2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference
March 13 - 15, 2022
6/06/2017 | 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM | REGULATORY AND MONITORING RESPONSES TO UNCONVENTIONAL NATURAL GAS DEVELOPMENT IN THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN | 305B
REGULATORY AND MONITORING RESPONSES TO UNCONVENTIONAL NATURAL GAS DEVELOPMENT IN THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN
In the mid-2000s the unconventional natural gas (UNG) industry began developing the Marcellus Shale in the northeast United States. From 2008-2013, a total of 2860 wells were hydraulically fractured within the Susquehanna River Basin (SRB), each consuming 16,277 m<3/sup> of water on average. The total amount of water consumptively used during this period was approximately 50 million m<3/sup>, with the majority obtained from surface waters. Data indicate the industry has not negatively impacted established water users and suggests that the primary competition for water resources has occurred between the UNG industry and ecosystems. The novel challenges posed by the UNG industry, that is most active in small watersheds with low water yields, have been met with innovative regulatory responses including requirements for prior approval for water withdrawals of any amount, encouraging use of lesser quality and shared sources, and implementation of an ecosystem needs driven passby flow policy. Monitoring efforts intended to inform the technical review of water withdrawal projects were initiated, as well as research that examines impacts of flow alteration on stream ecology, and accuracy of using regional reference gages to assess passby flow conditions at ungaged locations.
- C14 Hydroecology
- C36 Water Resource Management
- S01 Water Quantity and Quality Impacts of Unconventional Fossil Fuel Development on Our Freshwater Futures
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Presenters/Authors
Matthew Shank
(), Susquehanna River Basin Commission, mshank@srbc.net;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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John Balay
(), Susquehanna River Basin Commission, jbalay@srbc.net;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Jim Richenderfer
(), Susquehanna River Basin Commission, jrich46@comcast.net;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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