Conestoga River Named Pennsylvania River of the Year
The Conestoga River, which flows through Lancaster County and is part of the Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York region, has been designated the Pennsylvania River of the Year. This award acknowledges extensive conservation efforts by dedicated supporters to combat farm runoff, urban pollution, and…
Harrisburg Lancaster Lebanon York, PA, October 27, 2026 —
The Conestoga River, which flows through Lancaster County and is part of the Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York region, has been designated Pennsylvania River of the Year. The award recognizes conservation efforts focused on addressing pollution and restoring the waterway.
The river has historically been affected by farm runoff, urban pollution and sewage overflows, according to the information provided about the designation. Organizations and local residents are involved in restoration projects, trash removal and efforts to promote sustainable practices.
Those activities have been accompanied by documented improvements in water quality and a stronger public connection with the river, the summary states. It does not provide measurements or dates for the water-quality improvements, nor does it specify which organizations are involved or describe individual projects.
The designation highlights both the environmental challenges facing the Conestoga and the work underway to address them. Efforts described in the summary span pollution reduction, cleanup and restoration, as well as public engagement with the waterway.
The information provided does not identify the organization that selected the River of the Year, the date of the announcement or the criteria used to make the selection. It also does not include specific water-quality data, project timelines or details about planned next steps.
Story summarized from the original created by Carolyn Beans on www.spotlightpa.org, see more information here.
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