O’Brien Outdoors: Un-assessed Waters Initiative

Students from Lycoming College electro-fishing and collecting other stream data from Lycoming County's Grays Run watershed.

On Wednesday, April 13 the Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited and Lycoming College will host the Pennsylvania Fish&Boat Commission (PFBC) for a presentation on their Un-assessed Waters Initiative program. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at Lycoming College, Heim Building, Room G-11, located off Mulberry Street. Bob Weber, PFBC and Dr. Mel Zimmerman, Lycoming College will be featured speakers.

The Un-assessed Waters Initiative, officially launched in 2010, came out of the Trout Plan from 2007 when it was brought to light that an overwhelming number of the 45,000 waterways in the Commonwealth had never been surveyed. One major issue was that the PFBC was understaffed for taking on such a monumental task.

Williamsport native Bill Worobec, PFBC Commissioner for District 5, brainstormed the idea of enlisting the support from the private sector, and in particular colleges and universities.

“This is one of the most significant studies by the Commission in 30 years. It is a direct result of our commitment to conservation. Partnerships are the only practical way to accomplish an undertaking of this magnitude,” Commissioner Worobec said.

In 2010 two colleges were involved--Lycoming College and Kings College, which examined over one-fifth of all the streams surveyed. The program generated so much interest that for 2011 Lycoming and Kings will again be conducting studies, as will Duquesne University, Penn State University, Juniata College, Mansfield University, and Susquehanna University. Also participating are Trout Unlimited- Eastern Abandoned Mine Program and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

According to PFBC fisheries biologist Bob Weber, who wrote the protocol for the stream sampling, the non-agency personnel needed proper training and supervision to ensure proper protocol and to protect the data quality. Weber, a 23 year veteran of the Commission, is the Coordinator of the Unassessed Waters Initiative.

“With the help of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Lycoming and Kings Colleges, 307 unassessed waters were surveyed in 2010. With the increase in participation, we are hopeful to survey over 500 streams this year,” Weber said.

Lycoming College biology professor Dr. Mel Zimmerman, a speaker at the April 13 event, told me that because of the training process, the six college student interns involved last year got a late start, but still managed to survey 43 streams.

Zimmerman, who started the very active Clean Water Institute at Lycoming College 15 years ago, explained that partnering with the PFBC and their Un-assessed Waters Initiative gives students hands-on experience.
“It is a résumé builder that may very well lead directly to employment, as well as opening the students’ eyes to the beauty of our waterways and the importance of protecting them,” Zimmerman said. He went on to explain that for 2011 Lycoming College will have two teams involved in the surveys, one supervised by himself and one under the supervision of Dr. Peter Petokas.

While the obvious concern for waterways protection might stem from gas drilling operations, there are other issues to consider.

“This program is not anti-gas exploration/production. It is a proactive opportunity to protect wild trout streams. Other concerns include coal mining, agricultural practices, and development,” Weber said.

In 2010 there were 307 surveys completed. Results thus far indicate wild trout inhabiting 169 of those streams, with 138 showing evidence of natural reproduction. Three of these streams had a population worthy of being classified Class A waters.

According to Weber, the survey includes taking water temperatures, dissolved oxygen, and pH levels. The electrofishing helps to determine trout populations and year classes. All this information will in turn help determine each stream’s class designation. Class A being the highest rating, meaning it has the best population and contains a minimum of 27 pounds of native brook trout per acre, and 36 pounds of wild brown trout per acre, or 2 pounds of rainbow trout.

All this information is shared with the DEP. They in turn use the data to not only classify the stream’s habitat and water quality, but it is also used in making decisions about permitting gas drilling, as well as other activities with the potential of negative impact. It might result in more restrictive provisions associated with the permit issued based on the water status. Exceptional Value (EV) is the highest designation, of which there are only a total of 30 in Pennsylvania.   
                    
The April 13 presentation is an opportunity to learn the details of the program and how it will protect area streams; many may be ones you fish, as well as those across the state.
The Un-assessed Waters Initiative presentation will be held Wednesday, April 13, 7:30 p.m. at Lycoming College’s Heim Building, Rm. G-11, off Mulberry Street. In attendance will be Weber, Worobec, and Zimmerman along with John Arway, Executive Director of the PFBC.

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