Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association

About

Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association (LSRA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Wrightsville, PA. Since 2006, we have guarded the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from Selinsgrove PA to where it reaches the Chesapeake Bay in Havre de Grace, MD, patrolling, testing, teaching and fighting for clean water. 

We have never relied on government funding, only on people who believe the Susquehanna River is worth protecting. Your support during Give Local York helps fund our programs and initiatives. 

Our Mission: To improve the ecological health of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed and the Chesapeake Bay. Current and future citizens of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed deserve high water quality, wise and sustainable use of all aquatic resources, and preservation of the aesthetic value of our waterways. Improvement will come about through education, research, advocacy, and insistence upon compliance with the law.

Our Vision: To ensure drinkable, fishable, swimmable water on the Susquehanna River and raise awareness so that current and future generations embrace the ecological and economic value of the Lower Susquehanna Rivershed.

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Advocacy

J&K Salvage

J&K salvage yard on the outskirts of York City has been polluting the Codorus Creek for years. In 2025, we filed a lawsuit against J&K for violations to the Clean Water Act. Since then, we are working with the PA Department of Environmental Protection to end the violations and bring the site back into compliance. In response to the February 2026 fire at J&K, our Riverkeeper and supporters have led the state department to issue an order shutting the yard down and requiring full site cleanup.

Cuffs Run

In 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a preliminary permit for a proposed pumped storage project along the Susquehanna River situated in York County along the Mason Dixon trail. LSRA is concerned over impacts to the Susquehanna River and recreational access, as well as aesthetics to the surrounding landscape and critical habitat. This project would cause massive shifts in river levels and continued ecological strain. In May 2025, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper and partner organizations filed an appeal in federal court. With your support, we are heading to court in July to present oral arguments to stop this project!

Modern Landfill

Modern Landfill had been polluting our waters for years. After successful legal action by LSRA, they were held liable by a federal judge for over 400 violations of their state-issued pollution discharge permit. We've advocated for Republic Services, the landfill owner, to pay over $4 million in penalties for violating the law, and have urged the judge to issue relief to Kreutz Creek, which has been devastated by the landfill's pollution. Our efforts to hold polluters like Republic Services accountable is impossible without your support.

Sample Collecting for Bacterial Monitoring

Public Health & Community Science

Since launching in 2023, our Water Watchdog Weekly Bacteria Monitoring Program has grown from a small pilot into a trusted public health resource for the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed. What began with 35 volunteers testing 15 sites has expanded to 50+ volunteers monitoring more than 20 locations each week from Memorial Day through Labor Day. All testing is processed in our in-house laboratory, so results are shared quickly — right before the weekend.

As more people learn about the program, community demand keeps growing. Paddlers, anglers, and families are asking for more testing throughout the watershed, eager to know when their local waters are safe. To keep pace with this momentum, we rely on continued support to maintain our lab, purchase supplies, and empower volunteers. Your support will help us create a cleaner, safer future — one water sample at a time. Learn More: Water Watchdogs.

Education 

Each year York County students attend LSRA Field Experiences. Our team of educators work with teachers to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world experience through hands-on programs. Focused on the new Pennsylvania science standards, students paddle the river by kayak, collect data from local streams, and so much more.  

With low program fees, we ensure that every student is introduced to experiential environmental education programming from 5th grade through college. Our goal is to expand these opportunities so even more students can grow curiosity, understanding, and a lifelong connection to their watershed.  

Your support helps make that possible by funding educator time, supplies, and the experiences that inspire the next generation of river stewards.  

Hands-on, on-site Learning