Report: Susquehanna Sediment Could Harm Chesapeake Bay

Approximately four million tons of sediment passed through the Conowingo Dam in four days following Tropical Storm Lee, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The Post reported the amount of sediment from the September incident—which threatened some nine miles upstream from Havre de Grace—was more in a four-day span than the river generally pushes through the gates during a full year.

Sediment that flowed down the river settled into the main channel into the Havre de Grace , causing significant blockage and rendering the entryway to the busy port impassable.

The Susquehanna River supplies approximately 60 percent of the Chesapeake Bay's fresh water, The Post story said.

Sediment can cloud the water of the bay, decreasing the amount of sunlight that can reach the submerged aquatic vegetation and underwater wildlife.