Allegheny River Headwaters Watershed Conservation Plan

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Allegheny River Headwaters Conservation Plan Chapter 3. Water Resources Within Pennsylvania, water quality trading is a voluntary program aimed at reducing nutrients from point and non-point pollution sources. Only comparable nutrients credits expressed as a mass per unit time, for example pounds per year, can be exchanged between eligible parties. Trading may only occur within the bounds of the same watershed as defined by PA DEP, but may vary from stream segments to the entire watershed basin. Currently, water quality trading is limited to the Susquehanna and Potomac watersheds. The potential for developing a trading program within the Allegheny River watershed and the framework needed to support it is currently being explored, referencing the trading programs in the Susquehanna and Potomac watersheds (PA DEP, 2008c). Water Quantity The amount of water available for use is dependent upon the amount of groundwater recharge. Groundwater recharge is the amount of water that has permeated the ground during periods of precipitation. During periods of drought, more water is being withdrawn and used than can be recharged into the ground. Some areas in Pennsylvania and across the U.S. withdraw more water than can be recharged on a regular basis. In these areas, water quantity, in addition to water quality, becomes an extremely important issue. Water is withdrawn from both surface and groundwater sources. Many public water suppliers utilize groundwater or surface water from local waterways, and treat it to ensure that it meets safety standards for drinking water. In many rural and suburban areas, public water systems are not available, and residents depend upon private wells and springs. When groundwater is utilized, a well is drilled into the aquifer—an underground area containing sufficient porosity and permeability to transmit an adequate supply of groundwater. Water is pumped out of the well, causing the aquifer to draw down. When this occurs water from adjacent aquifers flows toward the well to refill it. There are two kinds of aquifers—confined and unconfined. In a confined aquifer, groundwater is under pressure because there is typically a layer of impermeable or nearly impermeable rock above it to confine the groundwater. When a well is drilled into the aquifer, pressure forces the water up the borehole. These are called artesian wells, and some artesian wells receive so much pressure that they flow without being pumped. Unconfined Water being withdrawn from Marvin Creek in Hamlin Township, McKean County aquifers contain a water table or do not have a layer of low permeability above to restrict flow through the aquifer. Wells established in unconfined aquifers must be pumped (Fleeger, 1999; Reese, personal communication, 2009). Source Water Source water is simply water that is obtained from a location by a water provider prior to treatment. Among the 15 water authorities providing water service to the region, the majority obtain their water by pumping groundwater to the surface. Bradford Water Authority is the only supplier that utilizes surface water and needed a Source Water Protection Assessment. The Source Water Protection Assessment was conducted in 2003 and identifies potential threats to the raw water supply. 3-23
Allegheny River Headwaters Conservation Plan Chapter 3. Water Resources Pennsylvania State Water Plan In 2008, an updated draft of the Pennsylvania State Water Plan was unveiled, providing a vision to sustain water supply with goals and recommendations. The plan includes an inventory of water availability, an assessment of current and future water use demands and trends, and an assessment of resource management alternatives and proposed methods of implementation. It also provides an analysis of problems and needs associated with specific water resource uses, such as navigation, stormwater management, and flood control (PA DEP, 2008c). In the updated Pennsylvania State Water Plan, information is broken down into six watershed regions—Ohio River, Great Lakes, Potomac River, Delaware River, upper/middle and lower Susquehanna River. The Allegheny River is located within the Ohio region, which is subdivided into smaller regions; the headwater region is located within the upper Allegheny River region. Water Use In 2000, it was estimated that Pennsylvania withdrew 9,950 million gallons of water per day. Of the water withdrawn, 93 percent came from surface water. Table 3-2 shows water withdrawal trends in Pennsylvania from 1990 to 2000 (Hutson, et al., 2004). Table 3-2. Water Use Groundwater Surface Total Year Fresh Saline Total Fresh Saline Total Fresh Saline Total 1990 1,020 0 1,020 8,810 0 8,810 9,830 0 9,830 1995 860 0 860 8,820 0 8,820 9,680 0 9,680 2000 666 0 666 9,290 0 9,290 9,950 0 9,950 All values are in millions of gallons per day (Sources: Solley, Pierce, & Perlman, 1993 & 1998; Hutson, et al., 2004) It was estimated that the largest water withdrawals in the U.S. in 2000 were used for thermoelectric power—48 percent—and irrigation—34 percent. Public water supply utilized 11 percent, while the remaining seven percent was utilized for industrial, mining, livestock, and aquaculture purposes (Hutson, et al., 2004). The majority of the water withdrawn from the Ohio River region, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. was utilized for thermoelectric production. The majority of water withdrawn within the upper Allegheny River region—46 percent—was used to supply water. Another major difference in water use was for agricultural purposes. The upper Allegheny River region utilized 25 percent of the water withdrawn for agricultural uses while the Ohio region, Pennsylvania, and U.S. agricultural withdrawals only accounted for one percent. Figure 3-11 illustrates the withdrawn water uses in the U.S., Ohio River region, and upper Allegheny River region (PA DEP, 2008c). 3-24
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Allegheny River Headwaters Watershed Conservation Plan

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