Watershed Group Information (updated 3-4-03):

•  The Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance (SCRA), established in 1996, continued to be successful in acquiring grant money.  The SCRA is working to remediate acid mine drainage, sewage and litter problems that impair the Shamokin Creek.  This year, the SCRA was fortunate to receive a great deal of funding that will allow for the completion of a number of key projects. 

   

  The SCRA, in cooperation with the Northumberland County Conservation District received two Federal Non-Point Source Management 319 grants.  The first will provide $454,150.00; the SCRA will provide another $75,000.00 in matching funds, which included the donation of 2.1 acres from Eastern Industries.  The funds will be used to design and build a series of aerobic and vertical flow wetlands that will remove metals (Iron and Aluminum) and increase alkalinity of the water coming from the Corbin Mine Drift, located along Route 901 near the Coal Township Transfer Station.  Watch for the construction of the project, which is scheduled to start in late summer.

   

  The second 319 grant received is for $64, 672.50; the SCRA will provide another $19,427.00 in matching funds.  This project is a two-phase project.  The current grant will fund phase one, which is further study of the site, resulting in a design that will allow for the treatment of the polluted effluent from the Big Mountain Mine Discharge.  Once the design is complete another grant will be completed that will be submitted for construction of the project.

  The SCRA also is working with the Northumberland County Planning Commission on a $75,000.00 project, funded by the Department of Environmental Protection's Growing Greener Program.  The grant will be used to develop a watershed plan.  The watershed plan will prioritize water quality issues that need to be addressed from highest to lowest priority.  The result of the project will be a Geographic Information Systems database that will include all the watershed data in a user-friendly setting.

   

  The SCRA meets the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 PM at the Career and Arts building in Shamokin. 

  Visit the SCRA site at http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/kirby/SCRAblurb.html

   

•  The Mahanoy Creek Watershed Association also has had a busy year.  The focus of the group was to inform the community about potential risks associated with the use of Biosolids.  In addition, the group has been working on a number of other projects.  The United States Geological Survey continues to work on the Watershed Assessment.  The assessment will prioritize restoration efforts on a number of key acid mine drainage outfalls.  The Susquehanna River Basin Commission just completed the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study for the watershed.  The TMDL is a tool that is used to determine what is an acceptable level of pollution in the watershed.  TMDL are often used in conjunction with a watershed plan and serve as the water quality goal that we strive to reach to make the waterway "fishable and swimable" again.

   

  The MCWA also submitted two Growing Greener Grant applications.  The first request was for funds to install weirs that will measure flow at key acid mine drainage outfalls throughout the watershed.  The second grant will help with the costs associated with the construction of a wetland in Butler Township (Schuylkill County) that will aid in removing pollution from the creek. 

   

  The MCWA usually meets the second Wednesday of every other month. The next meeting is Tuesday, February 12 at 7 PM at the Girardville Municipal building.

   

• The Tri-Valley Watershed Association is working to improve the health of the Mahantango watershed.  Over the past couple of the years the group has added limestone to headwater tributaries that are impacted by acid mine drainage discharges.  The limestone helped to raise the pH of the water on streams such as the Hans Yost, located in Schuylkill County.

The Northumberland County Conservation District and the Schuylkill County Conservation District both submitted Growing Greener grants to implement Agricultural Best Management Practices throughout the watershed.  If the grants are awarded, the BMP's will reduce the amount of nutrients and sediment that runoff into the Mahantango Creek.

 

The Schuylkill County Conservation District also submitted a Growing Greener grant that will provide funds to restore an eroded streambank in Pitman.  The stabilized streambank will improve fish habitat and reduce the sediment load in the stream.

The TVWA usually meets the second Tuesday of every other month at 6:30 PM at the Ambulance building in Hegins.

• In 2002, the Little Shamokin Creek Watershed Association (LSCWA) made great strides in becoming a viable watershed association.  The group officially became a sub-chapter of the SCRA and elected board members to govern the association.  They also conducted two stream clean ups along the Little Shamokin Creek, picking up litter on properties that are open to trout fishing.  The LSCWA also formed valuable partnerships with the Sunbury Municipal Authority, Rockefeller and Upper Augusta Townships and Coca-Cola.  These organizations provide financial assistance along with needed manpower to upcoming projects that are planned for 2003.  Look for the new official brochure and newsletter that were developed to update the watershed association's activities.

   

  The SCRA and the LSCWA are working together on a "Watershed Festival" scheduled for June 1 in Shamokin.  The purpose of the festival is to inform the community about watershed and other topics related to the environment such as littering.  The day will feature food, entertainment and educational displays.  If you would like more information, feel free to contact me at 570-286-7114, ext-4 or seu101@sunlink.net.

The LSCWA usually meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7:00 at the conservation district.

• The Chillisquaque Limestone Watershed Association (CLWA) continues to work towards the restoration of the Chillisquaque Creek.  The groups focus is to educate the community about best management practices that will improve water quality, such as streambank fencing and riparian buffers.  The CLWA developed a logo, which represents the association.  They are also currently selling CLWA hats.  Additionally, the group is working on 501(c) 3 non-profit status.

The CLWA received funding through Growing Greener to conduct a watershed assessment.  The assessment will be carried out this summer by interns from Bucknell University.  The interns will walk approximately three miles of the stream a day and inventory and evaluate problem areas that need to be addressed.  The assessment will be used to prioritize future remediation efforts.

 

Mike Yeager's Environmental Science class at Milton High School continues to work on Limestone Run.  The high school class has done such a tremendous job that DEP Secretary David Hess decided that the Assessment presentation given by the class summarizing the health of Limestone Run would an ideal end to his term as Secretary.  Mr. Yeager's class will put together a restoration plan for Limestone Run in 2003.

 

The CLWA usually meets second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 at the Montour Preserve.

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What is a Watershed?

Water Testing

County Watershed Groups

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The Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Reclamation and Remediation

Acid Mine Drainage