REACH Roundtable Series

What's New with 3RQ?

Watch the recording here!

Session Highlights:

• 3RQ has been seeking and expanding partnerships with watershed groups, universities, and collaborative networks. Most notably, 3RQ is working with the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds to help provide watershed groups with proper sampling and resources. Additionally, WVWRI has developed a partnership between ORSANCO, USGS, EPA, WV and PA DEP in order to study PFAS sampling methods.
• WVWRI also briefly discussed their data displayed in ArcGIS, an online mapping software. Through ArcGIS, data collected through 3RQ can be displayed on maps accessible to anyone. The data is publicly shared, so data shared as a layer can be added to any existing maps on the platform.
• WATERS is going to receive some large upgrades extending the water quality parameters that it collects and stores. These improvements will add biological parameters, including bacteria and algae, as well as additional chemical parameters on the database. WATERS currently allows for import and export of data, data visualization, and generation of data reports. WVWRI maintains the yearly fees for the service so it is free for anyone to use.
• The Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds (FPW) provides funding to citizen groups and works with federal and state policy issues surrounding water quality and abandoned mine lands. Branden Diehl, Grants and Project Consultant, shared his insights from the new bipartisan infrastructure bill. While the bill will allocate $13 billion for mine reclamation, there are concerns related to its ability to sufficiently fund water quality-focused projects. 3RQ and FPW have developed a survey to assess watershed group needs related to acid mine drainage treatment projects. While it is geared towards watershed groups, all are encouraged to fill out the survey and share it throughout their networks. Branden also shared information about Datashed, a database for AMD treatment projects. While the site is currently limited to Pennsylvania, there are plans to expand to the states and tribes that are included in the infrastructure bill. 

3RQ Partner Research

Watch the recording here!

Session Highlights:

• Dr. Brady Porter, Dr. Beth Dakin, and graduate student Katie Stupar from Duquesne University presented their research studying water quality and fish populations of Crooked Creek, a tributary to the Allegheny River. The watershed has abandoned mine land (AML) and natural gas extraction wells, though most of the contaminates within Crooked Creek were found to be from acid mine drainage (AMD). Crooked Creek is defined as a warm water fishery (WWF) and has maintained the parameters that are beneficial for such. A few discrepancies were recorded, though natural phenomena could explain the water chemistry changes. Through electrofishing surveys of the watershed, several notable fish species were found to inhabit the watershed, including the Bluebreast Darter, Gilt Darter, Least Brooke Lamprey, and most exciting, the Brindled Madtom. The latter is a threatened fish within Pennsylvania and had not been recorded in Crooked Creek since 1905. 
• Joseph Kingsbury, a graduate research assistant at WVWRI, discussed water chemistry trends found from ten years of routine monitoring data in the Monongahela River Basin. Specifically, he discussed the affect of several key management events, including the initiation of a voluntary discharge management plan among operators of AMD treatment plants within the basin. Essentially, this management plan modulates discharge load based on stream flows. Overall, 16 sites were studied, and the results showed that the management strategies are working to improve water chemistry. Chloride, bromide, sulfate, and total dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations all showed decreasing trends. Going forward, a project to improve stream discharge data is in the works to allow for more accurate analyses.
• Dr. James Wood and undergraduate student Emily Huff from West Liberty University presented trends in specific conductance (SPC) and chloride levels within the Upper Ohio River and its tributaries near Wheeling, WV. They found that sites downstream from a mine had significantly increased conductivity, which can be directly attributed to these mining activities. Seasonal changes within conductance and chloride levels were also observed, with conductivity increasing during the summer and chloride increasing in the winter. Summer 2020 was a notably dry summer, and it was found that 58% of sites studied had a significant increase in the conductivity compared to the same sites in 2019. Chloride was highest in AMD impacted streams, and in the winter of 2020/2021, all of the sampling sites had a significant increase in the amount of chloride recorded compared to the previous year. Through this, a correlation between chloride and conductance was discovered within the summer.

3RQ Members Current Projects

• Jacobs Creek Watershed Association keeps busy with current projects in stormwater management, water quality monitoring, recreation, education, and recently their first AMD treatment project! According to Taylor Robbins, Program Coordinator, JCWA utilizes WATERS to store data collected during their monthly monitoring, share results with the public, and easily view data in chart form.  To promote recreation in the area, JCWA provides kayaks, paddleboards, and canoes for members to use, hosts a community float and fishing derby, and recently installed a river gauge for enthusiasts to check water level and temperature before venturing out.
• The Washington County Watershed Alliance completed an eight year data logger program that collected continuous data at 25 sites throughout Washington County and provided experience to 14 college students. Jennifer Dann, WCWA Treasurer, expressed that utilizing the WATERS database to store data was integral to the success of this undertaking. The project collected an impressive set of baseline data and showed unexpected water quality results for several streams. One piece of advice Dann offers for anyone before initiating a data logger program is to not underestimate the amount of time and effort it requires.
• Guardians of the West Fork, spanning three counties in North Central West Virginia, is an all volunteer organization, headed by president John Ciesla, with a large focus on AMD treatment, trash cleanups, and water recreation. Following the 2016 removal of three low head dams, GWF began an annual community river float along the 75 mile West Fork River Water Trail. Other recreation projects include constant work to establish more boat access sites and working with towns to connect their assets to the river in their Trail Towns initiative.
• Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, an urban watershed in Pittsburgh, is tackling climate justice issues, green infrastructure projects, volunteer maintenance of Frick Park, and stream monitoring. According to Lindsey-Rose Flowers, Community Engagement Manager, four largescale green infrastructure projects they are in the final planning stages of will likely capture over one million gallons of stormwater each year! Check out this interactive story map to see how they incorporated public health, social vulnerability, environmental quality, and the urban landscape into their project site determinations.
• The Cheat River watershed, located in Eastern West Virginia, is impacted by 350 acid mine drainage (AMD) seeps. Friends of the Cheat (FOC) has been working to remediate AMD in the watershed since 1995. They are currently accomplishing this by writing watershed based plans for three of their subwatersheds, constructing new treatment systems, and renovating those that aren’t effectively treating the AMD. FOC is also tackling issues new to them, including dam removal, eDNA testing, and sediment and erosion control. According to Madison Ball, Restoration Program Manager, their goal is to recover 90 acres of riparian habitat in just four years to address erosion throughout the watershed.
• Captina Conservancy, located in Eastern Ohio, protects Captina Creek primarily by preserving priority properties within the watershed. Working closely with landowners and partner agencies, the conservancy currently holds 1,700 acres in easements. According to Abbey Hayward, Volunteer, Captina Creek is one of the premier watersheds in Ohio and is home to the state endangered hellbender. Captina Conservancy also utilizes partnerships to accomplish water monitoring throughout the watershed. In addition to their three data logger sites, they also work closely with the Ohio EPA and Soil and Water Conservation District volunteers to collect data.
• Laura Blood, Source Water Protection Manager for the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County (MAWC), provided the perspective of source water protection for drinking water. MAWC monitors over 57 sites across the Youghiogheny River and Beaver Run source water protection areas. These sites are monitored regularly for various water quality parameters, including total nitrogen and phosphorus loadings. According to Blood, the 3RQ map was very helpful in seeing what other groups were monitoring in these areas to combine efforts wherever possible. One future direction MAWC is working towards is connecting water quality to land use management. This includes providing information on best management practices to landowners and calculating potential and actual reductions from utilizing these practices over time.
• Eric Harder, Youghiogheny Riverkeeper, does exactly as his title implies. This includes hauling hundreds of tires from the river, monitoring for plastic pollution in the form of nurdles, testing for bacteria, and remaining vigilant for threats to the health of the river and local communities. The Youghiogheny Riverkeeper is housed within Mountain Watershed Association (MWA) which is a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance. MWA primarily protects the Indian Creek watershed, a subwatershed of the Youghiogheny. Together, Harder and MWA are proactive against issues from active and prelaw coal mining, hazardous waste discharges, and fracking activities.