Drought Suspends Pennsylvania Fracking Operations
By By Alex Sosnowski, expert senior meteorologist.
April 24, 2012, 11:24:47 AM EDT
Share this article:
Low stream flows have forced officials to suspend water usage for the natural gas development (fracking) in portions of Pennsylvania.
A lack of snowfall this winter and a lack of rain this spring were the major players in abnormally low stream flows, low ground water levels and depleted soil moisture.
In this April 23, 2010, photo, a Chesapeake Energy natural gas well site is seen near Burlington, Pa., in Bradford County. So vast is the wealth of natural gas locked into dense rock deep beneath Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia and Ohio that some geologists estimate it's enough to supply the entire East Coast for 50 years. But freeing it requires a powerful drilling process called hydraulic fracturing or "fracking," which uses millions of gallons of water brewed with toxic chemicals that some fear threaten to pollute water above and below ground, deplete aquifers and perhaps endanger human health and the environment-AP. (AP Photo/Ralph Wilson)
According to a report published by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SBRC), 17 separate water withdrawals were temporarily suspended.
The suspension, initiated to mitigate plunging stream flows in the basin affects 10 companies in five Pennsylvania counties. Those counties are Bradford, Luzerne, Lycoming, Susquehanna and Tioga.
Additional withdrawals may be suspended if rainfall continues to trend below normal.
According to officials, the restrictions are applied to various streams when flow rates reach a certain threshold and do not wait for declaration of a drought.
More Weather News
-
How you can prepare your car to withstand extreme summer temperatures
Weather News
While it is widely known that extreme cold can impact your car, many may overlook the potential impacts that extreme heat can have on their vehicle.
-
Dangerous heat wave to grip Europe, from Spain to Germany to Italy next week
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 1:07:06 PM EDT
Less than one month after a historic heat wave gripped more than half of Europe, another far reaching heat wave will affect parts of the continent next week.
-
Ex-NFL player, 32, dies of heat stroke, officials say
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 2:45:28 PM EDT
Mitch Petrus, who played three seasons in the National Football League, passed away on Thursday night due to heat stroke.
-
‘This has everyone scratching their heads’: US farmers discuss prices, yield, the USDA, and more
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 12:30:09 PM EDT
Farmers around the country gave AccuWeather unique insights into this difficult 2019 season
-
'It’s because of weather:' California has had fewer wildfires so far in 2019
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 2:00:05 PM EDT
A year after one of the most destructive wildfire seasons on record, firefighting crews have breathed a sigh of relief in 2019 -- for now. Why that could all change quickly.
-
Kerala to face rounds of flooding downpours into next week; More than 10 million affected by flooding in India's northeast
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 11:23:46 AM EDT
As flooding continues to affect parts of northeast India, downpours will focus on Kerala in the coming days and bring a new threat for flooding.
-
‘Ring of fire’ pattern to produce fast-hitting, dangerous storms in Midwest and Northeast
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 2:48:15 PM EDT
Heavy, gusty and, in some cases, dangerous thunderstorms will rip eastward across the northern tier of the central and eastern United States into this weekend.
-
Tropical Storm Danas to unleash heavy rain on South Korea, Japan into early next week
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 9:16:03 AM EDT
After drenching the Philippines and Taiwan, Tropical Storm Danas will now bring the risk of flooding to South Korea and Japan this weekend.
-
How you can prepare your car to withstand extreme summer temperatures
Weather News
While it is widely known that extreme cold can impact your car, many may overlook the potential impacts that extreme heat can have on their vehicle.
-
Dangerous heat wave to grip Europe, from Spain to Germany to Italy next week
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 1:07:06 PM EDT
Less than one month after a historic heat wave gripped more than half of Europe, another far reaching heat wave will affect parts of the continent next week.
-
Ex-NFL player, 32, dies of heat stroke, officials say
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 2:45:28 PM EDT
Mitch Petrus, who played three seasons in the National Football League, passed away on Thursday night due to heat stroke.
-
‘This has everyone scratching their heads’: US farmers discuss prices, yield, the USDA, and more
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 12:30:09 PM EDT
Farmers around the country gave AccuWeather unique insights into this difficult 2019 season
-
'It’s because of weather:' California has had fewer wildfires so far in 2019
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 2:00:05 PM EDT
A year after one of the most destructive wildfire seasons on record, firefighting crews have breathed a sigh of relief in 2019 -- for now. Why that could all change quickly.
-
Kerala to face rounds of flooding downpours into next week; More than 10 million affected by flooding in India's northeast
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 11:23:46 AM EDT
As flooding continues to affect parts of northeast India, downpours will focus on Kerala in the coming days and bring a new threat for flooding.
-
‘Ring of fire’ pattern to produce fast-hitting, dangerous storms in Midwest and Northeast
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 2:48:15 PM EDT
Heavy, gusty and, in some cases, dangerous thunderstorms will rip eastward across the northern tier of the central and eastern United States into this weekend.
-
Tropical Storm Danas to unleash heavy rain on South Korea, Japan into early next week
Weather News - July 19, 2019, 9:16:03 AM EDT
After drenching the Philippines and Taiwan, Tropical Storm Danas will now bring the risk of flooding to South Korea and Japan this weekend.
TRENDING NOW
Excessive heat and humidity building across Midwest and Northeast
Dozens of heat warnings and advisories were in effect Friday as a large swath of the country braced for the hottest weather seen in seven or eight years.
Read Story
Ex-NFL player, 32, dies of heat stroke, officials say
Mitch Petrus, who played three seasons in the National Football League, passed away on Thursday night due to heat stroke.
Read Story
Hang on, here comes the heat -- are energy providers ready? And are you?
AccuWeather checked to see if power companies are prepared for the oppressive weather and one company told us the precise temperature it's asking customers to set thermostats to during the heat wave.
Read Story
Comments
Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.