Susquehanna River Institute

The Susquehanna River/Watershed is a venerable, yet vulnerable ecosystem. Its 27,500 square mile basin makes it

the largest watershed east of the Mississippi. At 440 miles in length, it is the longest non-navigable river in the United States. And its average daily flow of 25 billion gallons of water is the primary source of freshwater to Chesapeake Bay. It has a rich historical heritage, tied to the northeastern canal system, and the timber and anthracite industries of centuries past. Millions of people call the watershed home as boundaries of the states of New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland lie within its basin. Hundreds of industries operate within the vast reach of the watershed, and many of these use the river directly in their production processes.

Unfortunately, perceptions of this ecosystem are often less than positive. For example, many view the river as lost to pollution and other environmental abuses of the past. Still others perceive the river as an adversary that

periodically threatens their homes and livelihoods when it leaves its banks. And many more, perhaps most, are nonplussed about its very existence. Even more problematic, the general public lacks a clear understanding of what constitutes a watershed, and how seemingly localized human activities can affect the entire basin.

Thankfully, there is today a grass-roots movement afoot to challenge public complacency about watersheds and their resources within the Susquehanna Basin. We see this movement manifest in the many small watershed organizations springing up in this area. These groups are performing admirably by informing and involving people in their areas about the importance of these issues. In some instances, these groups are also collecting valuable information about their environment. However, despite such positive strides, most of these efforts are mere snapshots of the greater whole. There remains a more comprehensive role to be filled for reaching and connecting larger numbers of people with this important message, and doing this while viewing the bigger picture of a regional watershed.

Towards this end, the Susquehanna River Institute can fill this larger role. Presently, nothing like this exists within the Susquehanna basin. The Institute has the potential for not only fulfilling this unique role, but it can serve as a model for educational, corporate, and community partnerships nationwide.