EPCAMR Staff will be conducting a watershed assessment on Abrahams Creek beginning in the Spring and into the Fall of 2017 in order to identify and sample tributary streams to determine the fishery health of the entire watershed. The Staff will be conducting a multitude of different testing methods within the streams, such as water quality and flow monitoring, bug sampling, aquatic organism passage surveys at culverts, analyzing land use impacts, conducting visual habitat assessment and sedimentation and stream bank erosion surveys. EPCAMR hopes to communicate their plans, as well as gather information on local drainage and water-related issues within this area prior to beginning the assessment to incorporate local
concerns into the development of the Coldwater Conservation Plan for Abrahams Creek.

The Coldwater Heritage Partnership is a collaborative effort between the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited (PATU) and the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds (FPW). EPCAMR received a $5000 grant to complete the Coldwater Conservation Plan. In recent years, the organization has previously completed similar assessments on the Laurel Run watershed, Solomon Creek watershed, and Bowman’s Creek watershed.

The funds will be used by EPCAMR to:
● Gather existing data about the coldwater ecosystem;
● Identify potential impacts, threats, problems and opportunities to coldwater streams;
● Formulate a plan of action for proposed conservation and protection strategies; and,
● Build community awareness and support for the conservation of coldwater streams.

The purpose of the Coldwater Heritage Partnership (CHP) is to provide leadership, coordination, technical assistance, and funding support for the evaluation, conservation and protection of Pennsylvania’s coldwater streams. For more information on the CHP program please visit www.coldwaterheritage.org

“EPCAMR is interested in speaking with municipal officials, road department supervisors, residents who have streams in their backyards that are a part of the watershed and may not even know about the connection to the larger watershed, locals with a knowledge of the history within the watershed, and community groups with information the fishery aspects of the Creek in order for us to build into the Plan as many local concerns and recommendations for fishery improvements and watershed restoration efforts that could be funded under future grant opportunities,” said Robert E. Hughes, EPCAMR’s Executive Director. “EPCAMR is really interested in working together with private landowners that have streams and tributaries that flow into the Abrahams Creek watershed to identify problem areas that we can include in a final recommendations report for the Coldwater Conservation Plan that could lead to other funding opportunities, should they be willing to partner on future restoration projects from a trout fishery perspective and to deal with other water related issues. Permission to access areas to walk the stream channels are paramount to the success of completing a proper and thorough Conservation Plan for the Abraham Creek,” said Hughes.

1870 Map of Swoyersville and Kingston Twp.

“We are really looking for residents, community groups, and municipal officials to come out to the meeting from the following municipalities that are located within the Abrahams Creek Watershed. Franklin Township, Dallas Township, Exeter Township, Kingston Township, West Wyoming Borough, Exeter Borough, Swoyersville Borough, Wyoming Borough, and Forty-Fort Borough. Many of the municipalities have already previously supported the grant prior to its submission by EPCAMR and we have been in communication with most of them,” said Gavin Pellitteri, Watershed Outreach Specialist for EPCAMR.

ABOUT EPCAMR: Formed in 1995 by concerned Conservation Districts, EPCAMR represents a coalition of watershed organizations and reclamation partners. Members range from individuals, to the active anthracite mining industry and co-generation power plants, to non-profit organizations, 16 county Conservation Districts and other organizations in the anthracite and bituminous coal region of eastern PA that are involved with abandoned mine reclamation issues and serves almost 1 million residents. The general purpose of the organization is to encourage the reclamation and redevelopment of land affected by past mining practices. This includes reducing hazards to health and safety, eliminating soil erosion, improving water quality, and returning land affected by past mining practices to productive use, thereby improving the economy of the region. EPCAMR continues to not only reclaim mine lands but provide environmental education programs to both local education systems, coalfield impacted municipalities, and underserved communities.

For more information, please contact EPCAMR at (570) 371-3522 or info@epcamr.org .

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Peek-A-Bug collection being displayed at the Bear Creek Charter School Earth Day Program at Camp Kresge

The new “Macros on Ice” samples will be used, along with the older ones, for future environmental education programs. The old plastic vials contain a mixture of distilled water and alcohol to preserve the aquatic insects. The vials sometimes leak, causing the samples to dry out. EPCAMR has nearly 120 vials of macro invertebrates that have been used at hundreds of environmental education programs throughout the coal region.

Previously, the vials were placed in a bug viewer to magnify the macros only from the side. The specimens could not be viewed from the top of the viewer. The 3-D two-way viewers can be used for a variety of objects, including leaves, flowers, and of course, macro invertebrates. The viewers have a top lens that enables the students to view a specimen at 6 times its size, while the lower lens views a specimen from the underside at 4 times its size. The 3-D two-way viewer is a perfect observation tool for both the field and the classroom. It is very durable and kid-friendly, as are the vials.

DragonFly Nymph on ice!

“Macros On Ice” in the mold

The new samples are created by pouring clear polyester casting resin into a mold, resembling an ice cube tray, that holds duplicate macro invertebrate samples from the Peek-A-Bug collection. The resin is then left to harden. At this time, there are 24 “Macros On Ice”. These samples can now be viewed from the top, bottom, and sides of the bug viewers.

New EE materials created by Haley and Mallory

EPCAMR Interns are also working on new educational materials to go along with the new samples, including a Pollution Tolerance Index, a macro invertebrate fact sheet, and an EPA macro invertebrate adaptation information sheet. These sheets are laminated for outdoor environmental education program use.

Macro invertebrates are the “canaries of the coal mines” in our rivers and streams. They are great indicators of stream health and ecology, fishery health, and water quality. EPCAMR not only collects these macro invertebrates for use in our educational programs, but also for stream assessments, to determine stream health of AMD and non-AMD impacted waterways.

The post EPCAMR Interns create “Macros on Ice” to compliment EPCAMR Environmental Education Programs appeared first on epcamr.org.

Many of these sites are within the 2.6 miles of Class A Trout Streams in the watershed and in the area of the 1.84 miles of Sugar Notch Run that we are proposing to the Commonwealth of PA to be delisted. EPCAMR has followed up with the PA DEP Bureau of Conservation and Restoration to request that they have their Water Pollution Biologists come out for a follow-up field visit to warrant the delisting from the Federal List of Impaired Waters. EPCAMR has already followed up with the PA Fish & Boat Commission as well and were informed that at the time of our request for assistance, their Office and Staff were overwhelmed with projects dealing with the Marcellus Shale, that they were not able to provide us with much technical assistance on determining the correct types and best suited habitat structures for many of the project locations that we had initially selected, so some of those larger projects were put on the backburner for future evaluation when they had the time available to assist us in the field. Over the course of the year, EPCAMR gained funding through staff members contributing $7,757.20, volunteers and partners contributing an additional $12,625.50 in matching funds of  time and additional grants. EPCAMR was also able to secure an $8,000 grant from PA American Water.  This funding allowed EPCAMR to complete 15 successful projects, resulting in clean-ups and restorations of Sugar Notch Run and Nockley’s Tributary in the Solomon Creek Watershed. 5 Tons (10,000 pounds) of trash were removed. Several hundred tires were removed. Some vandals even decided to set one pile on fire leaving us with 84 tires less than anticipated to be removed, but a pile of rubber rubble to deal with on one occasion. EPCAMR Executive Director, Robert Hughes, emphasized, “We saved the taxpayers and citizens of Hanover Twp., the City of Wilkes-Barre, and the landowners ALOT of money through our hard earned grant writing efforts and coordination of our volunteers and students that we utilize and work with throughout Luzerne County. If every municipality had a grant writer that went after grants as aggressively as we do for the public good and with the success rate that we’ve  had, there wouldn’t be so many environmental problems in our communities and they’d save  a lot of money.”

Taken at SGl #207, this photo shows a blockage of tires and other man-made debris near the old concrete dam just above the double-wide railroad tunnel.

Dumpster Full

At Sugar Notch Run, EPCAMR addressed degradation issues such as woody debris blockages, sedimentation, trash and tire dumping, deep undercuts in stream banks, and other man-made blockages. EPCAMR also did a clean-up at State Game Lands #207 at Sugar Notch Run, where they removed tarps, gas canisters, sleeping bags, tires, and other trash that was creating blockages in the stream and impacting the natural habitat. After the blockages were removed, EPCAMR made sure to stabilize the creek and make sure that it had maintained its natural habitat features.

EPCAMR Staff cleaned out debris from this stream channel at Sugar Notch Run, outside of Carey’s Patch, locally called by the kids, “Dead End Creek”, and left the log and downed tree in place for habitat. Water can flow around it and down over a step pool just below the log that you can see looking upstream.

While the Sugar Notch Run clean-up was a success, EPCAMR spent the majority of the Summer and early Fall cleaning and restoring Nockley’s Tributary, named for the family that owns the land that the tributary runs along until it comes to its confluence with Solomon Creek, just northeast of S. Main Street in Wilkes-Barre. Dave, owns Nockley’s Pharmacy, located on S. Main Street (Middle Road, Hanover Twp.) and Frank runs Northeast Cartage Services, (on Fellows Ave, Hanover Twp.). Both gentlemen allowed us to access their property at any time to conduct the work and they also contributed deep discounts for dumpsters that we needed while conducting our cleanups. They both were very open to our projects and were familiar with EPCAMR’s Executive Director, since Dave had played High School basketball with him during their high school days at the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), Wilkes-Barre, where both of them were outstanding basketball players under the now retired Coach John Hopkins.  Midway through June, EPCAMR, through collaboration with PA American Water Staff including John Yamona-Water Quality Manager and Susan Turcmanovich-Manager, began work on Nockley’s Tributary. This area was heavily littered with trash, illegal dumping, heavy sedimentation, stormwater drainage issues from antiquated drains, streambank erosion, and woody debris blockages causing flooding issues at the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and a day-care, located adjacent to the tributary.

Volunteers help to clean debris in preparation for a riparian corridor tree planting along the banks of Nockley’s Tributary during the restoration and clean-up.One of the major features completed at the site was a riparian corridor planted with 125 native trees and nursery stock wetland plants in order to enhance and improve the fish passage and stream habitat that runs 2,640 feet from Nockley’s Tributary to Solomon Creek. Riparian corridors help to restore and improve stream habitat because they allow for native plants to help filter and trap sediment, preventing stream erosion and allowing for better water flow. EPCAMR staff along with the assistance of volunteers, David Svab- Watershed Outreach Intern, and Aaron Stredny-Watershed Specialist for the Luzerne Conservation District, completed the project over a period of 7 months.

Dawson Hughes (in orange) , EPCAMR Stream Cleanup Volunteer and oldest son of the Executive DIrector, who has been helping out since he was 8 years old and is now going on 14 with Wilkes University Colonels volunteers at a cleanup on Nockley’s Tributary.

EPCAMR knew that as we got further down in the watershed, the environmental degradation issues become more problematic and costly and will warrant much further details, investigations, surveys, and designs for future improvements. Woody debris provides many benefits to the stream ecosystem, but individual debris jams that we have investigated increased erosion or endangered roadways, bridges and personal property. In these cases, it was necessary to remove all of the jam to alleviate the problems. Removal decisions of the woody debris areas were subjective and were made individually, ultimately removing or altering only what is necessary. In the more forested areas, such structures remained intact to continually shape and change a stream channel as a natural process without interference.

Watershed Specialist, Aaron Stredny, speaks to PA DCNR’s “Watershed” Education Program High School students from across Luzerne County who planted 125 trees along the banks of Nockley’s Tributary in the Fall 2013.

EPCAMR believes that the improvements they have accomplished so far will lead to further protection of the native brook trout population , as well as other warm water fisheries in the lower reaches of the watershed. Over time, the number of fish and aquatic life present in the watershed could possibly increase as a result of addressing areas with degradation issues. As of November 2013, EPCAMR still has funds available to continue to clean and restore the Solomon Creek Watershed. During Spring and Summer of 2014, EPCAMR Staff plans to monitor and evaluate the completed projects while continuing to work on projects that will result in cleaner water and streams, improved stream and riparian corridor habitat, stream bank stabilization, and a reduction in sediment loads and trash to the Solomon Creek watershed. EPCAMR knows how to create partnerships! See the list for these successful projects completed below: Nockley’s Pharmacy-landowner access Earth Conservancy-landowner access PA Game Commission-landowner access Northeast Cartage Services-landowner access and discounted pricing on hauling, dumpster roll-offs, and waste removal Mahantongo Scrap Tire Recycling, Liverpool, PA– removal and recycling of scrap tires, discount on hauling and price per tire for removal St. Peter’s Lutheran Church-landowner access, free parking, use of open space area for lunch breaks for EPCAMR Volunteers and students, use of restroom facilities, volunteer assistance from their Board of Trustees in removal and cutting of downed trees across Nockley’s Tributary, removal of brush piles Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority-inspection of sewer main at the confluence of Nockley’s Tributary before entering Solomon Creek Stanley Cooper Chapter of Trout Unlimited-provided volunteers (2) who assisted on July 1, 2013, with illegal dumping and tire removal from Nockley’s Tributary, served as a media outlet to their members to recruit additional volunteers to assist with the EPCAMR stream restoration projects Luzerne Conservation District-provided technical expertise and Staff to coordinate the stream restoration projects within the Solomon Creek Watershed with EPCAMR, secured additional funding and was awarded funding by EPCAMR towards projects, worked with EPCAMR on cleanup days, woody debris removal field events, tree plantings, and tire removal events; Chapter 102 review, Chapter 105 review, coordination with PA DEP PACD, Inc.-provided $2,000 funding towards the riparian tree plantings on Nockley’s Tributary and educational and outreach program on non-point source pollution and stream restoration ARIPPA-provided EPCAMR with $500 in funding that was awarded to the Luzerne Conservation District through our mini-grant program to purchase stone for energy dissipaters to be placed below antiquated stormwater culverts that are directed towards Nockley’s Tributary PA DCNR-Environmental Education Specialists coordinated a tree planting event with EPCAMR and the LCD with (40) students from different high schools within the Wyoming Valley and Hazleton Area on October 17, 2013 City of Wilkes-Barre, Ashley Borough, and Hanover Township-supportive of our efforts within the Solomon Creek Watershed to implement recommendations with funding that was not from the local taxpayers and assisted with prioritizing future cleanup efforts within the watershed within their municipalities PA  DEP, Wilkes-Barre Regional Office-provided EPCAMR and the LCD on guidance as to the need for any necessary permits for our projects Wilkes University-(36) Freshman College students participated in a coordinated stream-side cleanup and tire removal event on July 15, 2013; Coordinated with Megan Boone Valkenburg, Civic Engagement Coordinator; They were unable to make the July 1, 2013 event due to rain and bus scheduling EPCAMR Community Service Volunteers-(11) total participated in the cleanups on July 1, and July 15, 2013 that were registered through American Rivers (www.AmericanRivers.org/Cleanup) Nanticoke Junior Trojans Youth Football Program Players– 11, 12, & 13 year old football players (7 of them) and Jill Williams, mother of one of the players, volunteered on the September 21^st, 2013 cleanup event that was coordinated with Michelle Dunn from Keep PA Beautiful in conjunction with the International Coastal Cleanup South Wilkes-Barre Mini-Football Program-provided a $300 donation towards our restoration efforts in honor of a local conservationist and avid fisherman, Mr. Abe Coolbaugh, who passed away, and has a son, who coaches for the mini-football program who wanted to see the funds used towards some conservation practices where his Father fished Keep PA Beautiful-provided EPCAMR with publicity, garbage bags, and gloves; (www.KeepPABeautiful.org) International Coastal Cleanup and Ocean Conservancy-provided outreach and publicity on their website for volunteer recruitment of our cleanup events and garbage bags and gloves to our PA registered cleanup events through Keep PA Beautiful ( http://www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/international-coastal-cleanup/ ) American Rivers-provided EPCAMR with trash bags and outreach and publicity on their website for volunteer recruitment and provided EPCAMR with a free year long membership for registering our cleanups for the 2013 National River Cleanup participation ( www.americanrivers.org ) EPCAMR promoted our project through our Social Media Page on FaceBook (Search EPCAMR) and created events along with notifications to our volunteer base to come out and assist with our local projects. EPCAMR coordinated with Wilkes University, Stanley Cooper Chapter Trout Unlimited, Nanticoke Junior Trojans Youth Football Program, and the PA DCNR to create events that a large group of students could attend to assist us with as well.

• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151752670094095.1073741828.95647429094&type=1
• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151754642629095.1073741829.95647429094&type=1
• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151871591689095.1073741836.95647429094&type=1
• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151874410689095.1073741837.95647429094&type=1
• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151876638429095.1073741838.95647429094&type=1
• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151887054564095.1073741840.95647429094&type=1
• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151887072209095.1073741841.95647429094&type=1
• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151902848599095.1073741842.95647429094&type=1
• https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151965495674095.1073741843.95647429094&type=1

EPCAMR received media coverage from Ch. 16-WNEP when we coordinated our second cleanup on July 15, 2013. (http://wnep.com/2013/07/15/getting-dirty-to-clean-up-the-creek/) PA American Water provided a news release on their website about the project and others that were funded:

• http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/AMERPR/2493767894x0x656204/b4fe1755-dddf-4286-848a-fd064eb3b0f7/656204.pdf

PACD prepared an article on the projects that they funded state-wide, including the one for the Luzerne Conservation District, in partnership with EPCAMR:

• http://pacd.org/2013/06/over-47000-awarded-for-nonpoint-source-pollution-prevention-educational-mini-grants/

Brendan Gibbons, Environmental Beat Reporter for the Scranton Times-Tribune and the Citizen’s Voice covered a story for the newspaper on our project and also participated in a cleanup as a volunteer. Article is below:

• http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/timesshamrock/doc/1399978542.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+15%2C+2013&author=&pub=Citizens%27+Voice&edition=&startpage=&desc=Water+Quality+Projects+Are+Worthy+Endeavours  (archived article-costs $$)

• http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/into-the-void-mapping-abandoned-mines-in-3d-1.1560241  
• Page 13 of the Citizen’s Voice from July 8, 2013 has the PA American Water Check Presentation Photo

Tom Venesky, Outdoors Writer with the Times-Leader Newspaper, prepared an article on our work in the Solomon Creek Watershed:

• http://www.timesleader.com/news/outdoors-sports/596165/Study-provides-hope-for-trout-in-Solomon-Creek

These projects were the first of its kind in the Solomon Creek, particularly in the native brook trout fishery headwaters and tributaries of the watershed.  EPCAMR will make periodic trips to the sites once completed to check on the long-term stability of the structures installed and constructed. EPCAMR will seek the support of avid people who fish in the area to report back on how the structures are holding up and if the areas are remaining free of debris, storm flow debris, tires, illegal dumping, trash, and sedimentation. EPCAMR will advise private landowners to check on the areas worked on periodically to report back to EPCAMR, however, should additional work or maintenance be needed, the financial burden would have to fall on the landowner. If areas are determined to be private, EPCAMR will work with the landowners to see if visitation to the project sites can be made open to the public use through a conservation easement, right-of-way access agreement, or hold-harmless agreement. EPCAMR has a well-established partnership with the Stanley Cooper Chapter of Trout Unlimited in the Wyoming Valley, whose members are always willing to assist private landowners with improvement their property, including fish habitat and restoration work.

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