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AWWA ACE58241
- Susquehanna Water Rights: Big-Inch Keeps Flowing
- Conference Proceeding by American Water Works Association, 06/15/2003
- Publisher: AWWA
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Although the origins of Baltimore City (the City) may be traced far earlier than 1797, in that year the Cityreceived its charter from Maryland's state legislature, the General Assembly. Since that time, the City hasremained an independent political entity from its contiguous neighbor, Baltimore County. The City alsoshares a southern boundary with Anne Arundel County. In addition, nearby counties that arguably comprisethe Baltimore Metropolitan Area include Howard and Carroll Counties to the west and north, and HarfordCounty to the northeast. The City's water systempresently serves all or part of these six political jurisdictions.The day-to-day sources of raw water for the Metropolitan Area are impoundments on the Gunpowder Riverand the north branch of the Patapsco River. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the City's Department ofPublic Works constructed a pipeline (popularly referred to as the "Big-Inch") and pumping station, enabling itto augment its raw water supply from the Susquehanna River. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission(SRBC) came into existence somewhat later in 1970.In the mid 1990s, a dispute between the City and the SRBC ripened into a lawsuit in the U.S. District Courtfor the District of Maryland. The action reached the U.S. Court of Appeals, before it was settled by theparties under a written agreement in the summer of 2001. The nature of the dispute, the litigation, thesettlement negotiations, and the settlement agreement are the subjects of this paper.