Lamberts Run AMD Abatement Project Underway
Flight 93’s temporary memorial is and where the eventual permanent memorial will be located. Grove Run, which is not impacted by AMD, held a population of wild brook trout twenty years ago. However, recent Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission fish surveys conducted for data gathering on wetlands for the construction of the Flight 93 memorial have failed to find any trout. Alkalinity levels and pH were also much lower than previously found. The District will attempt to assess the watershed in order to determine what course of action would be required to restore productivity to this small but historically important and significant watershed.
After years of concern, negotiations and data gathering, a project to abate the remaining sources of abandoned mine drainage (AMD) in the Lamberts Run watershed is now in place. The District is the sponsor and administrator for a
$361,000.00 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) funded project that will restore the water quality of Lamberts Run and reestablish a fishery as well as more fully protect and enhance the water quality of the Stonycreek River.
In addition the District received funding from PA DEP to repair the Somerset County Conservancy's AMD passive treatment system on Lamberts Run. This effort will be incorporated as Phase I of the overall Lamberts Run project. The balance of the project will occur on what is now National Park Service property as part of the Flight 93 National Memorial. The timing of full implementation of the project is not certain, although design work is well underway. Dan Seibert, on behalf of the Somerset County Conservancy, has provided much needed guidance and technical assistance as has the federal Office of Surface Mining, PA DEP, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts Technical Assistance program.
Phase II of the project will reduce the impacts from the Heinemyer and Ant Hill AMD discharges. Initial plans, which are still under review, call for the piping of the water from the Heinemyer discharge to the Ant Hill area. This water will also then mix with the high alkalinity water now being produced from the current PBS treatment system upstream. The result will be that the pH will rise and the metals will settle out in an existing wetland prior to entering Lamberts Run. The District will also conduct sampling in the Grove Run watershed which is adjacent to the Lamberts Run watershed. This is the area where Flight 93’s temporary memorial is and where the eventual permanent memorial will be located. Grove Run, which is not impacted by AMD, held a population of wild brook trout twenty years ago. However, recent Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission fish surveys conducted for data gathering on wetlands for the construction of the Flight 93 memorial have failed to find any trout. Alkalinity levels and pH were also much
lower than previously found. The District will attempt to assess the watershed in order to determine what course of action would be required to restore productivity to this small but historically important and significant watershed.
Somerset County Envirothon 2009
The District sponsored the 2009 Somerset County Envirothon on May 12 at Laurel Hill State Park. Rockwood Area High School Team One captured first place and became eligible to compete in the Pennsylvania State Envirothon competition. Windber Area High School's Knotty Pines finished second and Meyersdale Area High School's K-oss team placed third. Teams from Shade Central City High School, Somerset Area High School and the Somerset County Technology Center also competed in the event. The Envirothon was made possible through the efforts and contributions of the Pennsylvania
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
and the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Amanda Deal served as the Envirothon coordinator on behalf of the District. Keith Largent, Don Williams, and District Ameri-Corps member Ashley Blough also provided assistance.
Laurel Hill Creek Water Resources Plan
The Somerset Conservation District serves as the administrator for the Laurel Hill Creek Water Resources Plan. The Chestnut Ridge Chapter of Trout Unlimited is the sponsor for this study and the U. S. Geological Survey provides the technical assistance and expertise that will provide a wealth of information on the Laurel Hill Creek watershed. The District is contributing the macroinvertebrate sampling and habitat assessment work for the project. District staff have gathered aquatic insects and classified them. This component of the project will become an integral part of the plan's extensive data gathering phase. The plan is expected to be completed by the end of 2009.
SCRIP receives Western Pennsylvania Environmental Award
The Stonycreek-Conemaugh River Improvement Project (SCRIP) was founded at the urging of the Somerset Conservation District Board of Directors Chairman,
Dave Mankamyer, and the Cambria County Conservation District Board Chairman, W. R. Dick Rossman, in 1991. The two districts determined that abandoned mine drainage (AMD) was the single most significant impairment to water resources, recreation, and economic development in the Cambria-Somerset region. They approached U.S. Congressman, John Murtha, with a concept to address the AMD problem in an organized and coordinated method. The Congressman responded with support and commitment that would gain the attention of state agencies such as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and federal agencies such as the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the federal Office of Surface Mining. This empowered SCRIP to become the networking and coordinating organization that had previously been lacking in AMD abatement efforts. The SCRIP board of directors that was created consisted of representatives from business, conservation organizations, sportsmen, non-profits and county, state and federal agencies. SCRIP initiated the effort to survey and document the AMD problem and then plan methods to begin to reduce it. SCRIP organized, coordinated and located funding for the six-site, $5 million Oven Run AMD abatement project on the Stonycreek River through the development of public-private partnerships that became the hallmark of SCRIP's innovative endeavors. These partnerships enabled funding sources, technical assistance, and administrative efforts to work in unison
to put projects on the ground. The spin-off effect of these successes spawned even more local watershed groups such as the Shade Creek Watershed Association, Paint Creek Regional Watershed Association, Wells Creek Watershed Association, and Little Conemaugh Watershed Association, and also provided the incentive for the creation of the Somerset County Conservancy. In addition to water quality improvement, SCRIP was the first organization to believe that the properties owned by the Manufacturers Water Company, which included the Quemahoning Reservoir and four other reservoirs, could be publicly acquired. It was SCRIP that set into motion the planning, funding requests, and feasibility study that led directly to the eventual public acquisition of these essential water supply sources that have also now become recreational destinations. SCRIP has also been involved in ongoing environmental education programs throughout the region and sponsors the Quemahoning Classic Fishing Tournament to showcase the impact clean water can have both recreationally and economically. SCRIP, through its 16-member board of directors, continues to work on the unfinished business of AMD abatement in both the Stonycreek and Little Conemaugh watersheds. For its long-term successful water-quality improvement initiatives, SCRIP was an award winner at the 2009 Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards sponsored by Dominon and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. The award was presented at the Westin Convention Center and Hotel in Pittsburgh on May 27.
DEP Growing Greener Grants
The District was successful in securing four Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection funded Growing Greener grants. The District will utilize $182, 078 to install best management practices in cooperation with landowners in the Glades Creek watershed. The goal of the projects is to reduce sediment run off into this tributary of the Upper Stonycreek River. The District's Stonycreek River Reassessment identified elevated nitrate loads and sediment deposition as impairing the aquatic life in this portion of the watershed. The District received $240,240 to add data to the ongoing Water Resources Management Plan in the Laurel Hill Creek watershed. The funds will be used to determine where sediment loading is originating. In addition, $30,900 will be used for additional work on Phase II of the Laurel Hill Creek Water Resources Management Plan. This plan is sponsored by the Chestnut Ridge Chapter of Trout Unlimited and is being conducted by the U. S. Geological Survey with assistance from the District. The District also received $25, 935 to add limestone sand in two acidic tributaries to Elk Lick Creek in order to abate natural and acidic mine drainage in the streams.
Quemahoning Reservoir Habitat Structures
This year the Somerset Conservation District again sponsored the habitat-structure improvement project at the Quemahoning Reservoir with 100 additional habitat structures in June. This continuation of a project initiated by the District two years ago is aimed at improving the recreational opportunities at the Quemahoning Reservoir. The project has previously placed black bass spawning structures and rock in the reservoir to improve the ability of fish to survive and reproduce.
The 2009 effort will see a continuation of habitat structures placed in the reservoir. The project is coordinated by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) Division of Habitat Management Lake Section that designs the overall plan for the reservoir and supplies the materials for the structures. The Cambria - Somerset Authority (CSA) also contributes funds and coordination for the project, and local sportsmen's clubs and volunteers provide the labor required to build and place the structures under the supervision of the PFBC habitat personnel. The success of the project that the District originated at the Quemahoning has resulted in similar projects now being undertaken at the CSA owned Wilmore and Hinckston Run Reservoirs in Cambria County. This resource first project has already and will continue to enhance the already popular and successful recreational opportunities at all three reservoirs.
“Fishing the Stonycreek River”
The District, at the request of the Mountain Laurel Chapter of Trout
Unlimited (MLTU), created a full color and updated brochure entitled "Fishing the Stonycreek River." The brochure includes a map and information on specific types of equipment, locations, access, and other useful information for anyone who would like to attempt to fish one of Somerset County's best angling destinations. MLTU sponsored the project and contributed funds received in memory of MLTU and District board member, Lester McNutt. The publication is also dedicated to Lester's memory. The brochure's text and photography were provided by Len Lichvar and the layout and design were completed by Amanda Deal. The brochure is available from the District and from MLTU.
West Nile Virus Program Update
As warm weather returns to Somerset County, so do our biting friends the mosquitoes. The Somerset Conservation District’s West Nile Virus Staff has already started sampling and treating historic high mosquito number areas. Due to state cutbacks the Somerset program lost 35% of its WNV funding compared to 2008. The WNV program will remain active this year even with the decrease in funding and new, stricter spraying requirements for all WNV staff. We will be treating for adult and larval mosquitoes again this year, but adult treatments will be limited to nuisance species control. The residents of the county should be aware of any mosquito breeding areas around their houses and work places. Anyone noticing a potential large breeding area should contact county WNV staff to inspect and treat the area. If mosquitoes are biting you excessively in an area, again please inform the county WNV staff. These annoying insects are nuisance species and can be sprayed if the population is large enough. If you have questions about mosquitoes or the WNV program, please call the Somerset Conservation District at 814-445-4652 ext. 5 or stop by our office located at the Allegheny College on Glades Pike. We have brochures and information available.
Earn Money for the SCD by GoodSearching the Internet
There’s a new easy way for you to support the Somerset Conservation District without leaving your home or emptying your wallet. All you have to do is forget Google and GoodSearch instead! GoodSearch.com is a search engine powered by Yahoo! (so you get valid results) that contributes a portion of the millions of dollars generated by Internet advertisers to registered charities. The money GoodSearch donates comes from its advertisers. You, the user, don't spend a cent! The Somerset Conservation District is now a registered charity. Go to www.goodsearch.com, type “Somerset Conservation District” in the space under the question "Who do you goodsearch for?" click verify, and then continue with your normal internet use. You only have to enter Somerset Conservation District once as the page stores your selected charity. With each search, minus a few exceptions, a penny is donated to the District, so the more you search, the more funds you will raise for conservation programs in the county . If you do a lot of online shopping, please considering visiting GoodShop.com first. Through this related page, over 500 stores, like Sears, LL Bean, Wal-Mart, and BestBuy, will donate a portion of your purchase to the SCD! Please make GoodSearch your home page, add it to your signature line, ask friends to begin using GoodSearch for the SCD and stop Googling and start GoodSearching! By doing so, you're supporting conservation and education in Somerset County.
Americorp Times Two
Bob Hook, of Somerset, became an AmeriCorps member in November. Bob is a retired high school educator from the Rockwood Area School District. At Rockwood he originated a very successful student environmental club and was and is still active in organizations such as the Somerset County Conservancy, Somerset County Fly Fishers and the Mountain Laurel Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Bob's service time is being split between the District and the Kiski-Conemaugh Stream Team. Bob's work has included a variety of environmental education programs, water sampling, providing assistance to the District's West Nile Virus program and involvement with other watershed support initiatives.
Ashley Blough, of Davidsville, has completed her sophomore year at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown where she is majoring in Environmental Studies and maintains a place on the Dean’s List. Ashley became an AmeriCorps member for the District in May and will serve through the summer. Ashley's efforts have focused on producing brochures, newsletters and other publications, as well as assisting with the West Nile Virus Control program. Ashley is also organizing various components of the Stonycreek-Conemaugh River Improvement Project's Quemahoning Classic fishing tournament, and assisting with water sampling, administrative support and related activities.
Outdoor Adventures Program
The 2009 Outdoor Adventures program was held at Summer’s Best Two Weeks at the Quemahoning Reservoir in April. Over 1,000 school students attended the two-day event and learned about outdoor activities and conservation efforts. The annual event is sponsored by the Kiski-Conemaugh Stream Team and Natural Biodiversity in association with numerous agencies, conservation groups, non-profits and others engaged in conservation, education, and recreation endeavors.
The District was among the monetary sponsors of the event. The District display consisted of information and education about the use of rain barrels. In addition, the District showcased a hydrogen, water-powered, miniature vehicle that created a great deal of attention among the young audience in attendance. Amanda Deal, Dave Kemp, and Len Lichvar manned the
Saving for a Sunny Day
The District’s rain barrel program has been well received. Over 100 barrels have been distributed so far. Through the funding assistance provided by a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Education grant, the District was able to conduct four rain barrel workshops and distribute rain barrels at a reduced cost to each attendee. Workshops were held at the Paint Township Municipal Building, Johnstown Area Heritage Association complex, Seven Springs Mountain Resort, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission quarterly meeting, and at the Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative building. Each workshop included a program on the history, uses, and conservation impacts of rain barrels presented by rain barrel coordinator Amanda Deal. The workshops demonstrated how individual citizens can get involved in reducing storm water run off and sediment entering our local waterways, and while creating a free and viable source of clean water for many home uses. The District continues to provide rain barrels to local citizens on an individual basis for a donation to the District. Anyone who would like to secure a rain barrel can do so by calling 814-445-2997 or email amanda-scd@wpia.net.
Timber Harvest Workshop
The Somerset Conservation District hosted a Timber Harvest Workshop in April for landowners and timber harvesters. The funding was supplied by the PA DEP through the Chesapeake Bay Special Projects program. A variety of speakers including the Somerset Conservation District's Erosion and Sediment Control Technician, Keith Largent, discussed the various methods of proper forest stewardship as well as best management practices for timber harvesting.
Other speakers included Tony Quadro, Assistant District Manager/ Forester Westmoreland Conservation District, Mike Felix, Erosion and Sediment Control Technician Bedford County Conservation District, Bob McColly, Consulting
Forester, and Bob McBride, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Service Forester. The workshop included a tour of timber harvest areas in Somerset County to illustrate specific practices and their implications.
