Throughout, the coordination, understanding and enthusiasm of the
representatives of the three states working together on the Susquehanna
have provided an ideal lesson in interstate cooperation.

The importance to Maryland of an acceptable and workable instru-
ment to achieve the sought-after goals in the Susquehanna Basin is
evident when we realize that although only some 15 miles in length and
300 square miles in area of the Susquehanna Basin are in our State, we
are, nonetheless, the recipient of all of its waters—the average daily flow of
which, at Conowingo, totals 25 billion gallons; —herein lie all the problems
as well as the fruitful benefits of the Susquehanna. It gives us fresh water
for drinking and normal municipal uses in the Baltimore Metropolitan
area; it contributes well over half the fresh water input to the Chesapeake
Bay necessary to maintain a balanced level of salinity; and it gives us
numerous recreational opportunities and countless other benefits; of
course, on the other side of the coin, the Susquehanna contributes to the
Chesapeake Bay: pollution, floating debris and sediment; it has its
seasonal flood problems, and its vast quantity of fresh water is repeatedly
looked upon by many outside the basin as a possible source of long-range
water supply.

The opportunity to take continuing advantage of the Susquehanna's
benefits and to overcome and control its problems has always been a
challenge. The creation of an interstate compact to manage the water
resources of the Susquehanna as proposed here should materially benefit
the status of our stake in the Susquehanna and in the Chesapeake Bay.

As pointed out elsewhere, the committee working on the Susquehanna
Compact had the successful example of the Delaware River Basin Com-
pact Commission as a basic guide. Recently, in the water shortage crisis
of 1965, the Delaware Compact was a bulwark of strength in solving
grave water shortage problems involving the vast metropolitan areas of
New York City and Philadelphia.

A Susquehanna Compact can be equally beneficial to Maryland and
the other states in the basin. With this proposed compact now completed
and released, it remains for it to experience the critical view of legislators,
public officials, and the public in general, hopefully leading toward its
enactment into law in Maryland, as well as in New York, Pennsylvania,
and in the federal Congress.

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