Summary
Organization name
Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association
Address
338 South Front StreetWrightsville, PA 17368
To Ensure drinkable, fishable, swimmable water on the Lower Susquehanna River and raise community awareness for current and future generations on the ecological and economic value of the Lower Susquehanna Watershed.
Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association (LSRA) is dedicated to improving the ecological health of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed and the Chesapeake Bay. Current and future citizens deserve high water quality, wise and sustainable use of all aquatic resources, and preservation of aesthetic value of our waterways. Improvement will come about through education, research, advocacy, and insistence upon compliance with the law.
LSRA was formed to create a network of support and partners for the work of the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper. The Riverkeeper was licensed by Waterkeeper Alliance at the request of citizens, including some within government, that thought we needed a stronger advocate for the Susquehanna Watershed that would hold polluters and the government to task.
LSRA serves all communities in the Lower Susquehanna and Juniata Watersheds, as well as the Upper Chesapeake Bay, which includes 8,527 square miles of territory, 22 counties in PA, and 2 counties in MD.
We do not receive federal, state or local funding for our operations.
We rely on donations, membership dues. and a few select grants to do our work. LSRA is a small but growing organization and is looking for resources to accommodate initiatives focused on advocacy, education and our public programs.Your support during Give Local York helps fund our programs and initiatives. Here are just a few highlights of our recent work in York County:
LSRA advocates for the protection and restoration of rivers by monitoring water quality, engaging in legal actions against polluters, and promoting sustainable practices within communities. Our efforts include educating the public on the importance of clean waterways and lobbying for stronger environmental regulations to ensure long-term conservation.
We, along with a formidable alliance of several local environmental nonprofits, recently appealed a FERC decision to award a preliminary permit for a proposed pumped storage facility along the Susquehanna River. Read more here.
On March 31, 2025, the court ruled in our favor that Republic Services’ Modern Landfill violated the federal Clean Water Act 419 times from July 2019 through April 2023, and has confirmed its liability for violating its permit. Read more here.
age On March 31, 2025, we issued a Notice of Intent to bring a federal Clean Water Act lawsuit against J&K Salvage, an automobile scrap yard in York, Pennsylvania, for continued unauthorized discharges of pollutants into Codorus Creek and improper handling of solid waste. Learn mo
er WatchdogsOur Water Watchdog program branches into three volunteer opportunities to monitor our waterways for safety, drinkability, and
rogramSince 2009, LSRA and its volunteers have removed over 230 TONS of plastic, tires, and trash from our waterways. Join us at our next cleanup
iativeVolunteer-led program to preserve the vegetative buffer along the Codorus Creek in York City. Our program prevents the Army Corps of Engineers from using harmful herbicides along the Codorus Creek. Jo
und them. In 2024, we hosted 11 school districts, 15 schools and over 1,500 students ages 10-18 along the Susquehanna and her tributaries for our ourtdoor based environmental education. Our programming also includes youth camps, guided tours, and indoor
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The Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association (LSRA) was formed to create a network of support and partners for the work of the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper (LSR). The Riverkeeper was licensed by the Waterkeeper Alliance at the request of citizens, including some within government, that thought we needed a stronger advocate for the Susquehanna watershed, an advocate that would hold polluters and the government to task. LSRA is a member of Waterkeeper Alliance and is rooted in the movement for swimmable, drinkable, fishable water.
The Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association is dedicated to the improvement and preservation of the ecology and aesthetic qualities of the Lower Susquehanna and Juniata watersheds. The Lower Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER® (LSR) works as an alliance builder, diplomat, and educator, but also, when the situation calls for it, an unrelenting defender and advocate of our right and the river’s right to be healthy and prosperous. The LSR utilizes education, chemical and biological monitoring, pollution patrols, partnership building, public events, research and legal action to improve the health of the Susquehanna’s waterways. LSR assists the government by reporting non-compliance of the law, and follows through where environmental protection agencies are unable to do their job due to politics or funding issues.
The Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association serves all communities in the Lower Susquehanna and Juniata watersheds, as well as the Chesapeake Bay which includes roughly 4.5 million people. LSRA has over 100 members, including organizational members that represent hundreds more. In the past year, LSRA has engaged hundreds of citizens, or “Stewards” on the Susquehanna Rivers and its tributaries regarding issues including coal ash contamination, landfills, CAFOs/slaughterhouses, public access, agricultural pollution, stormwater runoff, the requirements of the Chesapeake Total Maximum Daily Load implementation, diseases which effect Smallmouth Bass, and the relicensing of Conowingo Dam.
Our organization is dedicated not only to advocate against pollution but also serve to educate the public, legislators and agencies regarding our work to instill greater support of clean water. Without education and promotion of our work, we would lack the backing we need to make a greater impact on water quality and positive policy changes. The Lower Susquehanna River, Juniata River and Chesapeake Bay are constantly subjected to further pollution. It’s critical that our organization upholds its duty to advocate, educate and keep polluters accountable in accordance with the law. Without our work, further degradation of our River and tributaries will continue. Our organization does not receive state or federal funding and is sustainable on donations, membership dues and few grants. LSRA is a small but growing organization and is looking for resources to accommodate initiatives focused on advocacy & education, member support and organizational capacity.
Organization name
Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association
Address
338 South Front Street