Countryside Conservancy DCNR Grant,
Keystone College,
Willary Water Resource Center
The following projects were sub-contracted to Keystone College. Keystone
utilized the following professionals in collecting the data represented in this
report. Art Madden developed the macroinvertebrate part of the project. Dr. Jerry
Skinner completed the water chemistry and the herpetological portion. Tim
Eichner completed
the riparian and the USDA – NRCS Stream Visual Assessment protocol. All of this
data was collected within the Ackerly Creek sub-watershed of the Tunkhannock
Creek Watershed. Keystone’s Willary Water Resource Center provided support for
these projects, chemicals, and equipment for testing. The Willary Water Resource Center also developed and is housing the web-based information
relative to these projects. Howard Jennings, WDC’s academic coordinator, served
as project director. Countryside Conservancy's
complete report, in PDF format, can be viewed by following this link.
Scope of
Projects
Nine sites previously
studied by the DEP were utilized in this macroinvertebrate/water chemistry
study.
See map.
Image Size: 25 KB
Art Madden prepared a biological assessment of the health of Ackerly
Creek based on Hilsenhoff 0 to 10 pollution tolerance scale scoring system,
which uses insects and other macroinvertebrates as an assessment tool; gained a
basic understanding of the relative numbers of various macroinvertebrate taxa
present in Ackerly Creek, as well as their relationship to one another
(primarily on a trophic level); and prepared a taxonomic survey of
macroinvertebrate organisms (primarily aquatic insects) present in Ackerly Creek
using photographs and life strategy descriptions. A preserved reference
collection was created.
Art Madden also developed a
PowerPoint on the
biological assessment of Ackerly Creek and an
Ackerly Creek
macroinvertebrate identification key.
The
final written document for this study can be
viewed by clicking here.
Dr. Jerry Skinner conducted an examination of Water Chemistry at each of the nine locations and the
following parameters were measured at various locations. The collections were
taken from May 2000 through August 2001.
·
Alkalinity (mg/L)
as calcium carbonate
·
Chromium VI
·
Conductivity
·
D.O. (mg/L)
·
Hardness
·
Iron
·
Nitrogen:
Nitrate (mg/L)
·
Nitrogen:
Nitrite (mg/L)
·
Nitrogen: Ammonia (mg/L)
·
pH
·
Phosphorus-Soluble
·
Salinity (ppm)
·
Temperature
(degrees Celsius)
·
Total
Dissolved Solids (TDS)
·
Turbidity (NTUs)
Dr. Jerry Skinner developed a
PowerPoint
presentation documenting the water chemistry study within the Ackerly Creek
Sub-watershed. The final written
document for this study can be viewed by
clicking
here.
A herpetological study was conducted during
spring of 2002. This consisted of a public workshop and extensive field
studies. The information collected was included in
the Pennsylvania’s Herp Atlas and developed into a
PowerPoint to be
housed at the Keystone’s Willary
Water Discovery
Center. Dr. Skinner’s Herp class along with community participants updated
Keystone’s Herp Atlas
in regards to the Ackerly Creek Sub-Watershed.
Tim Eichner,
a forester/wildlife biologist consultant, conducted the study during the spring
of 2002, and the information is housed at the Keystone Willary Water Resource Center. Forty-five stations approximately 1000-feet apart were established. An
assessment of the present Riparian buffers along Ackerly Creek was undertaken
and the USDA – NRCS Stream Visual Assessment Protocol was utilized. Potential
additional buffer areas were identified. The Ackerly Creek Riparian study
is expanded on the following pages.
