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Stonycreek Reassessment Project Advances
The Stonycreek River Watershed reassessment is progressing along as the summer field season draws to a close. Field data, which includes physical habitat, water chemistry, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish surveys, has been collected and is in the process of being analyzed. The purpose of the reassessment is to develop a complete baseline dataset and to fill in data gaps, which will provide support for receiving grant monies to watershed groups from the AML fund. The reassessment also aims to quantify water quality changes and improvements throughout the watershed and to identify potential areas for new projects, which will help to complete the restoration efforts that began over fifteen years ago. Results of the reassessment will be used to develop a master database of watershed data and a full report. Initial results suggest that the watershed exhibits a wide array of conditions, ranging from excellent habitat with diverse biotic assemblages to very poor habitat conditions with very low biotic diversity. Physical habitat scores were highest in the Clear Shade Creek sub-watershed and throughout the middle reaches of the main stem Stonycreek River. Lowest habitat scores were generally in the Stonycreek River headwaters and at the mouth. Over 2,000 macroinvertebrates were collected and identified in the survey with 91 genera being represented. True fly and caddis fly larvae were collected in the highest densities, and lower numbers of mayfly, stonefly, dobsonfly, beetle, dragonfly, and damselfly larvae were also collected in the watershed. The greatest numbers of macros were found in Clear Shade Creek and South Fork Bens Creek. The poorest macro assemblages were found in the Stonycreek below the mouth of Paint Creek (no macros were present), in Shade Creek near Hillsboro, and at the mouth of the Stonycreek River. Fishes were sampled at 18 sites throughout the main stem Stonycreek River and in the major tributaries and a total of 6,184 fishes were collected with 30 species represented. The most common fish in the watershed appeared to be the Blacknose dace, a common minnow found throughout Pennsylvania’s streams. A total of 10 minnow species were collected and fewer species numbers of suckers, catfishes, trout, sculpins, sunfish, and perches were also found in the survey. The most fishes were caught in Bens Creek and the fewest number of fishes was collected in the Quemahoning Creek below Hoffman Run. Eight of the sites sampled in the reassessment were sampled previously by the PA Fish and Boat Commission, and seven of these sites showed an increase in the number of fishes present and the total number of species found at each site, which suggests that water quality in the watershed is improving to the point of supporting a greater diversity within the fish assemblages. Although a great deal of work has already been completed on the reassessment, much work remains with respect to data processing, analysis, and report writing. Amanda Deal, AmeriCorps member with the district, serves as the project manager.
A PowerPoint presentation has been created on the reassessment and has already been presented to a variety of organizations and is available for future presentations to any group or organization.
Kings Covered Bridge
The King’s Covered Bridge Rehabilitation continues to progress. Allegheny Restoration work crews continue to completely restore the historic structure. Gannet-Fleming, Simone Collins and PennDot continue to provide inspection and review of the project. The Southern Alleghenies Conservancy is providing financial administration and currently owns the bridge. The completion date for the rehabilitation work is November 30, 2007.
Fingerling Trout in Quemahoning Creek
The Somerset Conservation District assisted the Mountain Laurel Chapter of Trout Unlimited (MLTU) in stocking fingerling trout in Quemahoning Creek for the second year. MLTU purchases and transports the fingerlings to the stocking location in order to take further advantage of the improving water quality of the Quemahoning Creek watershed and establish a put–and-grow fishery. Last year's young fish were documented to have survived well. The planting of fingerlings supplements the annual stocking of 2,000 larger fish each spring through the cooperative efforts of the Jenner Community Sportsmen's Club's Cooperative Trout Nursery, Stonycreek-Conemaugh River Improvement Project MLTU and the District. This effort continues to increase the angling and recreational opportunities in the watershed. Quemahoning Reservoir Fish Habitat StructuresThe first ever in-lake, fish habitat structures ever placed in the Quemahoning Reservoir were built and installed on October 4. The project, sponsored by the Somerset Conservation District in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) Adopt-A Lake program and the Cambria-Somerset Authority, saw over 50 volunteers construct and place 10 black bass spawning structures constructed from green hemlock at predetermined locations in the reservoir. The structures will provide cover for largemouth and smallmouth bass to reproduce as well as protection for the young fry from predators. The project is a part of a three-year-long initiative to improve the recreational fishing in the Quemahoning Reservoir. The reservoir has historically been devoid of fish structure that is essential for fish to prosper and survive. The project will include the addition of 20 coarse brush structures, 20 rubble reefs, and the falling of 40 shoreline trees. Approximately 15 trees were felled in May as part of the project. The plan may be expanded to include additional structures because of the high level of interest and number of volunteers that the project has so far generated at the local level. Additional funding for the project is also being pursued by the District and by the PFBC's Bureau of Habitat Management Division. Boswell Passive Treatment System DedicatedOn September 25 the Boswell Passive Treatment System (BPTS) was formally dedicated. The event, sponsored and organized by the Somerset Conservation District, enabled the many partners that contributed to the project to be recognized for their efforts, funding and other contributions. The system is located along Black's Hill Road just outside of Boswell along Quemahoning Creek and is owned by the Somerset County Conservancy. The AMD abatement project prevents 80 tons of iron sediment a year from reaching Quemahoning Creek. The BPTS, in conjunction with the Jenners Passive Treatment AMD abatement system completed in 1997, as well as streambank improvement projects, agriculture Best Management Practices and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Projects (CREP) have all combined to improve the water quality of Quemahoning Creek to the point where a year-round fishery has been reestablished for the first time in 100 years. In addition, the project protects and improves the water quality and recreational potential of the Quemahoning Reservoir. District Manager Len Lichvar served as Master of Ceremonies for the event and guest speakers included Dr. Douglas Austen, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Jimmy Marker and Pamela Tokar-Ickes, County Commissioners, Fred Fox and Dave Hamilton of the federal Office of Surface Mining, J. Scott Horrell of the PA DEP, Jim Moses, President of the Somerset County Conservancy, Jim Henry, Jenner Township Supervisor, Branden Diehl, representing the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, Dave Mankamyer, Somerset Conservation District Board Member and Dave Steele, Coordinator for the Southern Alleghenies Resource Conservation and Development Council. Copies of a DVD movie and slide show of the entire event are available and can be obtained by contacting the District.Oven Run Site A RepairsThanks to a DCED grant and the assistance of State Senator Rich Kasunic, the needed repairs to the inlet structure and the replacement of limestone to the passive treatment pond were made possible. For a number of years, the inlet to the treatment system along Oven Run was constantly clogging and not allowing water to pass through the system because of leaves and debris that would clog the inlet pipe. With the help from the Senator’s office, the Conservation District applied for a DCED grant and was awarded a $19,800 grant to make the needed repairs to the system. Included in these repairs were upgrading the inlet structure to prevent leaves and debris from entering at the concrete intake along the stream and a new valve which was installed to allow for cleanout of the intake structure. Along with the intake improvements, new stone was added to the limestone pond which contributed needed alkalinity to the intake water to the treatment system. Stoy Excavating was the primary contractor which did the work on both the inlet structure and the stone replacement. They also turned some of the stone over which hadn’t reacted to the acidic water and placed it back into the limestone pond for further use in the treatment of the water. The Somerset Conservation District would like to thank all those involved with this project and their continued support for keeping the waters of Somerset County clean so that the benefits can be afforded to all those who use this valuable resource. No-Till and Cover Crop Field DayThe no-till and cover crop field day, held in Somerset County on October 3rd, was a rousing success. Dean and Jeff Hillegass were great hosts and very cooperative. We had a beautiful day and a good turn out. There were 34 attendees at the field day comprised of farmers, agency employees, and university educators. Of the total people at the field day, 20 were agricultural producers. We had RSVP’s from 42 producers, but the warm, sunny day kept some of the farmers in the field rather than attending the field day. The first presenter of the day was Doug Beegle, Penn State Agronomist. Doug spoke about nitrogen management and how a corn crop uses nitrogen. He talked about how cover crops can be used to maximize fall applied manure nitrogen and to minimize loss of nitrogen in the spring. This was a very good presentation and the farmers in attendance asked a lot of questions. The next presenter was Ben Logan, NRCS Soil Conservationist. He spoke about the benefits of no-till and no-till systems. Ben covered many aspects of no-till systems and suggested that farmers think about fertility, residue management, soil management, and variety selection when converting to no-till. After these two topics the group broke for lunch. After lunch Amanda Ritchey of the PA Ombudsman Program spoke about what she does and what her program has to offer farmers. Through the Ombudsman Program, Amanda acts as liaison between farmers and development. She assists farmers and homeowners in dealing with complaints. Amanda provided funding for lunch for the field day participants. Following Amanda, Jared Shippey of NRCS spoke about the test plots that were planted at the host farm. He went over each plot discussing the treatments that were used and estimated silage yield. Jared also presented the late season stalk nitrate test data that was collected from the plots and presented the dollars spent on nitrogen fertilizer for each plot treatment. Following Jared, Richard Hershberger, Bedford County Conservation District spoke about no-till planters. He went over the equipment rental program currently operating in Bedford County. He also had a no-till corn planter and a no-till drill on hand to discuss attachments. In addition, Richard talked about planter set-up in order to achieve maximum performance. After Richard, Don Williams, Somerset Conservation District gave an update on nutrient management regulations. He spoke briefly about the nutrient planning process and then elaborated on nutrient balance sheets. This is a hot topic in Somerset County because many producers are importing poultry litter from southeastern Pennsylvania. The last speaker of the day was Joel Elder, NRCS District Conservationist. He presented the financial assistance available in fiscal year 2008 for the conversion and implementation of no-till and cover crop systems. He had sign-up sheets available to anyone interested in applied for financial assistance through the EQIP program. The goals of the field day were to educate producers and advisors on the topics of nutrient management particularly with manure nitrogen availability and continuous no-till systems. There were many positive comments and questions from those in attendance. The evaluations were also very good with many responding that their knowledge of no-till systems and cover crops had increased dramatically as well as many people indicating they had intentions of planting more crops using no-till methods. Conservation is a Blast!The Somerset Conservation District held its second annual fund raising sporting clays shoot on October 14 at the Stonycreek Shooting Center near Berlin. Each of the 18 competitors competed for cash prizes and received and event T-shirt and lunch as part of their entry fee. The event was also made successful through the donations of the following sponsors. They included County Commissioner Jimmy Marker, Bob and Susie Bastian, Somerset County Conservancy, Stonycreek-Conemaugh River Improvement Project, Jenner Rod and Gun Club, Boswell Area Jaycees, Mountain Laurel Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Somerset County Sportsmen's' League, Somerset Daily American, the Staudt Family, Ole Man Winter Leather Shop, North Star Equipment, Ickes Insurance Agency, Carl Ogline All State Insurance, Dunmeyer Transport, Marlin Sherbine and Dave Mankamyer. All proceeds go toward the local resource conservation projects of the District. Bioenergy and Poplar Tree InitiativeThe District continues to look to the future through its bioenergy and poplar tree initiatives. The District's Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) funded Nutrient Trading grant is being utilized to create several demonstration sites that will use manure as a soil amendment for poplar trees that can eventually be harvested to create a source of renewable energy. The District has entered into a contractual arrangement with LandStudies. Bill Achor is leading the project for Landstudies that will attempt to identify credit valuations, create protocols for manure application, assist in aggregating nutrient credits from manure transport and coordination with the PA DEP to utilize the propagation of trees as potential reforestation on bonded mine land reclamation project locations. The District has also created a broader bioenergy plan for the creation of cellulosic energy and has presented the proposal for consideration by the state thorough its newly established Energy Independence Funding program. West Nile VirusThis summer in Somerset County the West Nile Virus season has been unnaturally mild due to drought conditions and insufficient areas for breeding. The Somerset County West Nile Virus staff has performed 4 ULV treatments this summer with the County’s new Cougar truck-mounted pesticide unit. Though this West Nile season has exhibited low numbers of mosquito’s, the excessive rain that the County has received is steadily increasing the numbers and breeding areas. The West Nile mosquito season should officially end in the middle of October. Until then the County West Nile Virus staff will continue trapping, treating and collecting dead birds to ensure the safety of the people of Somerset County against mosquito borne diseases. Gypsy Moth Workshop HeldGypsy moths are once again invading the forests of Somerset County. In order to provide residents and land owners with knowledge to combat these forest pests, an educational workshop was held on September 19 at the Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative, sponsored by the Somerset Conservation District and the Penn State Cooperative Extension Service. Twenty people attended the workshop. Presenters at the event included Greg Hoover, Penn State Senior Extension Associate, who spoke about the life history, management and control of gypsy moths, Amanda Deal, AmeriCorps member with the Somerset Conservation District, who highlighted local gypsy moth issues and Miguel Saviroff, Penn State Extension Agent, who discussed the economic impacts of gypsy moth infestations. An aerial application panel featured two companies, Helicopter Applicators and Vrbanic Aero Service Co., available to hire for gypsy moth suppression, and Appalachian Forestry Consultant, Larry Powell. After lunch, participants took a field trip where they identified gypsy moth egg masses, gypsy moth damage, natural population controls, and learned how to determine if an area has a significant gypsy moth problem. The gypsy moth was accidentally introduced into Massachusetts in 1869 and was discovered in Pennsylvania in 1932. In Pennsylvania, gypsy moths have one generation per year. Egg masses are light tan in color and are laid on trees, branches, houses, stones and other substrates in late summer. The eggs hatch from late April through May. Caterpillars have five double rows of dark blue spots, followed by six double rows of dark red spots on their backs. They also have a thin yellow stripe along the length of their back. Young caterpillars prefer to feed on deciduous leaves and remain on their host plants day and night. Older caterpillars feed only at night and are able to eat both deciduous and coniferous species. Adults begin to emerge in June and July and do not eat for the rest of their lives, which is typically about one week. Adult males have feathery antennae and brown wings, while adult females have thread-like antennae and cream colored wings. Gypsy moths prefer oak, aspen, basswood, birch, blue spruce, larch, and willow, but will also eat many other tree species, causing large areas of defoliation and forest mortality. Gypsy moth populations typically follow a cyclical pattern with a few years of low numbers followed by a population explosion. In Pennsylvania, gypsy moth population numbers had been declining sharply until 2006, when over 700,000 acres of forest were defoliated by gypsy moths and the problem is expected to intensify in the next year. In most cases, gypsy moths are indirectly responsible for tree mortality by creating stress on host trees, making them susceptible to secondary pests. No county suppression program is currently available, but the workshop was offered to help citizens combat gypsy moth infestations through education and citizen action. For more information about the workshop or gypsy moth concerns, contact Amanda Deal with the Somerset Conservation District at 445-4652 ext. 121.Assistant District Manager RecognizedRecently the Northeast Association of Conservation District Employees (NACDE) announced that Susan Moon was selected by her peers to receive the 2007 Employee Choice Award for “Conservation District Employee Local”. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to local District programs and the distribution of the NACDE newsletter over the past several years. Susan was presented with a desk clock as a token of NACDE’s gratitude.Penn State Business Planning WorkshopThis six week program (Jan 23-March 5) will enable a producer to develop a strategic business plan that will create long term sustainability through improved profitability. The program will be offered via videoconference at the Somerset County Extension Office. For more information contact Brad Hilty, coordinator, at 888-373-7232. Attention Agriculture Producers!Now is the time to sign up for the 2008 Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). EQIP offers incentive payments to implement best management practices around the farm that improve water quality. Conservation practices with an emphasis on transition to no-till, cover cropping, nutrient management, pest management, and conservation buffers are a few improvements which EQIP can help install on your farm. Stop in the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service office by the monthly deadlines of October 31, 2007, November 30, 2007, and January 31, 2008 or call 814-445-6876 ext. 3 for more information. Upcoming EventsFinance 101 for New & Beginning Dairy Producers Wednesday, December 5, 2007, 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. via videoconference at Somerset County Cooperative Extension Office. To register contact Penn State Extension at 814-445-8911 ext. # 7 Tri-State Tillage Conference Tuesday, January 22, 2008, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., held in West Middlesex PA, pre-registration $25, includes lunch, handouts; $30, day of event. For more information contact Ed Petrus at 724-662-3740 ext # 101 Keystone Cold Water Conference February 22-23, 2008 at the Penn Stater Conference Center in State College Southern Alleghenies RC&D Meeting January 25, 2008, at the Arena in Bedford PA
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