Chapter 2.2.4 - Water Use for Unconventional Natural Gas Development Within the Susquehanna River Basin

Abstract

The unconventional natural gas industry emerged as a new water user in the Susquehanna River Basin in the northeast United States in 2008. Through 2013, a total of 2860 gas wells were hydraulically fractured, with each fracturing event consuming an average of 4.3million gallons of water. The total amount of water consumptively used by the industry during this period was 13.4billion (109) gallons. The majority of this water was withdrawn from surface waters. Data indicate the industry has not negatively impacted established water users and suggest that the primary competition for water resources has occurred between the gas industry and ecosystems. The novel challenges posed by the gas industry, which is most active in small watersheds with low water yields, have been met with regulatory changes such as passby flows that are intended to be protective of water resources while allowing for sustainable development.