Milton High School Environmental Studies Limestone Run Assessment

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Milton High SchoolEnvironmental
StudiesLimestone Run Assessment

• December 12th,2001

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Environmental Studies Class

• Gary Sassaman Dwight
  Eberhart
• Chase Satteson Nate
  Chamberlin
• Chris Buck Derek Rabuck
• Josh Allen Chuck Coup
• Matt Swallow Amanda Herman
• Matt Orso Jason Shutt
• Scott Coup
• Ryan Kelchner
• Randy Kramm
• Levi Yoder

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Growing GreenerGrant
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Limestone Run Watershed

• The watershed is 11.6 sq. miles.
• The stream is ten miles long.
• Most of watershed is open agricultural land.
• Routes 80 and 147 run through it and 254
  parallels the creek.

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Trout Unlimited s Description of Limestone Run

• This small stream has a mouth watering name
  but in reality its not at all appealing. There
  is limestone under the stream, and in some places
  there is the right aquatic weed however, this
  stream could be a case study titled cattle and
  there effect. There is no shade, the banks have
  been beaten down, its muddy, it is warm, and as
  it is now, has nothing to recommend it.

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Problems With Limestone Run

• On the 303d list
• Erosion and Sedimentation
• High Nitrate Levels
• Lack of Riparian Buffers

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Past Activities

• In 1991 the class started doing water testing.
• From 1992-99 they continued doing watershed
  treatment.
• Form 99-00 the class picked up the Watershed
  Concept.
• In 99-00 the class also made its ten year plan.

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Goals

• Fish Return
• Reduce Flooding
• Reduce Sediment
• Reduce Nutrients
• Reduce Temp.
• Repair Stream bank
• Increase Dissolved Oxygen
• Create A Riparian Buffer

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Timeline

• 1999-2000 Beginning if ten year plan.
• 2000-2001 Coalition
• 2001-2003 Assessment
• 2006-2007 Trout Return
• 2009-2010 Experimental Hatchery

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Stream Hydraulics

• - Pattern
• - Dimension
• Profile

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Pattern

• The Sinuosity of the Creek.

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Dimension

• Cross Sectional Profile

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Profile

• Longitudinal Flow of Stream

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Things that effect Pattern, Dimension and Profile.

• Depth
• Slope
• Width
• Velocity
• Flow Resistance
• Sediment Size
• Sediment Load
• Stream Discharge

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Environmental StudiesBudget Equipment

• By Scott Coup, Ryan Kelchner, Randy Kramm

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Grants

• The Environmental Studies class received two
  grants.
• Growing Greener Grant
• John G. Clark, Jr. Environmental Education Grant
  given by Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways
  Conservancy

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Grants

• Growing Greener Grant
• The Growing Greener Grant provides the
  Environmental Studies class with 23,920.
• It is good for 2 years.
• - The Grant calls for us to access 8 miles of
  Limestone Run.

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• John G. Clark Jr. Environmental Educational Grant
• The Linn Conservancy Grant of 486 provided funds
  to buy two tidbits and an optic shuttle.
• -The equipment will help the Environmental
  Studies class to collect data on the fluctuating
  water temperature of Limestone Run.

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Budget for the Growing Greener Grant

• 1. Sponsor Salaries/Benefits 1,300
• 2. Equipment and Supplies 11,620
• 3. Contractual 5,000
• 4. Construction (Stream bank fencing) 6,000
• 5. Total 23,920

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Equipment

• 1 Lap Top Computer 3,830.44
• 1 Digital Camcorder 892.59
• 1 Digital Camera 483.10
• 2 GPS/GIS Receivers 567.90
• 3 Hip Chains 218.00
• 2 100ft Tape Measure 59.50
• 1 300ft Tape Measure 39.95
• 4 Waders 210.00

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Equipment/Continued

• 4 Stowaway tidbits 396.00
• 1 Base Station/ Coupler Kit 70.00
• 1 Optic Shuttle 189.00
• 25 Safety Glasses 96.25
• 2 Armored Thermometer 19.00
• 2 (100/box) Latex Gloves 17.90
• 1 Boxcar 3.6 Starter Kit 14.00
• 2 Tuff Stuff Flagging Tape 3.20

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Equipment/Continued

• 1 Kick Net with poles 78.00
• 3 6 Forceps 11.97
• 1 24/pk Wide Storage Bottles 23.85
• 1 Sledge Hammer 12.90
• 2 Model BP3180(Pruners) 49.90
• 1 Model RL Horizontal Laser 1,200.00
• 1 Tripod 120.00
• 1 Grade Rod 10ths or inches 80.00

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Equipment/Continued

• 1 Sensor for Laser w/bracket 250.00
• ArcView GIS 3.2 495.00
• Magellan GPS Map 330M 538.00
• Canon Camera Accessories total
• 892.59

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• This is a list of all the basic tools and
  equipment that we use while out assessing
  Limestone Run.

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Mapping

• Uses
• Equipment Used
• Problems

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Uses

• Show Data
• Future Comparison

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Equipment

• GPS
• Hip Chains
• ArcView

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Problems

• Programs Do Not Interface
• Security Setting On school Computer

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Longitudinal Profile Measurement
-Chuck Coup -Amanda Herman -Randy Kramm -Ryan
Kelchner
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Cross Section of Stream
Left Bank
Right Bank
TOP OF BANK
BANKFULL
WATERS EDGE
THALWAG
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Longitudinal Profile
POOL
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Cross Sectional Profile

• Scott Coup
• Matt Swallow
• Josh Allen

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Procedures for Cross Section

• Establish benchmarks on each side of the stream
• Pound one piece of rebar in at each benchmark
• Attach the tape measure to the rebar with spring
  clamps so that is stretches the width of the
  stream.

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Level II Assessment

• -Cross Sections
• Takes accurate measurements of the dimension of
  the physical properties of the creek
• Cross Sections are used to find problems with the
  stream so we can repair the flaws

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Limestone Run Restoration Project

• Pebble Count
• What do pebbles have to do with the stream?
• How the pebbles affect the stream.

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Pebble Count

• Pebbles affect the streams water speed.
• The rocks in the stream can either slow down
  the water speed or speed it up.
• The bigger the rocks the slower the water.
  This is because the rocks cause resistance of the
  current
• The smaller the rocks the faster the
  current can go. This is because the water has no
  resistance from rocks.

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Pebble Count

• The Pebbles also can fill up a stream bed which
  is a problem with some streams.

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Pebble Count

• The Process
• In a reach or part of a stream you go about
  every 100ft and measure 10 pebbles at the tip of
  you boot.

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Pebble Count

• The process /cont.
• When you pick up your first rock you measure
  the three longest axis of the pebble( length,
  height, width). Then you record those records.

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Stream Bank Assessment

• Chris Buck and Matt Orso

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Introductionto Stream Bank Assessment

• We used the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services
  Stream and Riparian Habitats Rapid Assessment
  Protocol. The Protocol is a comprehensive stream
  assessment and inventory protocol which
  incorporates riparian corridor and stream
  stability assessments. The protocol is for use
  for us to rapidly identify, assess, and
  prioritize stream corridor conditions within a
  watershed. The assessment only provides a
  relative ranking rather than a quantitive
  evaluation of magnitudes of change. The
  information gained will give us an idea of the
  potential problems but not identify cause and
  effect relationships influenced by factors
  located outside the assessment area. To figure
  out the main problem and cause and effect we
  would need to complete a more detailed assessment.

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The Two Main Assessment Sections

• Stream stability
• Bank Height Root Depth Root Density
• Bank Angle Surface Protection
• Aggrading Stream Beds
• Degrading Stream Beds
• Riparian an In stream Habitat Assessment
• Instream Cover Epifaunal Pool
  Variability
• Shading Water Appearance Nutrient
  Enrichment
• Bank Vegetation Riparian Vegetation
  Riparian Zone
• Nutrient Uptake Potential

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Results

• RIH SS TOTAL
• 7 Springs Farm 34 9 43
• Lidecker 43 44 87
• Hoover 1 30 38 68
• Cottner 58 48 106
• Hoover 2 41 17 58

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Results

• RIH SS TOTAL
• Robert Pfleegor 70 64 134
• Davis Farm 62 65 127
• James Farm 40 60 100
• Catholic Pavilion 51/204 74 127
• Woods to 147 Bridge 159/204 82 241

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Chemical Testing

• Alkalinity
• Hardness
• pH
• Nitrates
• Ammonia
• Dissolved Oxygen
• Dissolved Carbon Dioxide
• Chloride
• Silica

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Alkalinity

• Refers to the capability of water to neutralize
  acid.
• Alkalinity comes from the calcium and magnesium
  in the stream.
• Preferred Alkalinity of fresh water streams100 -
  200ppm
• Our results between 150-220ppm out of the 6 sites
  we tested.

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Hardness

• Measure of positively charged metal ions in the
  water such as calcium, manganese, and iron.
• The preferred level of Hardness in fresh water
  streams 61-120ppm
• Our results were between 260-310ppm. (6 Sites)

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pH

• Measure of hydrogen concentrations in the water.
• The preferred levels of pH in freshwater streams
  6.5-8.2
• Our results were between 7.5-8.5 (6 Sites)

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Nitrates

• Come from the decay of organic materials and
  fertilizers that have drained into the stream.
• Preferred levels of nitrates in fresh water
  streams less than 1ppm.
• Our results were between 17.2-18.9. (6
  Sites)

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Ammonia

• Waste product of metabolism
• Found in streams, most likely from direct animal
  waste.
• Preferred levels of ammonia in fresh water
  stream .1-.15ppm
• Our results were all less than 1ppm. (6
  Sites)

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Dissolved Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

• Comes from the decay of organic materials.
• Dissolved Carbon Dioxide makes respiration
  difficult for aquatic organisms.
• Preferred levels of carbon dioxide none
  measurable
• Our results were between 2-15ppm. (6
  Sites)

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Dissolved Oxygen

• Amount of oxygen that is free and can be used by
  aquatic organisms
• Preferred level of dissolved oxygen in fresh
  water streams 6-10ppm
• We did not get the opportunity to test dissolved
  oxygen at this time.

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Chloride

• May be from naturally occurring salt deposits in
  the earth or from industrial waste and sewage.
• Preferred levels is 10-20 mg/L
• Our results were 42-70mg/L. (6 Sites)

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Silica

• Occurs naturally in streams
• Used by some aquatic organisms to build up their
  skeletal structure.
• Preferred levels of silica in fresh water
  streams 10-20ppm
• Our results were 1-7ppm . (6 Sites)

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Biological Testing

• Josh Allen and Matt Swallow

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Macroinvertabrate Testing

• Location
• Tools
• Process
• Results

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Water Quality Rating
SITE SCORE RATING
gt 40 GOOD
1 and 2 (21.1, 21.6) 20-40 FAIR
lt 20 POOR
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Index Created By

• State Parks Watershed Education
  Macroinvertabrate Stream Assessment (Level 1)

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Limestone Run Restoration Project

• What are the purposes for Riparian
• Buffers and Stream Bank Fences?
• What is some of the Vegetation used for the
  Riparian Buffers?
• What will Riparian Buffers and Stream Bank
  Fences do for the environment?

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Limestone Run Restoration Project

• Riparian Buffers
• Purposes
• Reduce soil erosion
• Prevent excess nutrients-nitrogen and phosphorous
• Provide necessary food, cover, and shade for
  wildlife
• Hunters and Anglers enjoy a variety of game
  species
• Unique learning opportunities (serve as outside
  classrooms)
• Hikers and Campers enjoy the aesthetic qualities
  provide by a well-managed riparian zone

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Limestone Run Restoration Project

• Riparian Buffers
• Zone 1-
• Matures forest along waters edge to maintain
  habitat, food, water temperature, and helps
  stabilize banks and remove nutrients.
• Vegetation Requirements
• Red Maple Black Maple
• Silver Maple Red Ash
• Shad Bush Sweet-boy Magnolia
• Yellow Birch Black Willow

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Limestone Run Restoration Project

• Riparian Buffers
• Zone 2 Vegetation
• Zone 2 contains a managed forest. The primary
  function of Zone2 is to remove sediment,
  nutrients and other pollutants from surface and
  ground water. It also provides habitat and
  allows for economic benefits to the landowner
  from the forest resource.
• White Ash Shrubs
• Honey Locust Black Walnut

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Limestone Run Restoration Project

• Riparian Buffers
• Zone 3 Vegetation
• Zone 3 contains grass filter strips, level
  spreaders or other features which can slow
  runoff, infiltrate water and help filter sediment
  and its associated chemicals.
• Tall Grasses

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Limestone Run Restoration Project

• Stream bank Fencing
• Process used to help keep cattle out of the
  stream.
• Reduces stream bank erosion.
• Increases habitat for micro organisms.
• Help protect the buffer along the edge of the
  stream bank.

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Limestone Run Restoration Project

• What is CREP?
• What land is eligible for CREP, and what are the
  Price Ranges?
• What are some of the goals for CREP?

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Limestone Run Restoration Project

• CREP
• A new program in PA started in June 2000.
• A USDA program
• Founded by state and non-profit partners
• The Govt leases the land from the property owner
  for 15 yrs.
• 50 on each side of the stream.

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Limestone Run Restoration Project

• CREP
• Average Price per acre.
• Northumberland Co. 100-115
• Montour Co. is slightly higher.
• Prices depend upon soil type and quality
• Lowest price in North is Hv soil _at_ 88/acre.
• Highest price in North is WsA soil _at_ 116/acre.
• The soils for the land can be determined in the
  local soils book.
• Goals of CREP.
• Decrease soil erosion and runoff.
• Improve water quality.
• Improve wildlife and fisheries habitat.
• Increase farm income on marginal land.