Addressing water quality problems in the Bay requires cleaning up the waterways that feed into it. To that end, Penn State's Agriculture and Environment Center integrates research and extension, and puts a huge emphasis on building community partnerships.
The Chesapeake Bay watershed includes almost two-thirds of Pennsylvania. Mainly via the Susquehanna River, the state supplies fully half of the Bay’s freshwater flow and the largest share of its agricultural pollution.
Clinton County dairy farmer Jim Harbach is co-director of the Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance, a farmer-to-farmer organization that promotes the benefits of no-till farming and cover cropping for soil health.
A satellite image of the Chesapeake Bay shows the Susquehanna River flowing in from the northwest. Pennsylvania waterways supply half of the Bay's freshwater flow, and the largest share of its agriculture pollution.
Susquehanna River just south of Three Mile Island, where the Conewago Creek drains into the river. Mud plumes are eroded sediment washed into the river after a heavy deluge of rain.