River Conservation Plan the Middle Youghiogheny River Corridor
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RIVER CONSERVATION PLAN THE MIDDLE YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER CORRIDOR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This River Conservation Plan has been prepared by Paul C. Rizzo Associates under contract to the Chestnut Ridge Chapter of Trout Unlimited (CRTU). Preparation of the Plan has been funded by a River Conservation Planning Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The formulation of the Plan has been directed by the CRTU Plan Steering Committee taking into account the data, thoughts, and ideas offered by the local municipalities and governmental agencies and citizens residing in the Corridor. The overall response to this planning effort has been excellent as all of the concerned and affected parties have a dedicated, sincere interest in protecting, promoting and improving the resources of the Corridor. The Somerset County Conservancy was responsible for securing the funding through the DCNR River Conservation Program. A portion of the funds granted to the Somerset County Conservancy was provided to the CRTU to facilitate preparing the Middle Youghiogheny River Corridor River Conservation Plan. The Somerset County Conservancy is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the natural resources in Somerset County and the surrounding region. The Southern Alleghenies Conservancy is acting as the Grant Administrator for this project. The Middle Youghiogheny River, often referred to as the “Yough”, is a valuable environmental and economic national resource. The Yough is a high gradient river that flows from the Appalachian Mountains into southwestern Pennsylvania, eventually feeding into the Monongahela River at McKeesport, PA. The Yough lacks significant natural buffering capacity against the influence of acid mine drainage and other more common sources of pollution. It is a fragile national resource deserving exceptional monitoring, remediation and conservation planning. r1-es-1978/00 ES-1 The Pennsylvania Rivers Conservation Program has been developed to conserve and enhance river resources through preparation and accomplishment of locally initiated plans. The Program provides technical and financial assistance to municipalities and river support groups to carry out planning, implementation, and acquisition and development activities. The focus for Paul C. Rizzo Associates and the CRTU is to provide a River Conservation Plan for the Middle Youghiogheny River Corridor that: • Identifies significant natural, recreational and cultural resources; • Identifies issues, concerns, constraints and opportunities; and • Presents a Plan of activities that should be undertaken to improve and conserve the Corridor’s resources. A River Registry by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been established to recognize efforts of local river conservation groups. The River Registry serves to promote river conservation and recognize rivers or river segments in communities who have completed river conservation plans. The Registry is also an avenue to endorse local initiatives by binding them together in a statewide recognition program. Registry status must be achieved to qualify for implementation, development or acquisition grants. CORRIDOR CHARACTERISTICS The study area is defined as a river corridor along the Yough's main stem from the Pennsylvania/Maryland state line, downstream to a dam at South Connellsville, PA, including several major tributaries. The Corridor extends outward approximately one mile perpendicular to the river channel, unless the community and steering committee indicated that areas of interest beyond the above Corridor should be included. The Corridor is noted for its many scenic vantage points and its sharp river valley. The aesthetic value of the Corridor is matched only by the usefulness of the land and water resources contained within. The majority of the land within the Corridor is undisturbed and undeveloped with steep valleys vegetated with deciduous forests. The steep slopes of deciduous forests are interspersed with hemlock, white pine, fern, and dense patches of rhododendron. r1-es-1978/00 ES-2 The Middle Youghiogheny River flows in a northwestward fashion, winding for 39 miles through Somerset and Fayette Counties. The riverbed is made up of gravel, sand, and slab rock with boulders protruding above the surface. Granite and sandstone boulders afford numerous hard-based usage points along the River as well as a protective base and enclosures for small sandy beaches. The flow of the Yough is regulated initially by the Deep Creek Reservoir in western Maryland and by the Youghiogheny River Lake Dam located approximately one mile upstream from Confluence, PA. Upon entering Confluence, the Yough begins a rapid descent from the Laurel Mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania, allowing for exceptional whitewater rafting and a micro tourist economy. Ohiopyle State Park, with its miles of high quality rapids, is one of the most visited State Parks in Pennsylvania. The river loses its “wildness” near South Connellsville, PA and takes on more relaxed meandering characteristics. LAND RESOURCES Land use along the River is one of the major considerations of this Plan. Land use impacts the quality and quantity of water in the River, the economic opportunities that exist within the Study Corridor, and the quality of life for study Corridor’s residents. The extensive forestland in the Corridor (75 percent to 80 percent of the surface) is the setting for many different wildlife habitats and serves as a natural barrier/filter against pollution associated with excess run-off. The vegetation roots tend to anchor the loose valley soils, but the steep sided valleys that are not stabilized, such as dirt paths and roads, parking lots, river access points, etc. are susceptible to erosion and resultant pollution. WATER RESOURCES Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) associated with historical coal mining in the Corridor has resulted in the Yough becoming one of the most polluted waterways in the country. In recent times, however, remediation efforts on the part of federal, state, and local governments as well as public and private watershed groups and other organizations like CRTU have improved the water r1-es-1978/00 ES-3 quality throughout the basin to the point that in some areas, the water quality can be considered adequate. Concerted efforts need to address the remaining AMD sources plus other source such as timbering operation and new construction. Although the largest impact on the water quality of the Corridor remains AMD, the River also continues to receive pollution from various other sources, including untreated sewage discharges, sediment runoff and uncontrolled storm water runoff. The cumulative effect of these sources to the River is unclear because there is a lack of a sustained, scientific, and comprehensive water quality monitoring program within the Corridor. This lack of data severely inhibits the complete understanding of the water quality problems and their solution. The most prominent man-made feature in the Corridor is the Youghiogheny River Lake, a federal flood control project authorized under the Flood Control Act of June 28, 1938 (P.L. 75- 761). It was constructed for the authorized purposes of flood stage reduction in the Yough and the lower Monongahela River plus low flow augmentation to improve water quality. Recreation was authorized in accordance with the 1988 Water Resources Development Act, and includes both Lake and River activities. Hydroelectric power facilities were completed in 1989 under a license granted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES The biological resources of the Corridor are viewed as a national asset in need of conservation and protection. The Yough and the Lake are home to numerous game and non-game species, including excellent wilderness trout fishing. Fingerling trout are stocked throughout the entire section of the River in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Other species, such as smallmouth bass, river chubb, mottled sculpin, walleye, and muskee are found in these two bodies of water. The Youghiogheny River Lake is populated by a large quantity of game and panfish and is especially known as a hotspot for walleye and smallmouth bass. The tailwaters at the Dam and Powerhouse are popular with trout fisherman in the region. The outfall at the Powerhouse is one of the few areas in Pennsylvania open for trout fishing year round and it is stocked by the Fish Commission on a regular basis throughout the spring and summer. r1-es-1978/00 ES-4 Chestnut and Laurel Ridges together with the Youghiogheny River Corridor are important bird migratory and breeding areas. They are a critical link between Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Plateau and similar landforms stretching from upstate New York to Alabama. If this Corridor is degraded, populations of at least 15 bird species will be at risk. RECREATIONAL RESOURCES Natural areas and recreational opportunities surround the Middle Youghiogheny River Corridor. A few of the recreational opportunities in the Corridor include fishing, canoeing, rafting, kayaking, camping, hunting, swimming, picnicking, bird watching and sightseeing. In addition, the adjacent Youghiogheny River Trail offers opportunities for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. An 18 mile reach of the Yough is located within Ohiopyle State Park, a major natural and recreation area in Fayette and Somerset Counties. Because the Park has protected the natural setting of much of this portion of the River, this area is generally undeveloped.