DEP data aids county conservation efforts in planning, grants

Jan. 23—Every two years, Pennsylvania releases a report card on its water sources, helping local conservationists and watershed specialists target specific projects for grant funding and pollution controls.

The Department of Environmental Protection unveiled its draft 2022 Integrated Water Quality Report this past week. It included measures of the health of some 85,500 miles of streams and rivers and another 110,000 acres of public lakes.

Impairments to the water bodies vary with respect to four main areas: aquatic life, recreation, fish consumption and potable water. An estimated 33% of the state's river-and-stream miles are impaired — below specific standards — largely for aquatic life.

About 61%, or nearly 69,000 acres of public lakes, are assessed as impaired. Like rivers and streams, the lakes are mostly impaired for aquatic life and fish consumption.

The report is comprehensive and data-rich. With each release, new data is added or reassessed to the point it now covers nearly all of the state's water sources. The online story map and accompanying integrated water quality map allow conservationists and citizens to focus in on specific areas across the state to learn about the assessed quality of water in their backyards and beyond.

Brian Pilarcik, watershed specialist with the Crawford County Conservation District in Northwestern Pennsylvania, said data included in the state's integrated water quality reports are used as a source to focus efforts on particular areas, and not just for impairments.

"There's just as much value in working on a watershed attaining its use already but which could tip opposite if there's too much pressure on it," Pilarcik said.

Meadville, the Crawford County seat, is surrounded by waterways assessed as attaining any of the four aforementioned areas including aquatic life. That's the case for many places in the state considering 2 of every 3 miles are meeting water quality standards.

Of course, there are areas of concern.

Watson Run and its network of tributaries west of Meadville are impaired by sediments washing into the channels from farm operations. Dick Run, Mill Run and an unnamed tributary to the latter are impaired for aquatic life by urban runoff within the heart of Meadville. Another stream in town, Cemetery Run, saw a rise to the ranks of attaining aquatic life in 2018, as it had also been impaired by siltation control measures were established.

'More bug life'

"We look at all the listed impairments," said Sean Levan, district manager and watershed/bay technician for the Montour County Conservation District in Northcentral Pennsylvania. "We focus in on impaired streams and that's how we apply for Growing Greener grants. Mostly, we're dealing with agriculture around here."

Eighteen creeks and streams including Sechler Run, Chillisquaque Creek and the Susquehanna River plus 16 different unnamed tributaries are assessed as having some impairments in Montour County. And, other portions of these very same bodies are also cited for attaining recreation, aquatic life, potable water and fish consumption.

Montour ranked 13th statewide by percentage with 178 stream miles impaired, or 64.5%.

Montour County, where Danville is the county seat, received $918,716 in Growing Greener funding in 2021 to support its agricultural and pasture management programs.

Over the years, Levan said district staff worked with local farmers to install controls to stabilize barnyards, add stream buffers, convert cropland to pasture and help with manure management plans. He said the county's impaired streams are improving.

"We're seeing a lot more bug life and the stream is getting healthier," Levan said of Chillisquaque Creek.

Mining sources grow

Unknown sources of pollutants are most often cited across Pennsylvania as causing impairments to creeks and lakes.

Agriculture, atmospheric pollution and urban runoff are the leading known causes for lake impairments — more than 65,000 acres combined across those three categories.

For creeks and such, acid mine drainage is cited for nearly 7,400 miles of impairments followed closely by agriculture at 6,430 miles and urban runoff at about 3,500 miles.

Acid mine drainage was a leading cause in 2020, too. While agriculture impairments were stagnant since the previous report, pollution from mining grew 34% as a cited impairment. A DEP analyst previously explained that with the 2022 report, a record addition of new water sources and reassessment of others led to a rise in impairments.

"Acid mine drainage is a drastic concern," said John Zaktansky, Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper. His office covers nearly 11,000 square miles of watershed across more than 20 counties in Northcentral Pennsylvania.

"Pollution isn't a quick fix. It doesn't just flow away and be gone. It soaks into our groundwater, into our soil and can be released over time," Zaktansky said.

Acid mine drainage accounts for much of the stream and creek pollution in southeastern Northumberland County. Carbon Run, Shamokin and Mahanoy creeks and Zerbe Run are among 9 water bodies and 5 tributaries impaired from this source.

Elsewhere, sediment and organic enrichment from agriculture is cited. That's the case for 12 water bodies including Schwaben Creek and Limestone Run and 17 tributaries.

At 72.4% and 688 miles impaired, Northumberland County ranked fifth in percentage of streams impaired.