While most people were concerned about what impact tropical storm Ernesto would have on Penn State’s first home game, one group worried about the impacts the storm would have on the local streams.

The Spring Creek Watershed Community Group, equipped with automated samplers and water level recorders, took water samples every two hours beginning Friday, September 1 at noon until mid-day Sunday, September 3. The suite of samples covered stream conditions before Ernesto began dumping rain on the area, during the storm’s height, and after conditions improved.

“The Water Resources Monitoring Project initiated storm-water monitoring in 2005. We realized the importance of measuring the local effects of storms, specifically on the urban influenced Thompson Run and Slab Cabin Run which flow into Spring Creek a renowned trout fishery,” said project manager Becky Dunlap.

The Water Resources Monitoring Project partnered with Trout Unlimited to install storm-water sampling equipment above and below the Millbrook Marsh to collect data before a consortium of partners construct in-stream structures that will cause storm water to slow down and flood the wetlands adjacent to the stream channel. As the water infiltrates the wetland, pollutants are removed naturally by the plants and soils.

“We are trying to determine what and how much potentially damaging material is entering the streams as a result of runoff,” remarked Dunlap. “We have been collecting data for more than a year and results conclusively show that higher concentrations of pollutants are found in storm water than are found during normal conditions.”

The forecasted use of this type of data is predicted to be high since Department of Environmental Protection released the Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Reduction Strategy in 2002. The state’s goal is to reduce all nutrient and sediment impairments to the Bay by 2010.

“Our data will help to determine the quantity of pollutants being delivered to the Bay from the Spring Creek Watershed.” Dunlap continued that “our project is very unique. We operate almost entirely with pledges from local municipalities, authorities, and organizations. Our storm water efforts are funded through grants but the remainder of our activities which include the continuous collection of water quality and quantity data and outreach are supported by pledges. This speaks volumes about the commitment our local governments and organizations to ensure clean and healthy water in the Spring Creek Watershed.”

To find out more about the WRMP visit the Spring Creek Watershed Community website or contact Becky Dunlap at 814-237-0400.

(Courtesy Watershed Weekly from the PA Organization for Watersheds & Rivers)

9/8/2006