Department of Environmental Protection staff Thursday demonstrated the sampling methodologies used in the ongoing study of the Susquehanna River.

This is the third year of the study in which DEP staff are collecting and analyzing data about the river to understand what's impacting the smallmouth bass population in portions of the river.

Photo: DEP Secretary Chris Abruzzo (left) talks with staff biologist Josh Lookenbill about the study.

DEP staff test for more than 200 different compounds that include PCBs, hormones, wastewater compounds, pesticides and emerging contaminants. 

Many of the emerging contaminants being examined are so new that laboratory tests have only recently been developed to test for them in water and sediment.  In addition, staff deploy continuous in-stream data monitors and sample benthic macro-invertebrates, fish, mollusks and algae.

Major sampling sites included the Susquehanna at Marietta, Harrisburg and Sunbury, and the Juniata at Lewistown Narrows and Newport. There were control sites on the Delaware at Trenton, the Allegheny at Franklin and the Youghiogheny at Sutersville to establish a baseline for water quality.

Samples collected during the summer's aggressive sampling effort will be examined during the fall and winter months. Results will be published in spring 2015.

After nearly three years of study, the samples collected by DEP staff have not revealed a single definitive cause for the issues affecting the smallmouth bass population making it unlikely that there is any one cause or contaminate behind the abnormalities observed in recent years.

DEP regularly posts updates about the study on the Susquehanna River Study Updates webpage.   In addition, a video about the study is available on DEP's YouTube channel.

(Reprinted from the September 4 edition of DEP News.  Click Here to sign up to receive your own copy of DEP News and view back issues.)

9/8/2014