04/15/24 - 66 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/msuwtctm
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Wissahickon Watershed Plymouth Dam Removal Begins June 27
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Beginning on Monday, June 27, The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association is overseeing the removal of a decaying dam located in the Wissahickon Creek near Plymouth Road in Gwynedd Valley, Montgomery County.
The dam has undergone serious degradation over the year, and its removal will not only remove a potential public hazard but will also enhance the stream ecosystem. The National Resources Conservation Service has awarded a federal grant to fund this important project.
WVWA received this non-functional dam as part of a land donation from the Ingersoll family in 1978. The parcel also includes Ingersoll Crossing, the original stepping stones which were the prototype for WVWA’s five new stepping stone crossings across the Wissahickon Creek.
As part of the dam removal project, WVWA must remove Ingersoll Crossing. If these stones are not removed they will become a new dam due to the drop in the elevation of the water level.
Unfortunately, WVWA does not have a timetable for the installation of the replacement stones, although funding has been secured thanks to the generosity of several donors. WVWA apologizes for the interruption of trail use while the Ingersoll Crossing is being replaced.
Bob Adams, WVWA Director of Stewardship, explains, “This project has numerous benefits for the health of the Wissahickon Creek. It removes an old dam with its potential hazards while improving the aquatic life and stream health. Water increases in temperature when pooled behind a dam. Higher temperatures decrease oxygen in the water that fish and other animals in the stream require. Other problems from dams include trapped sediment, overabundance of algae, and blocked movement of aquatic organisms. WVWA expects an explosion of stream life diversity once this dam is removed.”
Please keep checking the WVWA website for updates and photos for this project.
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6/27/2011 |
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