By Amy Wolfe, Trout Unlimited

Many, many thanks to each and every person who assisted with the coordination and construction of the brook trout habitat enhancement project on Cross Fork Creek in Potter County.

Sixteen log vanes and two modified bank cribbing structures, which are similar to mud sills, were installed at five project sites on Cross Fork between the confluences of Yochum Run and Windfall Run.

Additionally, a 130 foot mud sill with a 30 foot wing logs and multi-log vane deflectors was installed on kettle Creek in Clinto County near the village of Cross Fork as a separate project sponsored by the Kettle Creek Watershed Association and the Kettle Creek TU Chapter.

With the oversight and guidance of Dave Keller from Fish and Boat Commission and equipment operation by his staff, labor assistance was provided by the Quehanna Prison Boot Camp, Potter County trailblazers, Clinton County Conservation District and more than 20 volunteers representing the following organizations: Kettle Creek Watershed Association, Kettle Creek TU Chapter, Allegheny Mountain TU Chapter, Blair County TU Chapter, James Zwald TU Chapter, Gods Country TU Chapter, and the PA Senior Environment Corps.

While installation of the mud sill at the Bear Trap Lodge took place last fall between September 11-21, the majority of work at the rest of the project sites was completed this past summer between July 5-11, with a couple extra days in mid-September to finish the installation of log vanes at the most upstream project site on Cross Fork.

Other than excavation of trenches to construct the mud sills and modified bank cribbing, most of the excavation and installation of the habitat structures was accomplished through good old-fashioned sweat labor.

Although the sunny weather and low flows this summer provided optimal conditions for this type of work, this project would not have been such as success without the volunteers.

The cost for all materials, i.e. logs, stone, rebar, used in the Cross Fork brook trout habitat enhancement project was covered by a $20,000 grant to Trout Unlimited from the FishAmerica Foundation ($12,000) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ($8,000) as part of the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture. It is noteworthy to mention that this grant award was the first such grant given to a project in Pennsylvania through the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture.

Additional material costs of $2,483 for the Kettle Creek project site were covered by the Kettle Creek Watershed Association.

The Kettle Creek Watershed Association and Trout Unlimited look forward to assisting the Fish and Boat Commission with future fish surveys sot that we may continue to report back to everyone with the results of how these projects have benefited resident trout populations—so stay tuned.

(Reprinted from the January 2008 Kettle Creek Watershed Association News)

1/18/2008