PPL Montour Preserve
Located in Danville, PA near Washingtonville, PA
Owned by PPL which leases some of the surrounding land to farmers Offers many recreational activities such as hiking, birding, fishing, boating, nature observation, and photography
Specified hunting areas are nearby
Environmental Education center programs
Maple sugaring, and many others
Summary of 305 B Stream Listings as “Not Attaining,”and Prioritization of ofsub watersheds within the Chillisquaque/ Limestone Watershed
Rank Sub Watersheds Total Miles Not % Not Impairments* Stream Ataining Ataining Miles 1 Mud Crek 46.06 45.38 98.5 Agricultre /Organic Enrichment, Low D.O, Agricultre /Siltaion 2 CountylineBranch 23.1 23.21 9.6 Agricultre /Siltaion 3 Beaver Run 16.85 16.85 10 Agricultre /Siltaion, Agricultre /Organic –North Enrichment, Low D.O 4 McKe Run 5.84 5.84 100 Agriculture / Siltaion, Removal ofVegtaion 5 West Branch Chil. 23.52 17.36 73.8 Agricultre /Siltaion 6 Midle Branch Chil 14.35 12.86 89.6 Agricultre /Siltaion, Hydromodifcation/ Flow Alterations, Other Habita Alterations 7 Whitehal Crek 5.43 5.43 10 Agricultre /Siltaion 8 East Branch Chil. 18.38 18.38 10 Agricultre /Siltaion 9 Beaver Run 24.6 12.16 49.4 Agricultre /Siltaion –South 10 Chilsquaque Creek 24 38.7 61.2 Agricultre /Siltaion, Organic Enrichment, 63. Low D.O, Surface Ming Siltaion, Industrial Point Source, Habita Alteration * Limestone Run 18.98 18.98 10 Agricultre /Siltaion Total in 260.5 215.15 82.6 *Noted impairments arelisted from most Entire oleast frequent from PA Watershed DEP'sEmapweb site. Chillisquaque/Limestone Watershed Association (CLWA), Northumberland CCD, and Bucknell Study 2003 2004
Baseline data were collected
Biological
Fish
Macroinvertebrates
Chemical
nutrients nitrate and phosphate
DO (dissolved oxygen) □alkalinity
pH □turbidity □temperature
Physical
Habitat assessment
Exchange Rt.44, Middle Branch, Downstream (Bucknell watershed study) Bucknell Watershed study conclusions 2003 2004
Overall water quality for the Chillisquaque watershed were mostly in the acceptable range.
The Middle Branch and Mud Creek had elevated levels of Nitrates and Phosphates, indicating Agriculture and/or Sewage.
Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC)
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) on 128 acres (2004 2006)
20 species of trees and shrubs planted (native species used, matched to nutrient and water suitability)
SRHCES will monitor changes in water quality and sediment load over the years as the riparian buffer matures
Charlie Schwarz, NPC staff SRHCES members review riparian site January 2005 Summary 2005 SRHCES project
I. What was accomplished?
II. Where was the work done?
III. Who did all of the work?
IV. Erosion Tables
V. Map of Site
VI. Planting of experimental Riparian Buffers
VII. Continued monitoring
I. Summary What was accomplished?
Physical assessment of stream banks focusing on erosion potential
Erosion Potential is based on analysis of four variables: bank height, bank angle, density of roots, and particle size.
The four variables are classified as High, Moderate, or Low
Point count surveys of birds during the summer were performed every ~2 weeks Bank Erosion Potential Assessment
II. Summary Where was the work done?
Stream assessments on Chillisquaque Creek:
Middle Branch from Lake Chillisquaque to Rt. 45
East Branch from Rt. 44 to confluence with Middle Creek
Point count surveys of birds
Surveys were done near the creek at the same locations used for water sampling.
III. Summary Who did all of the work?
6 students from four colleges/universities
Lycoming College
Bucknell University
Susquehanna University
Bloomsburg University
All Institutions are members of SRHCES.
IV. Erosion Tables
Middle Branch Structure Amount Percentage Bridges 7 5.70% Gravel bars 14 11.50% Pipes 2 1.60% Rip Rap 3 2.50% Tributaries 0 0.0% Total Erosion Sites 96 78.70% Right Banks 45 36.90% Left Banks 51 41.80% East Branch Structure Amount Percentage Bridges 7 4.30% Gravel bars 23 14.30% Pipes 3 1.90% Rip Rap 5 3.10% Tributaries 1 0.60% Total Erosion Sites 122 75.80% Right Banks 58 36.00% Left Banks 64 39.80%
Middle Branch Chillisquaque Creek
Table 2. Summary of Bank Erosion Potential based on Length of Site of Left and RightBank Height along the Middle Branch of Chillisquaque Creek
Right Banks Length in feet 0 50 51 100 101 250 251 500 501 1000+ Low Bank Height 8 9 5 3 2 Moderate Bank Height 3 7 5 1 0 High Bank Height 1 0 0 1 0 Total 12 16 10 5 2 Percent out of 45 0.267 0.356 0.222 0.111 0.044 Left Banks Length in feet 0 50 51 100 101 250 251 500 501 1000+ Low Bank Height 14 8 7 2 2 Moderate Bank Height 2 4 8 0 0 High Bank Height 1 3 0 0 0 Total 17 15 15 2 2 Percent out of 51 33.30% 29.40% 29.40% 3.90% 3.90% East Branch Chillisquaque Creek
Table 3. Summary of Bank Erosion Potential based on Length of Site of Left and RightBank Height along the East Branch of Chillisquaque Creek
Right Banks Length in feet 0 50 51 100 101 250 251 500 501 1000+ Low Bank Height 32 10 8 0 0 Moderate Bank Height 2 2 2 0 0 High Bank Height 0 1 1 0 0 Total 34 13 11 0 0 Percent out of 58 58.60% 22.40% 19.00% 0.00% 0.00% Left Banks Length in feet 0 50 51 100 101 250 251 500 501 1000+ Low Bank Height 26 19 10 1 0 Moderate Bank Height 2 3 2 1 0 High Bank Height 0 0 0 0 0 Total 28 22 12 2 0 Percent out of 64 43.80% 34.40% 18.80% 3.10% 0.00% Erosion and other Disturbances V. Map of SRHCES Site-riparian study area (~4 acres) Tubedand untubedtrees and shrubs planted Fall 2005 VII. Continued Monitoring Birds
Of the 230 potential species of birds in the Preserve 33 were found during point-count surveys (Summer 2005)
Buffer planting completed (SRHCES project) Fall 2005-Tree dedication (Sassafras)