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Mitigating Consumptive Water Use in the Susquehanna River Basin

Mitigating Consumptive Water Use in the Susquehanna River Basin. Andrew Dehoff August 12, 2008. WPCAMR. Approved Daily Consumptive Use By Subbasin Total = 563.1 mgd. Consumptive Water Use Regulation 18 CFR Part 806.22. Purpose:

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Mitigating Consumptive Water Use in the Susquehanna River Basin

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  1. Mitigating Consumptive Water Use in the Susquehanna River Basin Andrew Dehoff August 12, 2008 WPCAMR

  2. Approved Daily Consumptive Use By Subbasin Total = 563.1 mgd

  3. Consumptive Water Use Regulation 18 CFR Part 806.22 • Purpose: • safeguard adequate flows for public water supplies, industries, agriculture and recreation, and • protect aquatic life, habitat and water quality during times of critical low flows. • Storage • Replacement • Discontinuance • Conservation Release • Payments • Alternatives Methods of mitigation allowed under §806.22(b)

  4. Consumptive Water Use Mitigation Storage (2) Replacement (3) Discontinuance (1) Conservation Release (26) Payments(288) Alternatives (0) (89% have selected payment) SRBC is faced with an ever-increasing challenge to investigate and secure additional sources of water for mitigation.

  5. Past, Present and Future CU Characterization

  6. Consumptive Water Use Program SRBC is moving toward a more environmentally protective management system to mitigate for consumptive use based on ecological flows.

  7. Alternate Threshold Strategies for Consumptive Use Mitigation Annual Monthly J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D Running Seasonal J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

  8. Recommended Actions • Assess ecological flow relationships • Enhance or modify reservoir storage operations • Evaluate underground mine storage • Modify consumptive use fee

  9. Plan Implementation • What is the driving goal? • What is the appropriate low-flow threshold? • How should the program be integrated into existing programs? • Role of water conservation and water quality • Seasonal use • Passby flows

  10. Implementation Constraints • Is the water “new”? • What is the source of the water? • How should existing operations be credited or exempted? • Conservation releases • Mine drainage treatment • Intrabasin transfers

  11. Ongoing Evaluation • Are goals being met? • Are projections accurate? • Is mitigation keeping pace with growth? • Is fee adequate to allow storage development? • If not, should CU limitations be defined? On a basin-wide or watershed basis?

  12. Implementation Progress • Partnering with USACE and TNC to develop flow standards • Proactive power companies • Basin-wide effort for agricultural CU • Cooperative partnership with PaDEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation • Barnes and Tucker project

  13. 2008 PA AMR Conference- August 12, 2008 Barnes & Tucker Project (Interbasin Transfer of Minepool Water) Daniel Sammarco,P.E. DEP-Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation Cambria Office Dsammarco@state.pa.us Project Team: Art Crossman Darryl Audia Pat Webb Bob Oshaben Ken Bobak Max Scheeler Jon Smoyer

  14. Outline • Background • Project Assessment • - inter-basin transfer • - Blacklick Creek • - West Branch Susquehanna River • Project Design • Q&A

  15. X Project Location Pittsburgh

  16. A. Background – existing plant Lime silo Intake pumps

  17. Mahaffey, Pa Curwensville Dam

  18. B. Project Assessment - Inter-basin Transfer Eastern Continental Divide Proposed New Treatment Area x 1970 Blow out Area Duman Treatment Plant OSM: Hawkins,Perry

  19. Susquehanna River Basin Ohio River Basin Surface ~1650 ft Surface ~1530 ft Coal- ~1395 ft Coal- ~1223 ft

  20. Inter-basin Transfer(IT) • PA law requires projects involving IT to have a NPDES permit. • Assessment of watershed basins’ (Susquehanna and Ohio ) • West Branch SusquehannaOhio River Basin • > restore ~25 miles stream > BAMR commitment to • treat the Red Mill, Vinton #6, and Wehrum discharges • > addresses water demand issues and Wehrum discharges • > continue AML and • AMD remediation projects • projects

  21. Blacklick Creek Assessment

  22. WHAT’S THE SOLUTION? • Reclaim and remediate the refuse piles at Colver. • Continue AMD remediation efforts in the South Branch Blacklick treat Red Mill Mine Vinton #6 mine Wehrum mine

  23. B. Project Assessment – West Branch Susquehanna

  24. Barnes-Watkins Refuse Pile project 2005 2008

  25. C. Project Design – Proposed Site Location

  26. D. Q&A proposed existing Project Team: Art Crossman Daryl Audia Pat Webb Bob Oshaben Ken Bobak Max Scheeler Jon Smoyer

  27. 92% reduction in Alt increase in Net Alkalinity 82% reduction in Fet DS B&T DS B&W

  28. Hydrology Analysis- Plant effluent 100 year flow = 2400 cfs Project flow ~ 16 cfs

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