strategies for compliance assessment, compliance assistance, and enforcement of statewide regulatory programs relating to agriculture. This section conducts activities relating to the compliance with regulatory requirements for agriculture-related erosion and sediment control; manure and nutrient management; and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).
Clean Water Permitting - DEP’s Clean Water Permitting Program operates the federally delegated NPDES program, which manages and regulates the discharge of pollutants to surface waters and groundwater in Pennsylvania, with the objective of protecting water uses, including human health and aquatic life. The program is administered by DEP’s Bureau of Clean Water (BCW) and is implemented by DEP’s six regional offices. BCW establishes regulations, guidance and policy that are used by DEP regional offices to carry out program objectives.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) conducts several conservation and partnership programs including River Conservation and Riparian Buffer Grants, managing the Invasive Species Program, and creating Aquatic Resource Management Plans.
Department of Health - The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) controls and funds several aspects of water quality relating to human health. Specifically, DOH regulates and monitors inland beaches in accordance with the Federal Beach Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act, which helps ensure public safety.
Mining - DEP's Office of Active and Abandoned Mining Operations is responsible for the policies and implementation of programs that regulate or minimize the impact from the extraction of coal and noncoal (industrial minerals). The office is organized into four Bureaus that have distinct roles and responsibilities for the safe extraction of mineral resources and the reclamation and protection of environmental resources. The Bureau of District Mining Operations is responsible for permitting and inspection of mining sites across Pennsylvania.
Nutrient Credit Trading - DEP’s Bureau of Clean Water is responsible for managing Pennsylvania’s Nutrient Credit Trading Program. The program is one part of the Chesapeake Bay restoration strategy being implemented in Pennsylvania to address water quality issues. The primary purpose of the program is to provide a more cost-efficient way for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permittees in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to meet their effluent cap load for nutrients.
Oil and Gas - DEP's Office of Oil and Gas Management is responsible for the statewide oil and gas conservation and environmental programs to facilitate the safe exploration, development, and recovery of Pennsylvania's oil and gas reservoirs. The office: develops policy and programs for the regulation of oil and gas development and production pursuant to the Oil and Gas Act, the Coal and Gas Resource Coordination Act, and the Oil and Gas Conservation Law; oversees the oil and gas permitting and inspection programs; develops statewide regulations and standards; conducts training programs for industry; and works with the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission and the Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board. The office also regulates aboveground and underground storage tanks at oil and gas well sites.
Radiation Protection - DEP’s Bureau of Radiation Protection is responsible for statewide radiation control and monitoring activities. The program is responsible for reducing unnecessary radiation exposure and includes the oversight of radioactive materials, radiation generating equipment, radon testing and mitigation, and environmental surveillance. The program provides emergency response capability for nine nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania.
Safe Drinking Water - DEP's Bureau of Safe Drinking Water is responsible for managing the federally delegated drinking water program and because DEP has primary enforcement authority (primacy), DEP implements both the federal and state Safe Drinking Water Acts and associated regulations. To control impacts to water, DEP's Safe Drinking Water Program: protects all Pennsylvania residents and visitors from microbiological, chemical and radiological contaminants in drinking water served at nearly 8,400 public water systems; conducts surveillance, compliance, enforcement and permitting activities at public water systems to ensure compliance with safe drinking water standards; protects Pennsylvania's drinking water sources through proper planning and management of water resources and their uses; responds to water supply emergencies, such as floods, droughts, chemical spills or waterborne disease outbreaks; and maintains a web-based reporting application to allow accredited laboratories and public water suppliers to report drinking water sample results electronically. The bureau also trains and certifies drinking water and wastewater operators for over 10,000 treatment plants.
Sewage Facilities Planning - DEP’s Bureau of Clean Water manages the Sewage Facilities Program, which implements the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (Act 537 of 1965) and enforces 25 Pa. Code Chapters 71, 72, and 73. Chapter 71 is titled “Administration of Sewage Facilities Planning Program”, Chapter 72 is titled “Administration of Sewage Facilities Permitting Program” and Chapter 73 is titled “Standards for Onlot Sewage Treatment Facilities”. The programs goal is to address existing sewage disposal needs and help prevent future problems through proper planning, permitting, design, operation, and maintenance of all types of sewage facilities.
Storage Tanks - DEP’s Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields is responsible for policies and implementation of the Storage Tank Program. The program provides for the health and safety of the citizens of Pennsylvania by protecting Pennsylvania’s air, land, and water from storage tank releases. The program staff work as partners with individuals, organizations, governments, and businesses to prevent releases from storage tanks and restore our natural resources when releases do occur. Under the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act, which became effective on Aug. 5, 1989, the Storage Tank Program is responsible for developing and implementing regulations for aboveground and underground storage tanks. Specific program responsibilities include the following: registration and permitting of regulated aboveground and underground storage tank systems and collection of annual tank registration fees, certification of individuals and companies that perform tank inspection and tank handling (installation, modification, removal) activities, establishment of technical and operational standards for aboveground and underground storage tank systems, and development of procedures for reporting of releases and corrective action by tank owners.
Stormwater Compliance - DEP's Stormwater Compliance Program, located in the Bureau of Clean Water, is responsible for developing regulations, policies, guidance, outreach, and inspection strategies for compliance assessment, compliance assistance, and enforcement of regulatory programs relating to stormwater runoff. This section conducts activities relating to the compliance with regulatory requirements for construction-related erosion and sediment control; post-construction stormwater management; and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s). This is a statewide program where permitting and compliance activities are delegated to most County Conservation Districts, and inspections are performed by the Districts throughout construction as well as at the time of permit termination.
Wetlands Protection - DEP's Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands (BWEW) coordinates the overall implementation and development of the wetlands protection program; however, many aspects of implementation are delegated. Thirty-two of Pennsylvania’s County Conservation Districts have Chapter 105 delegation agreements with DEP to register certain general permits within their counties. The basic duties of each District are to provide information to the public on Chapter 105 regulations, review registrations for and authorize the use of general permits and perform on-site investigations. Other programs/offices within DEP are responsible for reviewing and approving general and individual permits relating to mineral resources, abandoned mine lands, oil and gas activities, and the bureau’s own Stream Improvement and Flood Protection programs.
Water Quality Standards - DEP’s Water Quality Division, located in the Bureau of Clean Water, develops, reviews and maintains Pennsylvania’s water quality standards. This includes water uses, numeric and narrative criteria to protect those uses, and antidegradation policies. This division is also responsible for the preparation of this Integrated Report, which includes the development of appropriate monitoring and assessment methodologies to guide impairment listings on the Integrated Report.
Restoration Programs
DEP also has a series of programs in place to restore water quality. Primary funding sources come from the federal grant issued under Section 319 of the CWA (typically about $1,000,000 annually) and Pennsylvania's Growing Greener funds (typically about $3,000,000 annually). Click on each program to see an overview of how the program restores water quality and to visit that program's website.
Abandoned Mine Lands - DEP’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (BAMR) administers and oversees the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program in Pennsylvania. BAMR is responsible for resolving abandoned mine land (AML) problems such as mine fires, mine subsidence, dangerous highwalls, open shafts and portals, mining impacted water supplies and other hazards which have resulted from past coal mining (pre-1977) practices in accordance with requirements established by the federal Office of Surface Mining under authority of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA).
Chesapeake Bay - DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Office is tasked with coordinating activities to implement the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) to restore water quality in local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Office also coordinates efforts surrounding the implementation of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which consists of five themes with 10 goals that will advance the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Great Lakes - DEP's Office of the Great Lakes is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the Commonwealth's Great Lakes Program of water quality and watershed-related initiatives, including commitments under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Compact and Agreement. This multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional program interacts with Great Lakes states, Canadian provinces, and U.S and Canadian federal governments to implement policies and programs to achieve protection of the largest surface freshwater system on Earth.
Growing Greener Plus - Pennsylvania’s Growing Greener Plus Program is part of DEP’s Grant and Loan Program, which provides grants to assist individuals, groups, and businesses in addressing a host of environmental issues. The Growing Greener Plus Program remains the largest single investment of state funds in Pennsylvania's history to address Pennsylvania's critical environmental concerns of the 21st century. The program encourages partnerships between counties, municipalities, county conservation districts, watershed organizations, and other groups to restore and protect the environment. The three programs covered under DEP’s Growing Greener Plus Grants Program include Growing Greener Watershed Restoration and Protection, Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) Set-Aside, and Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation (SMCRA) Bond Forfeiture grants.
Restoration Alternatives - Beginning with the 2016 Integrated Report, the EPA and states launched a new vision for meeting the goals of CWA Section 303(d). The new vision included 6 goals: Engagement, Integration, Protection, Prioritization, Alternatives, and Assessment. To implement the vision, EPA provided a new adaptive management tool to achieve water quality standards. An alternative restoration approach is a near-term plan of actions with a clear schedule for achieving a set of milestones. In certain impairment situations, restoration alternatives can be more immediately beneficial than a TMDL, because restoration implementation can begin immediately. An important aspect of having watersheds selected as restoration alternatives is that these watersheds are in areas where state and local governments, along with watershed groups and other non-governmental organizations are actively engaged in activities to restore waters.
Section 319 - DEP's Nonpoint Source Management Program, located in the Watershed Support Section of DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Office, provides grants to assist watershed associations, conservation districts, and other non-profit organizations in addressing a host of environmental issues. This grant program manages funds awarded to DEP from EPA through the CWA Section 319(h) grant program. Funds awarded to DEP are used to fund programmatic efforts and sub-grants to local partners for the implementation of water quality improvement projects specified in EPA-approved Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs). The Nonpoint Source Management Program provides technical support to local groups interested in preparing WIPs, with priority given to groups working actively in watersheds with significant nonpoint source water quality impairments and one or more TMDLs, where watershed assessments and/or restoration plans have been completed. Projects funded include abandoned mine drainage treatment, minimization of agricultural and urban stormwater run-off, and natural channel design/stream restoration projects.
TMDL - The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program, located in the Water Quality Division of DEP’s Bureau of Clean Water, implements Section 303(d) of the CWA which requires states to establish a TMDL for all pollutants identified as preventing attainment of water quality standards. TMDLs set the maximum amount of a pollutant, the pollutant load, that can be delivered to a waterbody without exceeding water quality standards. TMDLs also allocate the allowable pollutant load among the various sources in the watershed (e.g., point sources, such as wastewater treatment plants, and nonpoint sources, such as agriculture and mine drainage). Waters that are not attaining water quality standards are often referred to as “impaired” waters.
Rising to the Challenge
Climate Change
Pennsylvania's latest Climate Impacts Assessment presents updated climate projections based on the latest climate model data. These projections show that Pennsylvania is expected to get warmer and wetter, which will have serious impacts on surface waters through the rest of this century. Some of these impacts include higher frequencies of bacterial contamination and harmful algal blooms, increased erosion, higher water temperatures, and more contamination associated with flooding.
To tackle this challenge, Pennsylvania has created a Climate Action Plan . Pennsylvania’s 2021 Climate Action Plan identifies climate change adaptation strategies and pathways that Pennsylvanians can take to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change. It also sets mitigation targets of 26 percent reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, and 80 percent reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, along with a suite of 18 strategies to achieve those targets.
Click on the "Climate Change in PA" StoryMap to explore it while staying in the Integrated Report. Clicking on the box at the top-right of the StoryMap will open the StoryMap in another tab.
Chesapeake Bay Reductions
Pennsylvania's progress in meeting the goals of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL is tracked through the development of two-year milestones (currently 2020-2021), which estimate the expected level of implementation of best management practices (BMPs) and expected programmatic improvements to occur over the milestone period.
To meet this challenge, Pennsylvania's Phase 3 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan takes a county-by-county approach to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution and bring the benefits of healthier waters to communities. There has never been a stronger partnership of Pennsylvanians working together to reduce point and non-point source pollution in the watershed. Counties across all of Pennsylvania’s Bay watershed have developed their Countywide Action Plans and have been putting projects on the ground.
To better characterize nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment, enhanced data collection at new and existing stations is under development. These enhancements will be used to develop models that could display nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment information in a real-time format.
Click on the "Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities" StoryMap to explore it while staying in the Integrated Report. Clicking on the box at the top-right of the StoryMap will open the StoryMap in another tab.
Measuring Progress
Water Quality Trends
DEP has sentinel water quality monitoring stations throughout Pennsylvania that are specifically designed to record trend data. This monitoring program is called the Water Quality Network (WQN). More information on these stations can be found on DEP's WQN mapping application . From the data collected at these stations, trend reports are developed like the one that the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) creates for the Chesapeake Bay .
As technology and data analyses advance, more resources are being developed to access and explore DEP's trend data. For example, USGS has created a national dataset of trends that can be viewed and downloaded. This allows DEP to show data in new and meaningful ways, such as sediment and nutrient yields (pounds per acre of a watershed). Displaying data as pounds per acre of a watershed allows sites to be compared to each other, regardless of watershed size. Click on each site to view a chart of yields through time. The entire 2022 yield dataset is also available in tabular format .
Restoration Efforts
DEP supports and tracks aquatic resource restoration efforts throughout Pennsylvania. Strong partnerships among landowners, local stakeholders, and state and federal agencies are proving to be the best way forward in restoring Pennsylvania's waters. The stories highlighted here are just a few examples of hard work leading to successful restoration.
Click on the "Turtle Creek" StoryMap to explore it while staying in the Integrated Report. Clicking on the box at the top-right of the StoryMap will open the StoryMap in another tab.
In addition, DEP, along with many partners, has a goal to restore 30 streams in Pennsylvania by 2030. These streams, designated as “agriculturally-impaired” on Pennsylvania’s list of impaired waters will be restored using a new and innovative strategy called “rapid stream delisting.” Rapid stream delisting couples mapping data analysis with an extensive partnership effort to delist streams on an accelerated timeframe.
Restorable Wetlands
Wetlands play an important role in reducing the impacts of floods and increasing overall water quality. Consequently, restoring wetlands creates an opportunity to make significant environmental improvements. Click the map to view wetlands in Pennsylvania with restoration potential.
Restored Waters
Restoring waters to the point they can be removed from any of the impaired Integrated Report categories (4a, 4b, 4c, 5, and 5alt) requires a tremendous amount of resources, dedication, and strong partnerships. Some of DEP's greatest successes have come from treating acid mine drainage, which makes up the majority of restored waters to date. Click on the map to see all waters where at least one protected use has been fully restored.
From 2004 to 2022 DEP has recorded approximately 920 miles of restored streams and 28,000 acres of restored lakes. Click the buttons below to view these restored waters in tabular format.
Participate and Stay Informed
eComment
DEP will provide notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin of a 45-day public comment period for this Integrated Report that will be open from January 15, 2022 to March 1, 2022. DEP encourages the public to provide constructive comments during this period. To submit comments and see comments from other individuals, please use DEP's eComment tool . The links to view and comment on the Integrated Report will be made available in the “Open Comment Periods” section at the top of the eComment website during the public comment period. Written comments can also be mailed to the Department of Environmental Protection, Policy Office, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105. DEP suggests that comments be organized using the main headings above (e.g., INTRODUCTION, SECTION 303(d)), or by scrolling down and using the subsection headings (e.g., PENNSYLVANIA WATER RESOURCES, LISTING DATA, TRENDS). Persons in need of accommodations as provided for in the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 should contact DEP’s Water Quality Division at 717-787-9637 or through the Pennsylvania Hamilton Relay Service at 800-654-5984 (TTD users) or (800) 654-5988 (voice users) to discuss how DEP may accommodate their needs.
Comment and Response Document
DEP provided notice in the PennsylvaniaBulletin of a 45-day public comment period for this Integrated Report that was open from January 15, 2022 to March 1, 2022. After the public comment period, DEP compiled, considered, and responded to the comments provided. The comment-response document is available by clicking on the link below.
How's My Waterway?
How's My Waterway is EPA's newest data tool for everything related to water quality. It was designed to provide the public with water quality information that state, federal, tribal, and local agencies provided to EPA. Water quality information is displayed based on three scales (community, state, and national) to improve the user's experience and understanding. Explore the How's My Waterway factsheet and demonstration video for more information before diving in. Test out the How's My Waterway widget below.
eNotice
DEP developed an electronic notification system – eNotice – that the public can use to stay up-to-date by receiving free notifications about a range of actions DEP takes in various program areas and geographies.
DEP Newsletter
DEP publishes a newsletter that features information about hot topics, recent actions, regulatory updates, webinars, and upcoming events.
Contact Us
For questions or assistance please contact the Water Quality Division at 717-787-9637 or send an email to RA-epwater@pa.gov .
