President signs water infrastructure legislation advancing NGWA key policy priorities

President signs water infrastructure legislation advancing NGWA key policy priorities

President Donald J. Trump signed into law the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) on October 23, a re-authorization of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) combined with legislation building on the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Doing so provides support to several programs including flood control, water storage, and drinking water programs.

NGWA CEO Terry S. Morse, CIC, hailed the legislation’s passage, calling it “a validation of the collective efforts made by NGWA volunteers to promote the importance of investing in groundwater.”

AWIA was passed overwhelmingly by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in September. Typically, WRDA legislation has a narrow focus on navigation, dams, and levees, but after concerted efforts by NGWA and other organizations, the AWIA legislation includes a significant number of provisions affecting drinking water programs.

NGWA’s top priorities in AWIA:

  • Drinking Water Infrastructure: Authorizes increased funding for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. DWSRF funds can be used for a range of purposes including supporting construction, upgrading, and maintenance of rural infrastructure such as wells and well systems.
    • $1.174 billion FY2019
    • $1.3 billion FY2020
    • $1.95 billion FY2021
  • Groundwater Recharge: Re-authorization of the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFA) program for two years at $50 million per year, which finances large projects like managed aquifer recharge projects. The legislation also removes the “pilot” designation of the program.
  • PFAS: Requires water systems serving more than 3,300 people to monitor for unregulated contaminants.
  • Resilience Planning: Provides funds to water systems to develop resilience plans to address extreme weather.

Passage of AWIA highlights the effectiveness of NGWA advocacy as several provisions NGWA advocated for during the NGWA Groundwater Fly-In in 2016, 2017, and 2018 were signed into law on October 23.

For more NGWA Government Affairs information, including details of the 2019 NGWA Groundwater Fly-In, visit: https://www.ngwa.org/get-involved/advocacy.

Blog Post related to Social Justice, Climate, Water Infrastructure and the Water Professional.

Just a few points:

For Professionals and Planners

  1. Please remember we must work with the processes on Planet Earth and not against them and we need to ADAPT!
  2. We must start being honest, the biggest problem or concern is not carbon dioxide or methane emissions, but inefficiency, building in the wrong areas (like floodplains, unstable ground, and land that is actively sinking.)
  3. We must consider water as a resource in all its forms.  So instead of stormwater, wastewater, drinking water, we have to consider this as a resource to reuse, promote groundwater recharge, and stop water mining and over allocations.
  4. Education – Continuing Education Courses  and PDH Credits

For Public and Citizen Scientist

  1. We must remember that water is not the only path for contamination migration and many times we are are the last line of defense and it is our home environment and the consumer products and lifestyle that plays a major role.
  2. We recommend, the following:

Sustainable Infrastructure & Resilience Webinar Series

NCSE, Arizona State University School of Sustainability, and the Security and Sustainability Forum are hosting a series of webinars in a lead up to the NCSE 2019 Annual Conference. The first webinar focused on Actionable Science Solutions for Local Resilience. Speakers shared successful practices at the local science-policy intersect and explored the role of universities in local resilience. Learn more and watch the webinar recording.

Easy Ways to Help Protect Groundwater Quality in Your Community

Here are a few easy ways to help protect Groundwater Quality in Your Community ” Remember We ALL Live Downstream”:

1. Implement Water Conservation Practices and Take the First Step use less and Install a Rain Barrel or Water Garden.

2. Apply fertilizers and other herbicides and pesticides as per the manufacturers specifications or seek out “Green” or Native Alternatives and test the soil before adding fertilizers.

3. Compost  – Do not burn or put leaves or other organic yard waste in plastic bags.

4. Check your Well Water Quality – Get Your Water Tested (Annually) or order a self-screening test.

5. If on a septic system – the septic system should be maintained, cleaned, and inspected approximately once every three years.

6. Run a Community Hazard Report – Keystone Clean Water Team?

7. Switch to more Eco-Friendly Cleaners.

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Use Social Media

1. You do not need to be an advocate – but when you find a good story or information -Like Us,  JUST Share Our Posts, Or Submit a Post – let us know.

2. Like our Facebook Sites

A. Keystone Clean Water Team
B. Know Your H20?
C. Water Research Center

3.  Consider Following Us on Twitter- @KeystoneWater or @KnowYourH2o

3.Share our videos

4. Share Our Educational Booklet

Donation/ Support

1. Send a Donation

2. Recycle Old Cell Phones 

3. Order a “Water Screening Test Kit” as low as $ 1.00 per parameter.

4. Order the “PA Guide to Drinking Water Quality

 

 

Solar Pasteurization System Low Tech Solutions for Third World Countries, Off the Grid and Camping

In the 1880s, Mr. Louis Pasteur identified bacteria and other waterborne diseases and he learned that at many of these organisms can be killed or inactivated by boiling the water.    Other commonly used forms of disinfection includes ozone, chlorine, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, UV-Disinfection, ozone, and other chemical process.  Even though many drink pasteurized milk – many do not realize that this process can be used as a low tech way to treat drinking water.   Pasteurization occurs when the water is heated to only 160 F or 71 F.

Pasteurization of Microbe

Pasteurization of Microbes

This presentation was originally prepared as part of a a field training and education program to use low tech approaches to training young adults in developing solutions for water quality problems.  The process uses water pasteurization to inactivate or kill biological organisms.  This process provides an alternative to conventional disinfection methods for remote areas as an alternative to boiling, UV-Disinfection, Chlorination, Chemical treatment, or ozonation.

From the World Health Organization – “Diarrhea occurs world-wide and causes 4% of all deaths and 5% of health loss to disability. It is most commonly caused by gastrointestinal infections which kill around 2.2 million people globally each year, mostly children in developing countries. The use of water in hygiene is an important preventive measure but contaminated water is also an important cause of diarrhea. Cholera and dysentery cause severe, sometimes life threatening forms of diarrhea.”

Diarrhea is

1. Biochemical/ Chemical irritation of the gut.
2.  There are 1.5 billion cases of diarrhea per year.
3.  Approximately 2 million children die each year.
4. Waterborne disease can cause systematic collapse of the local or regional food web and facilitate cross-species infection.
5. Drinking contaminated water, improper sanitation practices, and improper management of wastes can facilitate disease.

Key measures to reduce the number of cases of diarrhea includes:

  • Access to safe drinking water.
  • Improved sanitation.
  • Good personal and food hygiene.
  • Health education about how infections spread.

Key measures to treat diarrhea include:

  • Giving more fluids than usual, including oral rehydration salts solution, to prevent dehydration.
  • Continue feeding.
  • Consulting a health worker if there are signs of dehydration or other problems.

Our Presentation on Solar Pasteurization Process Water Treatment.

Educational Materials are Available  from the Keystone Clean Water Team. The Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501c3 and donations are appreciated.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We have offered “Free” Assistance to this effort, but if you are a private well owner that needs assistance we are happy to help.

We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.  Get YOUR WATER Tested – Discounted Screening Tests !

For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.  Follow us on Twitter 

Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.    Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission), but we also do local educational workshops and local cellphone/small electronic recycling programs. If you would like to set up a program to help recycle cellphones at an event, business, or other organization.  Through our program we can recycle  cell phones, iPods, game systems, and small digital cameras.  If your interested, please contact us.  Our new PSAs.

Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Tap Score Tapwater and Well Water Testing Program, and  Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organization). Water Science Basics!

On-going Fundraiser – Go Fund Me -Global Stream Water Monitoring Tools: A new online tool called the Water Quality Index Calculator is available from KnowYourH2O that can be used globally to provide a ‘grade’ for surface water quality as part of a watershed monitoring, surface water monitoring and assessment program, citizen science, lake monitoring, or source water assessment tool.

Groundwater Availability Analysis and Groundwater Quality Wayne County, Pennsylvania

The Wayne Tomorrow Action Committee invited the Keystone Clean Water Team to compile and develop a presentation on the general water quality, water availability, and some general recommendations related to groundwater resources in Wayne County, Pennsylvania.   The Keystone Clean Water Team had Mr. Brian Oram, a local water quality expert and professional geologist, review the information and conduct the presentation for the Keystone Clean Water Team.    During the education session, the members of the Wayne Tomorrow Action Committee and the Sustainability Committee for Wayne Tomorrow was present.   A copy of the presentation Wayne County Planning for Our Future is available.    For this training event, the following sponsors were recognized:

BF. Environmental Consultants
Water Research Center
Quantum Laboratories

Key Topics:

1. Private Wells are not regulated in Pennsylvania and there are NO minimum construction standards.
2. About 50% of private wells in Pennsylvania appear to have at least one water quality problem and causes the water to NOT meet the PADEP Drinking Water Standards.
3. Common problem is the pH of the water is low and the water is corrosive.   Corrosive water can increase the concentration of trace metals like copper/lead/zinc (plumbing and fixtures) and iron/manganese/aluminum/arsenic (aquifer).4. From the USGS Study – 97 % of private wells have radon over 300 pCi/L,  6 Percent have elevated arsenic, well water with a pH of over 7.8 may be associated with the presence of methane, arsenic, fluoride, sodium, bromide, lithium, boron, and chloride.  (Speaker note:  Well water with a pH of 8.0 or more may be influenced by naturally occurring saline water).
5. Analysis – The County could consider using the GIS System to conduct Groundwater Vulnerability Analysis, Availability Analysis, and Identify the location of historic or current hazards of concern.
6. In general, Wayne County can use a basic water budgeting analysis to evaluate project sustainability and if possible promote the use of on-site well and septic system with proper installation and maintenance.  The example demonstrated how projects could be analyzed to determine the estimated development capacity of a project based on water availability.
7. The Organization or County can not allocate water – this is the role of the Delaware River Basin Commission.
8. Wayne County is appears that 35 to 45 % of rainfall contributes to baseflow for the region.
9. Advisable to develop a County or Local Agency – Well Construction Standard.
10. Educational Materials are Available for PA from the Keystone Clean Water Team. The Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501c3 and donations are appreciated.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We have offered “Free” Assistance to this effort, but if you are a private well owner that needs assistance we are happy to help.

We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.  Get YOUR WATER Tested – Discounted Screening Tests !

For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.  Follow us on Twitter 

Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.    Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission), but we also do local educational workshops and local cellphone/small electronic recycling programs. If you would like to set up a program to help recycle cellphones at an event, business, or other organization.  Through our program we can recycle  cell phones, iPods, game systems, and small digital cameras.  If your interested, please contact us.  Our new PSAs.

Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organization). Water Science Basics!

A Water Quality Test Protects Against Contaminated Drinking Water

A Test on Water to Ensure Safety

Summary: Examining what you may be drinking in your water and why a water quality test on water is essential.

There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a cold glass of water. However, what if I told you that delicious glass of water could be making you sick? Yes, even water that tastes fine and looks clear may contain extremely harmful, dangerous microorganisms. While most people do not really think about having a water quality test completed for their water, it is most definitely an action you want to consider having done right away. Only information can protect you and your family, and if you know the data about the water you are drinking then you can take confidence in knowing whether your water is clean or poisoning you and your family.

Running a test on water is the best way to find out exactly what is in the water you and your loved ones are drinking. This can be done on any water source, even if you live in the city and water is provided through a water system. Although, there are some natural chemicals and minerals that are found in water that can be beneficial to us and are completely safe, there are also limits to the ingestible amounts found. If you drink the recommended water intake daily you need to be sure that you are drinking safe water.

A water quality test determines if there are any harmful bacteria in your water, such as total coliform, fecal coliform, E. coli.,  just to name a few. All of these harmful bacteria can cause you to become sick or make you susceptible to illness. There are some hazards in water that can even cause cancer and disease. While coliform bacteria is the least dangerous of the bacteria found in water, a large presence of it found in your water will lead to the need to test for other types of bacterium and contaminants. The others can cause sickness, including diarrhea, stomach cramps, low fever, vomiting, and more.

The last thing anybody wants is to end up getting sick from drinking water that they thought was completely safe. Running a test on water is important to guarantee you and your loved ones are drinking good, clean, safe drinking water. Have a professional come in and run the test for you. The reputable ones will be able to use a dependable, approved, trustworthy lab to run the test determining what is and is not in the water. It is recommended that you have your water tested routinely. Depending on the circumstances, yearly is advised, but some do test more often.

About the Author: AquaKnow.com is a trusted and affordable water quality testing service. Once you have had a test water sample taken, their laboratories will interpret those results for you. Contact them at 877-734-7661 to consult with one of their representatives.

Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.

For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.

Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.  Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organiazation).

How Does Groundwater Pumping Affect Streamflow?

www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3458&from=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usgs%2FWater+(Newsroom+-+Water+Releases)#.UKecVYXbaWU
Released: 11/16/2012

New USGS Report Describes Processes and Misconceptions Concerning the Effects of Groundwater Pumping on Streamflow

Groundwater provides drinking water for millions of Americans and is the primary source of water to irrigate cropland in many of the nations most productive agricultural settings. Although the benefits of groundwater development are many, groundwater pumping can reduce the flow of water in connected streams and rivers—a process called streamflow depletion by wells. The USGS has released a new report that summarizes the body of knowledge on streamflow depletion, highlights common misconceptions, and presents new concepts to help water managers and others understand the effects of groundwater pumping on surface water.

“Groundwater discharge is a critical part of flow in most streams–and the more we pump below the ground, the more we deplete water flowing down the stream,” said USGS Director Marcia McNutt.  “When viewed over the long term, it is one big zero-sum game.”

Groundwater and surface-water systems are connected, and groundwater discharge is often a substantial component of the total flow of a stream. In many areas of the country, pumping wells capture groundwater that would otherwise discharge to connected streams, rivers, and other surface-water bodies. Groundwater pumping can also draw streamflow into connected aquifers where pumping rates are relatively large or where the locations of pumping are relatively close to a stream.

“Streamflow depletion caused by pumping is an important water-resource management issue across the nation because of the adverse effects that reduced flows can have on aquatic ecosystems, the availability of surface water, and the quality and aesthetic value of streams and rivers,” said Paul Barlow, USGS hydrologist and author on the report. “Managing the effects of streamflow depletion by wells is challenging, particularly because of the significant time delays that often occur between when pumping begins and when the effects of that pumping are realized in nearby streams. This report will help managers understand the many factors that control the timing, rates, and locations of streamflow depletion caused by pumping.”

Major conclusions from the report:

• Individual wells may have little effect on streamflow depletion, but small effects of many wells pumping within a basin can combine to produce substantial effects on streamflow and aquatic habitats.
• Basinwide groundwater development typically occurs over a period of several decades, and the resulting cumulative effects on streamflow depletion may not be fully realized for years.
• Streamflow depletion continues for some time after pumping stops because it takes time for a groundwater system to recover from the previous pumping stress. In some aquifers, maximum rates of streamflow depletion may occur long after pumping stops, and full recovery of the groundwater system may take decades to centuries.
• Streamflow depletion can affect water quality in the stream or in the aquifer. For example, in many areas, groundwater discharge cools stream temperatures in the summer and warms stream temperatures in the winter, providing a suitable year-round habitat for fish. Reductions in groundwater discharge to streams caused by pumping can degrade habitat by warming stream temperatures during the summer and cooling stream temperatures during the winter.
• The major factors that affect the timing of streamflow depletion are the distance from the well to the stream and the properties and geologic structure of the aquifer.
• Sustainable rates of groundwater pumping near streams do not depend on the rates at which groundwater systems are naturally replenished (or recharged), but on the total flow rates of the streams and the amount of reduced streamflow that a community or regulatory authority is willing to accept.
“Conjunctive management of groundwater and surface-water resources is critical in New Mexico, where our limited surface-water supplies can be impacted by new uses that are predominantly dependent on groundwater pumping,” said Mike Johnson, Chief of the Hydrology Bureau in the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer. “This new USGS publication consolidates our understanding of the connection between aquifers and streams and provides a clear, thorough and up-to-date explanation of the tools and techniques used to evaluate streamflow depletion by wells.  This report will be very useful to New Mexico’s water managers in guiding technical analysis, dispelling common misconceptions, and explaining these complex concepts to decision makers and the public.”

The report, which is a product of the USGS Groundwater Resources Program, is titled “Streamflow Depletion by Wells—Understanding and Managing the Effects of Groundwater Pumping on Streamflow” and is available in print and online. [ http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1376/ ]

The Groundwater Resources Program provides objective scientific information and develops the interdisciplinary understanding necessary to assess and quantify the availability of the nation’s groundwater  resources. The Program has been instrumental in documenting groundwater declines and in developing groundwater-flow models for use in sustainably managing withdrawals. The research and understanding developed through this program can provide water-resource managers with the tools and information needed to manage this important natural resource.

Contact Information:
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
Office of Communications and Publishing
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr, MS 119
Reston, VA 20192

Paul  Barlow
Phone: 508-490-5070
pbarlow@usgs.gov

Kara Capelli
Phone: 571-420-9408
kcapelli@usgs.gov

Water is the new gold, a big commodity bet

finance.yahoo.com/news/water-gold-big-commodity-bet-040352660.html
By Paul B. Farrell | MarketWatch – Tue, Jul 24, 2012 12:03 AM EDT

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — “Is water the gold of the 21st century?” asks Fortune. Answer: Yes, water is the New Gold for investors this century.

In 2010 global water generated over a half trillion dollars of revenue. Global world population will explode from 7 billion today to 10 billion by 2050, predicts the United Nations. And over one billion  “lack access to clean drinking water.”

Climate and weather patterns are changing natural water patterns. And industrial pollution is making water a scarce commodity. So the good news is that huge “opportunities exist for businesses that can figure out how to keep the pipes flowing.”
Yes, it’s a hot market. So, expand your vision for a minute. How many bottles of water do you drink a week? How much did you use for a shower? When you flushed a toilet? Wash your car? Cooking? Lattes? And my guess is your city water bill’s gone up in recent years.

So ask yourself: What happens in the next 40 years when another three billion people come into the world? Imagine adding 75 million people every year, six million a month, 200,000 every day, all demanding more and more water to drink, to shower, to cook, to everything. All guzzling down the New Gold that’s getting ever scarcer.

Population, the explosive driver in the demand for ever-scarcer water

Now here’s the real scary stuff, the investor’s basic multiplier. In the 12 short years leading up to 2011 the world added a billion people. China’s population is now 1.3 billion. Plus they’ll add another  100 million in the next generation, while India adds 600 million according to United Nations experts. Read more

Commission suspends water withdrawals on low river levels

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission on Monday expanded the list of suspended water withdrawals from 37 to 64, affecting natural gas exploration companies, golf courses and other businesses with permits to take water from rivers or streams.

Low river and stream levels in the watershed triggered the suspensions.

Under SRBC regulations, when streams drop to predetermined protected low-flow levels, operators who are required to meet the agency’s passby requirement must stop taking water until streams recover, which typically happens after a return to normal rainfall.

The suspension is not a ban on water withdrawals, said commission spokeswoman Susan Obleski. Water-related activities will continue, even among some companies on the suspension list. Obleski said often a company will have several withdrawal permits for different locations on a stream or river. This is particularly common among natural gas companies. Also, withdrawals of less than 100,000 gallons per day that are not associated with natural gas development are not subject to commission regulation.

A total of 33 companies in 14 counties are affected by the suspension, including Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties.

According to the National Weather Service, rainfall from June 1 to July 15 was 2.5 inches below normal.

citizensvoice.com/news/business/commission-suspends-water-withdrawals-on-low-river-levels-1.1344369

By David Falchek (Staff Writer)
dfalchek@timesshamrock.com
Published: July 17, 2012

Weather story so far this year: Drought averted

live.psu.edu/story/60086#nw69
June 15, 2012

In the eastern half of Pennsylvania, last month was one of the top 20 wettest Mays on record.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The final chapters of the weather story for 2012, of course, have yet to be written, but halfway through the year the plot will surely focus on the dramatic swing in precipitation trends, according to a hydrologist in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

After the extremely warm and dry winter Pennsylvania experienced — one of the mildest since records began being kept — very dry conditions prevailed, and there was no snow in the mountains to melt and replenish streams and groundwater. That led to drought worries, noted Bryan Swistock, extension water resources specialist.

“Most people were probably not aware of it, but by the end of April, there were definitely real concerns about a drought,” he said.”To be that dry, at that time of year when it is usually wet — it looked like a bad situation. We were set up for a pretty severe drought if things had not changed.”

But change they did, in a major way.

It started raining frequently in May, and it has not stopped. In fact, in the eastern half of Pennsylvania, it was one of the top 20 wettest Mays on record, Swistock pointed out. Except for northwestern counties, which remain slightly below average levels of precipitation, most areas of the state are now at or above average for precipitation.

“The change in weather patterns has been dramatic,” he said. “And the long-term weather predictions that I have seen indicate the wet weather will continue.”

Some climatologists attribute the abrupt change in weather patterns to the transformation of ocean currents in the South Pacific that affect weather — from a La Niña phenomenon to an El Niño.

“Everything that I’ve been reading from the climatologists suggests that there will be more of the wet weather we have been seeing in Pennsylvania,” Swistock said. “And under this El Niño scenario, they predict we are likely to get more tropical storms. If the remnants from even one hurricane or tropical storm track directly over the state this summer or fall, that could have a huge impact.”

Penn State weather expert Paul Knight, senior lecturer in meteorology, Weather World host and Pennsylvania state climatologist, is dubious about the connection between Pennsylvania’s spring and summer weather and Pacific Ocean currents. But he agrees that the wet weather trend should continue for awhile.

“El Niño effects are much stronger in the wintertime — the summer season is really a muted message at best,” he said. “I don’t think that there is any clear message that Pennsylvania is more likely to see more tropical cyclones in an El Niño year versus an average year.

“Now will there be more storms in an El Niño? The answer is yes, El Niño years normally produce a few more storms. However, El Niño and La Niña are never potent in May, June and July.”

The dominant story of Pennsylvania’s weather so far in 2012 is that it’s been so mild, Knight explained. The first half of the year has been exceptionally warm — 4 or 5 degrees above normal.

“That March warm spell was really unprecedented,” Knight said. “The other thing is that January, February, March and April all averaged well below normal precipitation. And just about the time we were getting uncomfortably dry — and we were well on our way toward a drought — the rains came just in the nick of time.

“Drought averted.”

Lack of snow and rain prompt Pa. officials to discuss drought potential

www.therepublic.com/view/story/33c64dbf097042838eb0ad5d3aa8f9a5/PA–Drought-Fears/

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Just after Pennsylvanians dried off from one of the wettest years on record, professional weather-watchers are becoming concerned about a potential drought in the central and eastern parts of the state.

The state’s Drought Task Force, which includes representatives of the Department of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the National Weather Service and other government agencies, will meet April 25 to discuss the effects of a winter with little snowfall and a drier-than-usual spring, officials said Tuesday.

It remains to be seen whether that leads to the DEP declaring a drought watch encouraging residents in certain areas to conserve water, as Maryland officials did last week for most of the Eastern Shore.

“At this point we’re not taking any action,” said Ruth Miller of PEMA, which helped direct relief efforts during last year’s historic flooding from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, which killed 18 people and damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of homes and businesses.

Now, in contrast to those back-to-back disasters in August and September, the Susquehanna and Delaware rivers are flowing at record low rates for this time of year.

Susan Weaver, a DEP official who serves as the state drought coordinator, said officials assess data on precipitation,  surface water, ground water and soil moisture in 90-day increments before deciding whether to issue a drought watch or a more emphatic drought warning.

“The tough part is what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Weaver said.

In August, “we issued a drought watch and I swear to God the next day it started to rain and it didn’t stop,” she said.

On Tuesday, the Susquehanna was flowing at around 14,000 cubic feet per second — less than 20 percent of its normal rate and the slowest flow since 1910, said hydrologist Charles Ross at the weather service office in State College. The average depth was barely half the normal seven feet, he said.

Still, “all it’s going to take is some average rain and we’ll probably be in pretty good shape,” Ross said.

The situation was similar on the Delaware, where the flow in Trenton, N.J., was measured at less than 4,000 cubic feet per second — the lowest for that date in the 98 years it has been measured.

“We’ve actually been setting records for a week or so,” said Clarke Rupert, spokesman for the Delaware River Basin Commission.

Susan Obleski, spokeswoman for the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, said dry conditions along streams that feed the river have led the commission to temporarily suspend permits that allow some natural gas drilling companies to use that water. So far, 14 permits held by eight companies have been suspended.

“They have multiple sources (of water), so it doesn’t mean that (a) particular company would shut down,” she said.