Why the Susquehanna River looks brown

(Harrisburg) — The Susquehanna River hasn’t looked like a healthy river since the heavy storms that led to flooding in north central Pennsylvania late last week.

It looks more like brown muck than nice clear river water.

But experts say the conditions are pretty typical.

John Balay with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission says that’s because heavy rainfall, sediment gets kicked up.

Some have been concerned the conditions are worse because of a gas pipeline rupture in Lycoming County that sent 55,000 gallons of gas into a tributary of Loyalsock Creek, which flows into the Susquehanna.

Balay says only water testing will be able to speak to that definitely.

As for when the river will clear up…

“It takes a while for the sediment suspended in the water column to settle out and make its way downstream. I would expect we’d see turbic conditions for the rest of this week and into the weekend for sure,” says Balay.

Balay says again, these conditions are typical following a heavy rainfall that led to flooding.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Environmental Protection has been monitoring the river since the Sunoco pipeline rupture.

Sunoco says it has now sealed the pipeline.