Water Conditions and Water Quality Reports

From the water we drink to the streams, lakes, and rivers in which we play, the conditions of Chester County’s water resources impact the lives of every resident. Clean streams and groundwater aquifers are essential to sustaining healthy and vibrant communities and maintaining the bucolic character of our stream corridors. Evaluating progress through monitoring of water quality determines whether or not we are maintaining or improving water resources.

2021 Annual Report_Web Opens in new window

Chester County Water Conditions 2021

The annual Water Conditions report presents a snapshot of Chester County’s water resources in 2021 and highlights select long-term water quality trends over the last 20+ years. This 24-page report summarizes water conditions from January 2021 through December 2021 including rainfall, groundwater levels, stream flows, biotic diversity, nitrogen, phosphorus, chloride and public water use.

Sources: Data sources and references are available on this web page.   

2021 Annual Water Status Report_11x17_ImageThe 2021 report is also available in an 11x17 layout showing facing pages.


2020 Annual Report_Web

Chester County Water Conditions 2020

The annual Water Conditions report presents a snapshot of Chester County’s water resources in 2020 and highlights select long-term water quality trends over the last 20 years. This 24-page report summarizes water conditions from January 2020 through December 2020 including rainfall, groundwater levels, stream flows, biotic diversity, nitrogen, phosphorus, chloride and public water use.

Sources: Data sources and references are available on this web page.   

2020 Annual Water Status Report_11x17_ImageThe 2020 report is also available in an 11x17 layout showing facing pages.


2019 Annual Report_Web
Chester County Water Conditions 2019
The annual Water Conditions report presents a snapshot of Chester County’s water resources in 2019 and highlights select long-term water quality trends over the last 20 years. This 24-page report summarizes water conditions from January 2019 through December 2019, including rainfall, groundwater levels, stream flows, biotic diversity, nitrogen, phosphorus, chloride and public water use.

Sources: Data sources and references are available on this web page.

   
2019 Annual Water Status Report_11x17_Image The 2019 report is also available in an 11x17 layout showing facing pages.

2018 Annual Report_Web
Chester County Water Conditions
January 2018 - June 2019
Water resources throughout Chester County rebounded from drought levels in January 2018 to near record highs in the fall of 2018. This 24-page report summarizes water conditions from January 2018 through June 2019, including rainfall, groundwater levels, stream flows, biotic diversity, nitrogen, phosphorus, chloride and public water use. The link above is for a .pdf file optimized for web viewing; you can also view or download a .pdf file optimized for printing.

   
2018 Annual Water Status Report_11x17_Image The report is also available in an 11x17 layout showing facing pages.

Impaired Waters of Chester County
2018 Assessed Waters Map Series (based on 2018 PADEP Water Quality Report)
Map Series, Overview Memo and Materials Specific to Chester County and Its Watersheds
PADEP published the "2018 Pennsylvania Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report," which was approved by USEPA in November 2019. Of the 2,348 miles of streams in Chester County, PADEP periodically assesses 1,394 stream miles using an USEPA-approved assessment methodology to determine if a stream is meeting water quality standards. In the 2018 report, PADEP listed 957 miles of streams in Chester County as impaired which means they do not meet water quality standards.

CCWRA has prepared resources specific to Chester County, including interactive maps where you can search and print custom maps, a series of published maps that illustrate different causes, an overview memo, GIS files, and links to background information and the PADEP report.
Chloride Fact Sheet May 2019
Chester County Water Quality Summary: Chloride Fact Sheet
This 4-page fact sheet provides data and discussion about increasing chloride levels in Chester County. Since the early 1970’s, chloride and specific conductance, among other parameters, have been monitored annually at the 18 sites. Chloride concentrations have steadily increased across Chester County’s watersheds.
Water Quality Data Report 1998 - 2017
Water Quality of Chester County Streams
(1998 - 2017)
Chester County and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have had a cooperative water-resources program to measure and describe the water resources in Chester County since 1969. The purpose of this report is to present the water quality data collected as part of the Stream Conditions of Chester County Biological Monitoring Network from 1998 through 2017. The water quality data presented includes physical characteristics, pollutant concentrations and a score for the Biotic Integrity of the macro-invertebrates. The link above is for a .pdf file optimized for web viewing; you can also view or download a .pdf file optimized for printing.

Within the data report are 4-page summaries for each of the 18 Monitoring Stations - those are available here by monitoring station: