2020 Annual Report A YEAR IN REV IEW Challenging Times, Changing Solutions A | CITIZEN SCIENCE In support of her master’s thesis at West Chester University, Patty Haug, who is also a Penn State Master Watershed Steward, is collaborating with the Stroud Center’s citizen science team in using EnviroDIY™ Monitoring Stations to investigate impacts of road salts and de-icers on streams draining the Borough of West Chester, Pa. B | THE WATER’S EDGE GLANCE Jill Tidman, executive director of the Redford Center, received the Stroud Award for Freshwater A Excellence on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 during a virtual celebration. Co-founded in 2005 by Robert Redford and his son, James Redford, the Redford Center uses the power of film AT and media to engage people through inspiring stories leading to environmental action. 2020 A. C | RESTORATION The Pa. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources recognized David Wise as a Good Natured Pennsylvanian. As watershed restoration manager, Wise sets up programs with incentives for landowners to restore streamside forests. D | SCIENTIST HONORED J. Denis Newbold, Ph.D., research scientist emeritus, was honored with the 2020 Society of Freshwater Science Award of Excellence (SFS). The award is given to a single recipient for outstanding contributions to B. C. D. freshwater science. SFS noted that Newbold’s research on nutrient spiraling “has influenced an entire generation of stream scientists,” and that his metrics in the area of stream biogeochemistry“ are now considered fundamental measures of ecosystem function.” E | EDUCATION Stroud Center educators pose proudly with their fleet of canoes, which expanded on-the-water education programming in 2020 thanks to generous support from the McLean Contributionship, the Rotary Club of Longwood, the Redwoods Group Foundation, and an anonymous individual donor. E. Front cover photo: Penn Manor School District MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Photo: Yeda Arscott The year 2020 was like no other. As a population, we have experienced significant loss of lives and jobs caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Across the globe, we are in the midst of an international human rights “ We have learned movement against discrimination, violence, and injustices toward people of color, people with disabilities, through the lens ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ+ community, and women. And as scientists, we have experienced an assault on the integrity and value of science that has been amplified by negative rhetoric on vaccine efficacy and of our science that safety and the causes of climate change and its proposed solutions. Through it all, and with your support, natural systems are Stroud™ Water Research Center has remained strong in our resolve to adapt and pursue our mission. resilient and can The Stroud Center has changed so much over one year. We have adapted our in-person operations recover from the to COVID-19 safety protocols to help protect our staff and the public. We have learned to work from home when we can. We have adopted virtual technologies to maintain our communications and team damages we have environment. We are working diligently to enhance the diversity of our staff and board, to ensure made when we work equitability and access to our education programs, to maintain our scientific excellence and ensure the integrity and continuity of our research efforts, and to provide a welcoming and engaging environment in concert with for all. ecosystem processes In this year’s annual report, we highlight our portfolio of long-term research on the ecology and restoration and recognize the of our freshwater landscapes and our successes adapting to virtual education programs that improved time required equitable access. We have learned through the lens of our science that natural systems are resilient and can recover from the damages we have made when we work in concert with ecosystem processes and recognize for healing.” the time required for healing. Here we emphasize the patience and perseverance that science demands and the consideration of changing our solutions to achieve restoration success. The pandemic has had an immense impact on our children, our teachers, and our learning environments. Here we share our success in creating engaging virtual programs that have improved access for all, and we recognize that providing what you equitable and inclusive access to learning must be a priority as we slowly return to in-person learning. can do We cannot be successful in our mission without your support. We are so thankful to our wonderful community of supporters that have helped us navigate these incredibly challenging times and changing Implement ways to reduce solutions! We are indebted to you all. your carbon footprint and reduce water use. Visit stroudcenter.org/mec for more information. Executive Director, President, and Research Scientist ANNUAL REPORT 2020 | STROUD WATER RESEARCH CENTER 1 RESEARCH “ The research takes a long time as it is both time- and labor-intensive, but it’s worth the effort. … This is a win for the farmer and a win for fresh water.” — MELINDA DANIELS, Ph.D., ASSOCIATE RESEARCH SCIENTIST, STROUD WATER RESEARCH CENTER Saving Streams With Good Science By James G. Blaine, Ph.D. 2020 was a year when science was disparaged at the highest levels of government and then vindicated by the unprecedented development of several COVID-19 vaccines. It was a year when laboratories closed for quarantine, and streams and watersheds provided safe and productive workplaces. It was a year that exposed public misconceptions about scientific research and emphasized the need to rebuild trust in the scientific process. At Stroud™ Water Research Center, that starts with communicating our research to non-scientists, clarifying the need for a realistic timeline, and describing the patience and the persistence required to gather the long-term data necessary to ensure clean fresh water. To that end, we share snapshots of three long-term experiments, three scientists, and their roles in our ongoing research. PROJECT Funding: Long-Term Research in National Science Foundation Environmental Biology: Dates: 1998–present Trajectory for the Recovery of Team: Almost all Stroud Center Stream Ecosystem Structure and scientists have worked on Function During Reforestation this 22-year project. Testing Methods to Improve Stream Health by Growing a Forest Because the Stroud Center has built an enduring body of research that identifies watershed restoration as the most effective path to John Jackson, Ph.D., stream recovery, it’s tempting to dismiss the persistence of large- Senior Research scale channel engineering projects as a relic of the past. On the Scientist, Entomology Group contrary, says entomologist John Jackson, “they’re alive and well and looking to get bigger.” Left, from left: Laura Zgleszewski, Jinjun Kan, Marc Peipoch (standing), and Jennifer Matkov collect simulated rainfall from soil in a cornfield in the White Clay Creek watershed while making it rain from above with a precisely tuned shower sprayer on a tripod. Above, from left: Sherman Roberts, Jennifer Matkov, Laura Zgleszewski, and Mike Broomall survey the fish community in White Clay Creek in February 2020. Conducted seasonally, these surveys track the populations of over 20 fish species in White Clay Creek and allow scientists to evaluate how well reforestation along the stream has helped restore the fish community in this High Quality, Exceptional Value stream. ANNUAL REPORT 2020 | STROUD WATER RESEARCH CENTER 3 The problem is that they don’t address the true cause of degradation. “The primary pollution sources are not in the stream channel,” says Jackson. “They’re in the watershed,” where poor land management allows topsoil, pesticides, and other pollutants to run off the landscape and into the stream and impair its ecological health. “Our approach is to work with landowners to improve their management practices, and then let nature heal itself.” This is not a quick fix. It takes time to plant trees and let them grow, time to restore the soil’s health, time to install agricultural practices that keep manure, stormwater, and sediment out of streams, time to do the long-term research. “Those things often take years,” says Jackson. “But we’re dealing with centuries of abuse.” The result of improved land management is cleaner water and more productive land. “By keeping the water where it falls, you keep the sediment where it needs to be.” WHAT WE LEARNED The ultimate outcome is both more effective and more economical. “Cutting down trees to re-engineer a stream’s channel does not improve water quality,” Jackson says. “It does not restore aquatic diversity. It does not improve stream function. It does not save money. We believe watershed restoration is a better investment than channel engineering, and we have measured the positive outcomes.” PROJECT Evaluating How Conventional, Conservation, and Organic Farming Practices Enhance Soil Health and Improve Water Quality Funding: William Penn Foundation Dates: 2018–present Team: Jinjun Kan, Melinda Daniels, Diana Oviedo-Vargas, Marc Peipoch, Dave Arscott, Matt Ehrhart, Bern Sweeney, and collaborators from Rodale Institute The Rainmakers: How to Fake a Downpour Melinda Daniels is, literally, a rainmaker. The Stroud Center’s fluvial geomorphologist adapted a design from a U.S. Department of Agriculture circular to create a rainfall simulator. “It’s like a showerhead built on a tripod,” she says. Water runs up from a tub through a hose and then Melinda Daniels, Ph.D., sprinkles onto the ground like rainfall. When the ground below is saturated, the water begins to Associate Research Scientist, Fluvial run downhill, where samples are captured and taken to the lab for analysis. Geomorphology Group With Americans increasingly demanding healthier food and less agricultural pollution, regulators, farmers, and consumers need robust scientific evidence on the impact of conservation practices on both the environment and food production. That requires field-scale experiments to measure actual runoff amounts and their nutrient, pesticide, and sediment loads.