The Commission has adopted regulations that establish numerical ground water withdrawal limits for 76 watersheds that fall either entirely or partly within the Ground Water Protected Area of Southeastern Pennsylvania (see location map) .

The Protected Area, where more stringent regulations apply to ground water withdrawals than they do in the rest of the Delaware River Basin, was established by the Commission in 1980 at the request of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania after it became evident that development was negatively impacting ground water levels.

The goal is to prevent depletion of ground water and protect the interests and rights of lawful users of the same water source, as well as balance and reconcile alternative and conflicting uses of limited water resources in the region.

Lowered water tables in the Protected Area have reduced flows in some streams and dried up others. This reduction in baseflows affects downstream water uses, negatively impacts aquatic life, and can reduce the capacity of waterways in the region to assimilate pollutants.

The Protected Area use a two-tiered system of water withdrawal limits.

The first tier serves as a warning that a subbasin is "potentially stressed." In potentially stressed subbasins, applicants for new or expanded ground water withdrawals are now required to implement one or more programs to mitigate adverse impacts of additional ground water withdrawals. Acceptable programs include: conjunctive use of ground water and surface water, expanded water conservation programs, programs to control ground water infiltration, and artificial recharge and spray irrigation.

The second tier serves as the maximum withdrawal limit. Under the regulations, ground water withdrawals cannot exceed that limit.

The Ground Water Protected Area Regulations for Southeastern Pennsylvania also:

- Provide incentives for holders of existing DRBC dockets and Protected Area permits to implement one or more of the above programs to reduce the adverse impacts of their ground water withdrawals. If docket or permit holders successfully implement one or more programs, the Commission will extend the docket or permit duration for up to 10 years;

- Specify criteria for the issuance and review of dockets and permits as well as procedures for revising withdrawal limits to correspond with integrated water resource plans adopted by municipalities for subbasins; and

- Establish protocol for updating and revising withdrawal limits to provide additional protection for streams designated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as "high quality," or "wild, scenic or pastoral" as defined by the state's Scenic Rivers program.

After holding public briefings and hearings, the Commission on January 28, 1998 amended the 1980 regulations to establish numerical ground water withdrawal limits for the 14 watersheds in the Neshaminy Creek Basin. The DRBC on June 23, 1999 again amended its regulations to establish numerical withdrawal limits for the 62 additional subbasins, or watersheds. The Commission held a public hearing on March 9, 1999 prior to adopting the latter amendment.

The limits were derived from baseflow characteristics of geologic formations that were developed in a study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). A geographic information system (GIS) was then used to generate overlay maps of the original 14 subbasins located in the Neshaminy Creek Basin. The study later was broadened to include the 62 additional subbasins that fall either entirely or partially within the Protected Area. GIS mapping also was prepared for these watersheds.

The results of both studies are recorded on a CD-ROM which is available from the Commission. Specific software, the Access database, and ArcView from ESRI are required to view the CD-ROM. To review the CD-ROM at the Commission's offices, please contact Judith Strong at (609) 883-9500 ext. 263 for an appointment. To order the CD-ROM at a cost of $10, please contact Carolyn Hartman at (609)883-9500 ext. 249. To review the CD-ROM at locations within the protected area, please contact Susan M. Weisman at (609) 883-9500 ext. 203.

The Ground Water Protected Area takes in 1,200 square miles and includes 127 municipalities. In addition to the Neshaminy Creek Watershed, other large drainage areas include the Brandywine Creek, Perkiomen Creek, and Wissahickon Creek subbasins.

In addition to all of Montgomery County, the following areas in surrounding counties fall within the Protected Area:

Berks: the townships of Douglass, Hereford, and Union.

Bucks: the townships of Bedminster, Buckingham, Doylestown, East Rockhill, Hilltown, Lower Southampton, Middletown, Milford, New Britain, Newtown, Northampton, Plumstead, Richland, Upper Southampton, Warminster, Warrington, Warwick, West Rockhill, and Wrightstown; the boroughs of Chalfont, Doylestown, Dublin, Hulmeville, Ivyland, Langhorne, Langhorne Manor, New Britain, Newtown, Penndel, Perkasie, Quakertown, Richlandtown, Sellersville, Silverdale, Telford, and Trumbanersville.

Chester: the townships of Birmingham, Charlestown, East Bradford, East Coventry, East Goshen, East Pikeland, Easttown, East Vincent, East Whiteland, North Coventry, Schuylkill, South Coventry, Thornbury, Tredyffrin, Warwick, West Bradford, West Goshen, Westtown, Willistown, and West Whiteland; the boroughs of Elverson, Malvern, Phoenixville, Spring City and West Chester.

Lehigh: Lower Milford Township.

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