Stream of Consciousness

Volume 13 Article 1

12-1994

Stream of Consciousness (1994)Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM)Dickinson College

Follow this and additional works at: http://scholar.dickinson.edu/stream_of_consciousness

Part of the Environmental Education Commons, Environmental Indicators and ImpactAssessment Commons, and the Environmental Monitoring Commons

Stream of Consciousness is a publication of the Alliance for Aquatic Resources Monitoring (ALLARM) at Dickinson College. For more information,please contact allarm@dickinson.edu.

Recommended CitationAlliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM). Stream of Consciousness 13 (1994) .Available at: http://scholar.dickinson.edu/stream_of_consciousness/vol13/iss1/1

A NEWSLETTER OF THE ALLIANCE FOR ACID RAIN MONITORING (ALLARM)

Edited by Stefanie Comastro and Jonathan Cox December ! 994

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

-Margaret Mead

ALLARM AWARDED MATCHING FUNDS GRANT BY THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

AND TRAINING FOUNDATION (NEETF) By Stefanie Comastro

ALLARM was recently awarded a matching grant by the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF) for $7,500. NEETF is an organization especially designed to promote active . environmental education throughout the United States. The organization receives its grant money from the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Education. Money is allocated to the various environmental groups it selects as recipients of the grants. NEETF distributes challenge grants to encourage the private sector to become involved in, and aid, environmental education programs. This year, ALLARM was one of 24 grantees selected from a pool of 61 applicants.

ALLARM intends to use the NEETF grant for the expansion of the SMART program (Students Monitoring Acid Rain Together) and the Toxic Fingerprint Project, as well as meeting operation costs. SMART acts as an avenue through which ALLARM educates children about acid rain and its effects. The Toxic Fingerprint Project is ALLARM's newest venture which involves running tests on water samples collected from our monitors·

streams to screen for toxic metal pollution. The NEETF grant will definitely help ALLARM to promote the growth of these special programs.

Before ALLARM can even consider expansion, it must consider its own survival. Money is very tight for ALLARM right now, and you, as an ALLARM member, have a very important role to play in helping to keep our doors open! ALLARM needs to match this $7 ,500 grant to not only survive, but also to grow. Giving a donation is not the only way for you to offer your assistance! ALLARM needs you to be on the look-out for organizations to which we can write about donating to our fundraising drive. A little bit of investigation on your part can make the world of difference in helping ALLARM to raise some funds! Also, your input and ideas about fundraising schemes is most welcome! The ALLARM staff needs advice about what fundraising methods work and your assistance is essential to making our matching funds campaign a success! Please contact the ALL\RM office with your suggestions! We look forward to hearing from you 1

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Suzanne Kahn, last year's SMART Program Coordinator, is now studying with the School for Field Studies in Costa Rica. Before she left last year, I had the opportunity to talk with her about ALLARM and the SMART program. As a freshman exploring the environmental sciences, I was very much interested in what ALLARM was all about. After learning more about the program, it struck me as being an unique and empowering grassroots organization. ALLARM is working to educate the citizens, and the government of Pennsylvania about the devastating effects of acid deposition. As a grassroots volunteer organization, ALLARM is doing something that is virtually impossible for Pennsylvania governmental agencies to do--weekly water­ monitoring on a state-wide scale! Volunteer water monitoring is the only way that monitoring can be done at a state-wide level. What ALLARM has been doing is truly unique! ALLARM is a great way for citizens to get involved in environmental change. This is why I wanted to join ALLARM.

In Suzanne's absence this year, ALLARM hired me to assume the position of SMART Program Coordinator. I have always been interested in spending

Keeping Up with SMART by Jonathan Cox, SMART Coordinator

time with kids and for the last five summers have worked as a camp counselor or environmental educator for children The SMART Program is a great way to educate and involve kids in the acid rain problem. It is essential that people of all ages work to stop the acidification of our lakes and streams, and SMART is getting youth involved!

One of SMART's main goals is environmental education in Pennsylvania. Participatory groups can include scouting organizations, school sponsored environmental groups, classroom organized environmental monitoring programs, or youth groups. Current SMART members Mr. Diffenderfer and his Southern Fulton High School students monitor local streams on a regular basis as they have been since 1988. Such teacher-student partnerships can be valuable educational opportunities that can be repeated year after year. Through such interactive relationships, students can apply learned classroom objectives outside of the class setting.

This fall, I have been busy sending out kits and manuals to teachers and students throughout the Commonwealth. The program manuals are to be

used as resources for educational purposes. These manuals include the Lesson Idea Book, The Acid Rain Fact Booklet, The Student Monitoring Manual, and The Leader's Monitoring Manual. In addition to these resources SMART can provide ' information on acid deposition related issues (in the form of newspaper and magazine clippings, recent legislative updates on the 1990 Clean Air Act Implementation, acid sensitive streams, etc.) for student research projects.

In the past year, ALLARM has added 17 new SMART memberships with many of them being teacher­ student water monitoring programs. In the Spring of 1995, I hope to make arrangements to visit schools around the state. Through the SMART program, we encourage teachers and students to set up acid rain workshops and presentations with us. If you are interested in having SMART come to your school please contact the ALLARM office at 717-245- 1565. (ALLARM is a non­ profit organization and can give these presentations and workshops at no cost to your institution.) If any more questions should arise about the SMART program, please don't hesitate to call or write the program coordinator.

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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: GEORGE WALTHOUR by Melissa Russo

During the ALLARM board meeting/workshop on Saturday, October 29, we acquired our newest board member, Mr. George Walthour. Mr. Wal th our has been involved with ALLARM since May of 1991, when he began his weekly monitoring of the Yellow Breeches in Cumberland County. He joined ALLARM because of his interest in fishing, the outdoors, and the environment. In particular, and directly related to his interest in fishing, Mr. Walthour has always been interested in water quality. It was this interest that drew him most to ALLARM.

While working in the insurance business, Mr. Walthour lived in places such as New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. He also lived in various parts of Pennsylvania and finally decided to spend his retirement with his wife in south-central Pa. The W althours have two grown children, one son and one daughter. Their son is married with two children and lives in Indiana. He is also in the insurance business. Their daughter lives in New Hampshire and is the Director of Financial Aid at Antiock College.

Our newest board member is quite involved in the world of fishing as seen by his active memberships in the Cumberland County Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the Federation of Fly Fishers, and Carlisle Fishing Game. By being involved in these groups, Mr. Walthour is that much closer to the things he enjoys. For

example, by being a member of the Cumberland County Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Mr. Walthour is involved in its cold water resources project on the LeTort and other streams in the Cumberland Valley. This is the sort of project, like ALLARM, that brings his fishing and water quality interests together.

I am very glad that I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Walthour at the workshop, because he is a very pleasant man who has many good ideas. His dedication to ALLARM was quite evident the day of the workshop when he readily accepted a position on the Board of Directors and immediately offered some of his ideas. He believes the most important thing for ALLARM, right now, is to attract new volunteers. This is important because we need to get our name out and encourage the donation of some badly needed funds. At the present time, ALLARM's future is dependent on money, which is not in abundance. Mr. Walthour has already stopped by the ALLARM office to drop off information which will help in our campaign for new volunteers. It is these things that are so impressive about Mr. Walthour. He seems to be willing to go the extra distance for the things he sincerely cares about.

Mr. Walthour, thank you for accepting the position on the Board of Directors, and for being such an enthusiastic and dedicated volunteer!

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The Campaign for Clean Air Continues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

by Stefanie Comastro

"Clean Air Wouldn't it Be Nice" can be heard on televisions and radios accross the state of Pennsylvania. These advertisements may have pointed out to you that the clean air campaign has become a hot issue lately, and it is really about time! The commercials attract the viewer's attention by targeting the health implications of air pollution. What a good idea! After all, what is nearer and dearer to people's hearts than their health and the health of their families?

It is definitely important to make people aware of the impact that air pollution has on their health. Just as important however, is the fact that the effects of air pollution branch out to many different forms of life. This is a fact that we cannot ignore. ALLARM' s main concern, acid deposition, is a direct result of air pollution

and its affects range from threatening aquatic life to causing the mobilization of heavy metals from the pipes that deliver our drinking water. Because air pollution has so many effects, it is important that we make ourselves aware of its impacts and its regulation.

The primary source of air pollution regulation is the federal Clean Air Act of 1990. One of the newest innovations being considered for the federal Clean Air Act Amendment is one that would require states to create a Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) program for major sources and industries emitting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). This program would require the owners of a facility producing these pollutants to design a control technology that would reduce their emissions. They would then

submit their plan to the Environmental Protection Agency for approval. This is a unique idea because it allows the companies to design their own preventative approach. Compliance with this plan would be determined through the monitoring records that facilities are required to complete. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources has already received more than 200 RACT proposals. Even more promising, 60% of the coal burning plants have proposed individual control technology programs. This will be very important for the reduction of NOx which will lead to rainfall with lower acidities and higher pH readings in our streams! Hopefully, this initiative will be a success and will help to improve the quality of the air we breathe! The cleaner the air, the healthier the environment is for all creatures!

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ALLARM's 1994 Fall Board Meeting and General Workshop by Todd Schively

ALLARM's 1994 board meeting and general workshop was held on Saturday, October 29th at Gifford Pinchot State Park, located outside of York, Pennsylvania. The day began in the park's nature center with a meeting of the board members, the ALLARM staff, and Executive Director, Candie Wilderman. This meeting was quite a success with helpful discussions, excellent suggestions, and a lot of catching up about ALLARM's organizational accomplishments and problems.

One of the most important topics of discussion was ALLARM's current financial situation. Due to a decrease in donations and new volunteers, ALLARM has been forced to call upon Dickinson College to help cover operation costs. Such costs cover mailings, phone bills, and student paychecks. If ALLARM is unable to raise a large amount of money in the next six months, it may have to shut down operations.

The board members decided that a new executive director should be hired as soon as possible with the money ALLARM has now in its executive director fund. Candie Wilderman, the current executive director has been planning to step down from her position for a few years, but has not been able to because of lack of funds for a salary for another person. A new executive director would be responsible for supervising the student staff and would have a primary focus on raising funds. These funds would not only cover ALLARM' s operating costs, but would eventually create an account from which the director's salary would come, making the position a permanent one.

When the board meeting concluded at noon, the workshop began at the edge of Pinchot Lake. It was wonderful to have such a great group of people participating in the workshop! Most of the people who attended were seasoned monitors who had come to share their techniques and experiences. The new members who attended, were introduced to the program and taught the best procedures for collecting the most accurate data. In addition to the testing site at the lake, we visited the property of Marcus Sheffer, a long-term ALLARM volunteer and board member, located on the banks of the Conewago Creek. Samples were taken at this site as well. In addition, participants collected, sorted, and identified macroinvertebrates from the creek. Overall, the day was a great success for both the ALLARM staff and the volunteers in attendance!

What Can You Do to Help the Environment in 1995?

ALLARM has the best suggestion for your New Year's Resolution! Why not monitor your favorite local stream for pH and alkalinity? Or maybe, you would like to monitor a second site. Perhaps, you would like to begin actively monitoring again. Better yet, persuade a friend or relative to become involved with ALLARM. Teachers, does your science class need a project? SMART is the answer! Students can monitor streams too. Teach children how to start off the new year on the right foot by learning about stream quality and communities and by helping the environment in the process! January is a great time to get started with ALLARM or SMART! Happy Holidays and we hope to hear from you soon! Here's to successful stream monitoring in 1995!

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ALLARM TO START ITS NEW WATERSHED INITIATIVE WITH A SPRING TRAINING WORKSHOP

On March 11, 1995, ALLARM will kick off its new watershed initiative with an intensive citizens' training workshop at Dickinson College from 10 AM to 3 PM. In our effort to expand our water quality monitoring activities and to act as watchdogs of our aquatic resources, ALLARM volunteers will take a watershed approach to citizen monitoring in a new pilot project. Won't you join us?

What is a watershed approach? A watershed (also called a drainage basin) is that area of land that delivers the water, sediment and dissolved substances via small streams to a major stream. In other words, when it rains, the area over and through which the water passes before it drains past your site in your stream is defined as the watershed for that site. Therefore, any activity that takes place on the land in your watershed and that results in either surface water runoff or groundwater contamination will ultimately impact the water quality of your site. Watersheds vary in size from a few square miles for some of the small headwater streams in the mountains to 64,000 square miles for the entire Chesapeake Bay drainage basin!

If you understand the watershed concept, then you understand that all of the activities in our watersheds should be of concern to us -- WE ALL LIVE DOWNSTREAM. It is of little value to try to improve water quality in a stream by a~dressing only the mos~ local problems, when activities in the watershed upstream are contmumg to have an adverse impact. Volunteers must develop a broad and holistic approach to aquatic resource protection by considering the entire watershed.

For these reasons, we believe that citizen monitors need to understand watershed dynamics before they can assess water quality at any given site. To achieve this, ALLARM staff members will teach volunteers how to do the following:

( 1) Delineate the watershed -- we will have maps available that cover your watershed area and we will help you create an overlay that defines the boundaries of the watershed upstream from your site.

(2) Assess land use and delineate geology of the watershed. Again, with the appropriate maps, we will map the distribution of land use and rocks types in the watershed. This will help us delineate critical non-point dischargers in the watershed.

(3) Access information on all permitted point dischargers in the watershed (that is, those sewage plants and industries that have permits to pollute the surface water).

(4) Use the EPA toxic release inventory data base to access information on industries who are using toxic chemicals in the watershed.

(5) Access U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data on stream flows, if available for your stream, and to directly measure flow if data are not available.

(6) Establish an optimal sampling design (site locations) for the watershed, taking into account budget and people-power limitations.

Stream of Consciousness Page 7

(7) Choose the cherrucal parameters that are most appropriate to assess at the chosen sites. We will also discuss plans for a workshop to teach you how to sample and identify macroinvertebrate populations and how to do habitat assessments.

We encourage representatives from watershed associations to attend, as well as neighbors and friends who would be willing to recruit volunteers to do a watershed-wide study. However, individual volunteers would benefit from the workshop as well!

By doing a watershed assessment before establishing a monitoring protocol you will be able to target your limited resources to problems that are particular to your area. This will allow you to be able to collect data that can be utilized immediately to assess impacts and to recommend remediation.

Please let us know if you would like to join us. We need to have you sign up as soon as possible, so we can make arrangements to have the appropriate materials available for your use.

Send response to:

ALLARM, Environmental Studies Department, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA 17013

NAME

ADDRESS

NAME OF STREAM ------------­

COUNTY

MEMBER OF WATERSHED ASSOCIATION? IF YES, GIVE NAME:

Yes I will be there on March 11 for the WATERSHED INITIATIVE WORKSHOP. Please send me additional information. Enclosed is my $10 registration fee to cover costs of the workshop.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stream of Consciousness Page8

MEET THE STAFF by Stefanie Comastro

As you know, ALLARM' s staff is comprised of students at Dickinson College, under the direction of Dr. Candie Wilderman. Dr. Wilderman is an Associate Professor of Environmental Science and chairs the Environmental Studies Department at Dickinson. The staff would love to get to ' know all of the monitors personally--we know so many of you from workshops, letters, phone calls, and pictures--keep them coming! To assist you in getting to know us better, here is a brief description of who we are and what we do for ALLARM!

Stefanie Comastro, sophomore: Stefanie has returned to ALLARM this year as Office Manager and Co-editor of the newsletter. She is keeping busy in the office by sending out kits and information packets and answering your mail and phone calls! She loves talking with monitors and answering their questions--keep the calls coming! Stefanie is a geology major and hopes to add a major in environmental science and a minor in religion by the end of this year.

Jon Cox, sophomore: Jon is the successor to the SMART Coordinator position previously staffed by Suzanne Kahn. He is also the Co-editor of the newsletter. He is actively networking with teachers and students throughout PA to gradually expand the outreach of the program. Jon is a geology and environmental science major (he is sometimes confused whether geology is his main focus or if it is truly Dickinson Outing Club Adventures!) He is looking forward to working with all of the highly motivated teachers and students involved with SMART. Getting people involved at all age levels is important to Jon---the faster all Pennsylvanians realize the importance of acting now to stop the acidification of our lakes and streams the better we will all be in the future!

Andy Piefer, senior: Andy is new to the ALLARM staff this year. He is a senior chemistry major and is the Toxic Fingerprint Project Director. He's interested in environmental applications to chemistry and enjoys communing with nature. Hopefully, Andy will be working towards his Ph.D. in environmental chemistry next fall. He hopes to refine and broaden this new territory within ALLARM. Perhaps in the near future our volunteers will be sending in water samples for chemical analysis. Andy's work with ALLARM is funded this year through Dickinson College's Dana Intern Program.

Melissa Russo, junior: Melissa is new to the ALLARM staff this year and really enjoys her position as Data Management Coordinator. She enters all the volunteers' data into the computer and is constantly trouble-shooting. She is a very diligent worker and does a good job keeping up with the constant flow of data! Melissa is majoring in geology and environmental science.

Todd Schively, junior: Todd is also a new member of the ALLARM staff this year. He has two duties: Networking Coordinator and Fundraising Coordinator. Todd is involved with promoting ALLARM and its activities and investigating possible donators. He did a great job organizing the recent ALLARM board meeting and workshop. Todd is a policy studies and environmental studies major with a minor in economics.

Jared Volpe, senior: ~his' is Jared's secon.d year as Quality Control Coordinator. Being a semor, he has many choices to ~ake abo~t his. futu:e. He co.uld follow a career path in his major, but he wants to follow the path his heart is taking him--brewmg beer. He plans to continue his education and learn about the business of running a brewery. If you have any questions pertaining to quality control, or anything else for that matter, do not hesitate to call Jared at the office!

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The following tables are stream ranking compilations. The first table shows all streams monitored by ALLARM volunteers (with at least four data points) since the inception of the database in 1986. The table is a county by county compilation. The total number of streams in each category (Resistent, Slightly Resistent, Vulnerable, and Endangered) are indicated for each county. The following criteria stands for these categories: Resistent streams have average alkalinity greater than 20 parts per million (ppm); Slightly Resistent, 10-20 ppm; Vulnerable, 5- 10 ppm; and Endangered, 0-5 ppm. The graph that follows (Graph of Streams Showing Increased Sensitivity to Acid Deposition) reveals how many streams went through periods of increased sensitivity. ALLARM defines "increased sensitivity" as those streams that have seen their alkalinity levels drop at least one category from their average alkalinity values. For example, a stream with average alkalinity of 25 ppm that dropped to a low of 5 ppm (on a particular day of monitoring)would be a Resistent stream that has undergone "increased sensitivity." The endangered streams are all in the acid sensitive range already, therefore, all of them are highlighted.

The second set of tables are also stream ranking compilations. These were done on an individual stream basis. All streams monitored since 1992 are included. An asterisk (*) indicates those streams that have undergone periods of increased sensitivity as defined above.

Stream Rankings by County 1987-1994

Slightly Total # COUNTY Resistant Resistent Vulnerable Endangered Streams

Adams 1 1 4 4 0 1 9 Allegheny 9 0 0 0 9 Armstrong 4 1 0 1 6

Beaver 1 0 0 0 Bedford 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 Berks 1 5 0 0 1 6 Blair 4 7 2 0 1 3

Bradford 2 0 0 3 Bucks 10 0 0 1 1 1 Butler 1 0 0 0 1

Cambria 3 0 0 1 4 Cameron 0 2 0 3 Carbon 1 2 4 5 1 2 Centre 1 5 3 0 3 21 Chester 5 0 0 6

Clearfield 2 0 1 4 Clinton 2 0 0 3

Columbia 1 0 0 1 2 Cumberland 1 5 3 0 5 23

Stream of Consciousness Page JO

Dauphin 1 5 4 5 5 28 Delaware 1 0 0 0 1 1

Elk 0 0 1 1 2 Erie 4 0 0 0 4

Fayette 1 2 0 0 3 Franklin 1 1 2 4 4 21 Fulton 6 1 1 0 8

Huntingdon 6 0 3 4 1 3 Jefferson 4 6 0 1 1 Juniata 1 0 0 2

Lackawanna 1 1 1 0 3 Lancaster 21 3 3 0 27 Lawrence 3 0 0 0 3 Lebanon 0 3 Lehigh 1 0 0 0 0 10 Luzerne 1 1 2 1 0 14 Lycoming 0 0 3 4 7 McKean 2 0 0 3 Mifflin 0 1 0 0 Monroe 1 1 1 3 6

Montgomery 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 Montour 1 0 0 0 1

Northampton 5 1 0 0 6 Northumberland 3 1 0 5

Perry 6 0 1 2 9 Philadelphia 2 0 0 0 2

Pike 1 0 0 2 Potter 6 3 0 0 9

Schulykill 1 5 8 1 1 5 Snyder 1 0 0 0

Somerset 0 2 0 2 4 Sullivan 0 0 0 1 1

Susquehanna 2 1 0 0 3 Tioga 14 1 8 1 1 4 47 Union 0 0 1 2

Venango 1 2 0 0 3 Warren 1 0 2 3 6

Washington 5 0 0 0 5 Wayne 0 3 0 0 3

Westmoreland 1 0 1 1 3 Wyoming 1 1 3 6

York 22 4 28

TOTALS 295 89 64 73 520 PERCENTAGES 57 17 1 2 1 4 100

Stream of Consciousness Page 11

COUNTY Adams

Allegheny

Beaver Berks

Blair

Bradford Bucks

Butler Cambria Carbon Centre

Chester Clearfield

Cumberland

Dauphin

Resistent Streams 1992-1994

STREAM "Middle Creek Tom's Creek Deer Creek Painter's Creek Pine Creek Pine Creek

Delaware COL!.ECTOR Adams Moore Dougall Chidiak Dougall Affleck Erie

Pine Creek Machesney Trib. N. Fork Pine Ck. Kearney "Brush Creek Stevenson Little Manatawny Ck Ostroski "Maiden Creek Polis

Scudder

Fayette Franklin

Mana tawny ·saucony Creek ·said Eagle Creek •Dry Run 'Little Juniata *Lake Ondawa "Brock Creek

Keim Rice Lykens

Rive Rice Fulton

Vineski Broadbent

Neshominy Creek Kratz *Thorn Creek Dougall *Chest Creek Powers Jefferson *Aquashicola Sheckler Feeder to Spring Ck. Syrett Logan Branch Spring Heritage Potter Run Frazier Lancaster Hartman's Run Chasin. N. Ctr. *Little Clearfield Cl<Gill Lehigh *Sandy Lick Ck. Nelson Conodoguinet Creek Jankura Conodoguinet Craekt Kauffman Conodoguinet Creeks Luke Hogestown Run Henry *Mountain Creek Farley *Mountain Creek Kochenur Montgomery Yellow Breeches Bair Yellow Breeches Hodgson Yellow Breeches Walthour Perry Beaver Creek Beaver Creek Black Run "Iron Mine Run Swatara Creek #1 Swatara Creek #2

Hankey Mahey Fogarty Peters Mahey Horst

Pike Potter Snyder Tioga

Chester Creek Di Carlo "Chester Creek Saul !than Creek #1 Van Rossum 'Ithan Creek #2 Van Rossum "Muckinipattis Creel Riggs "Ridley Creek Saul 'Brandy Run Simonelli Elk Creek Goodenow 'Twenty Mile Run Keddie 'Back Creek Mckula Back Creek Gale Branch Run Adams ·conococheague #1 Gale Falling Spring Brancl Kochenur Rowe Run Durbin 'Burnett's Run Diffenderfer 'Burnett's Run 'Little Bush Creek 'Bush Creek 'Little Tonoloway 'Little Tonoloway Hammond Pond *Holibaugh Pond Minespring Run "Trib, to Pine Run Little Conestoga 'Middle Creek Copley Creek Jordan Creek ·swabia Creek

Truax Diffenderfer Diffenderfer Diffenderfer Hensel and Emm Shumaker Shumaker Shumaker Shumaker Hershey Trostle Ringer M. Hering Hewko

Spring Creek Keim "Trout Creek #1 Petrakovich Trout Creek #2 M. Hering 'Upper Little Lehigh Keim "Perkiornan Creek Landis Perkiomen Creek Stoney Creek *Big Buffalo Creek "Jackson Run 'Little Juniata Alicia's Creek *Genesee River *Mahantong (WB) Cowanesque River ·Elk Run ·oarling Run

Wojtowitz Schirk Brown Brown Myers/Miller Koop Walizer Weidman Dorn Schmitt Comstock

COUECTOR

Stream of Consciousness Page 12

Union Venango Washington

Slightly Resistent Streams 1992-1994 'Lick Run 'Long Run 'Marsh Creek 'Painter Run 'Heise Run 'Spicewood 'Upper Marsh Creek 'Wilson Creek Penn's Creek 'Sugarcreek 'Canonsburg Lake Dutch Creek Linden Creek

Wac la wick Comstock Dillon Waclawick Coder Ripley Murphy Badman Weaver Swatzler Robertson Robertson Roberston

Blair

COUNTY

Armstrong

Berks

Mingo Creek Roberston Westmore lane 'Mammoth Lake Karfelt Wyoming 'Meshoppen McKean York Big Conewago Creek Markely

Little Creek Sprenkle 'Spring Valley BroolJoiner Willis Run McGee

COUNTY

Bradford Carbon Columbia Cumberland

Dauphin

Jefferson Somerset Sullivan Tioga

Union Wyoming

STREAM

'Red Bank Creek

'Schuylkill River

'Big Fill Run 'Carson Run 'Schell Run 'Schell Run 'Sink Run ·van Scoyoc Run

Cameron 'North Creek

Carbon *Mill Creek

Cumberland *Mountain Creek

Delaware

Fayette Endangered Streams 1992-1994

*Pumphouse Run

Murray

Roth

Rice Wolfe Bullington Tahs Bickle Rice

Catalano

Sheckler

Stutentoth

Saul

"Dunbar Creek Hatfield *Green Lick Creek Wiltrout

STREAM COUECTOR Huntingdon *Stone Creek Warner

Jefferson *Pine Run Shumaker "Trib, to Eagle Run Shumaker ·sunfish Pond Hutchinson

Mauch Creek Gallagher Fishing Creek Freestone Fly 'Cold Spring Run #1 Ledgett 'King's Gap #1 King's Gap Staff 'King's Gap #2 King's Gap Staff 'Mountain Creek Kochenur *Rattling Creek Hand *Rattling Creek(WB) Hand *Caylor Run Shumaker Sandy Run Starenchak *Kettle Creek Weaver *Babb's Creek Stillerman *Babb's Creek Stillerman Hickernell Spring Parks *Bowman's Creek Altherr Bowmans Creek G i 11 is

Lackawanna *Roaring Brook Schield

Lancaster *Seglock Run Trostle

Luzerne Harvey's Creek Ashton

Northampton *Bushkill Creek #1 Keller

Schuylkill

Somerset

'Cold Run *L. Schuylkill *Pine Creek *Tumbling Run

'Stony Creek

Keitsock River Keitsock

Seigried Bolich

Lichvar

Stream of Consciousness Page 13

Susquehanna *Crescent Lake Slavin Vulnerable Streams 1992-1994

Tioga

Venango

York

*Asaph Run Ross COUNTY STREAM COLLECTOR

*Dixie Run Magness *Genessee Branch Comstock Adams *Conewago Creek Redman

*Love Hollow Run Magness ·swamp Creek J. Adams

*Mill Run Waclowick Blair 'Bob's Creek Wolfe

*Phoenix Run Comstock Tipton Run Rice

*Pine Creek Comstock Cameron *Driftwood Creek Catalano

*Pine Creek Dillon ·west Creek Catalano

*Pine Creek (WB) Comstock Carbon 'Buckwha Sheckler

*Pine Creek Stratton *Hunter's Creek Sheckler

*Pine Creek Stillerman *White Beam Creek Gallagher

*Pine Creek Stillerman Clinton *Green Run Wroblewski

*Shin Hollow Comstock Dauphin *Manada Creek Lenter

*Steel Run Comstock Perry *Morris Road Creek Sassaman

*Woodruff Run Comstock Pike *Mahantongo Creek Hepler

*Zimmerman Krajewski *Pine Creek VV Gun Club Tioga *Cedar Run Stratton

*Sugarcreek (EB) Bennett *Little Fall Run Krajewski

*Two Mile Run Ragon *Lyman Run Comstock *Lyman Lake Comstock

"Codorus Creek Noss *Nine Mile Run Szymanik

*Muddy Creek Pender *Pine Creek Comstock *Pine Creek (WB) Comstock *Pine Creek (WB) Comstock Slate Run Stratton

Westmore lane ·camp Run McKula Wyoming "Bowman's Creek Altherr

Graph of Streams Showing Increased Sensitivity to Acid Deposition

300

en 250 • TOTAL# STREAMS ~ Fa PERIODICALLY SENSITIVE <( w 200 a: I- en 150 LL 0 a: 100 w m 50 ~ ~ z 0

Resistent . Sl~ght!Y Resistent Vulnerable Endangered

SENSITIVITY CATEGORY

Stream of Consciousness Page 14

TOXIC FINGERPRINT UPDATE by Andy Piefer, Toxic Fingerprint Project Coordinator and Candie Wilderman

We are happy to report that much progress has been made on our first pilot Toxic Fingerprint Project. Due to the generous support of the Dana Intern program at Dickinson College, ALLARM has been able to hire Andy Peifer to devote all of his hours (10 hours per week) to this project. Over 75% of the samples that we received from volunteers involved in the project have been analyzed for four metals: aluminum

' chromium, lead and cadmium. These four metals were chosen for the pilot project for a number of reasons.

The solubility of all of these metals increases exponentially when the pH drops below approximately 5. Therefore, acidified streams and lakes are in danger of having high concentrations of these metals, if there is a source nearby. In all cases, high concentrations of these metals are toxic to aquatic life and adversely affect human health.

Aluminum is a very common element in the soil; because it is so available in natural systems, dissolved aluminum is often the element that causes toxicity to organisms in remote acidified streams. In terms of human health, aluminum has also been implicated as a possible contributing factor to certain degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and has long been identified as having an adverse impact on dialysis patients. Although the bulk of aluminum is from natural sources, some aluminum may come from the corrosion of alloys, paints and stains and industrial processes. Average dissolved aluminum concentrations in natural streams in the U.S. has been reported as 74 ppb; ALLARM's average concentrations are 64.1 ppb (see preliminary results chart below). Studies on urban runoff in Carlisle done by Dickinson College students (report issued, July, 1994) indicate average concentrations of 1900 ppb of aluminum in the waters that run off from our town's streets and into our local receiving stream.

Cadmium is present in small quantities in nature, and can be injected into the atmosphere through wind transport of soil particles, forest fires, volcanic emissions, and even transpiration in plants. However, most cadmium in the environment comes from human activity. Anthropomorphic sources of cadmium include corrosion of alloys, tire wear, auto leakage and corrosion, fertilizers, cigarette smoke, nickel-cadmium batteries, and industrial processes. Acidified waters may corrode cadmium from galvanized pipes and copper-zinc solder, delivering this toxin to our drinking water. Cadmium's known health effects include heart and artery disease, high blood pressure, bone embrittlement, bone disease and possibly, cancer. ALLARM's average cadmium levels are well below both the maximum contaminant level for drinking water (see chart below) and even below the level of 2.5 ppb which is considered the acute toxicity threshold for fish in soft water. However, high cadmium concentrations are

Stream of Consciousness Page 15

often found in urban runoff; studies done at Dickinson College on urban runoff in Carlisle show average concentrations of cadmium at 10.7 ppb.

Chromium occurs in nature in very low concentrations and most chromium found in streams comes from industrial processes, such as electroplating, leather tanning, production of dye pigments, paints, wood preservatives, bleaches and detergents. It is found in urban runoff through automobile corrosion and corrosion of alloys. Studies done at Dickinson College on urban runoff in Carlisle showed average concentrations of cadmium at 6.5 ppb and studies on streams have shown average concentrations in the U.S. of 1.0 ppb. ALLARM's results of average concentrations of 0.3 ppb are well below the U.S. average and the maximum contamination level for drinking water. Chromium can exist in different forms in nature and it is the hexavalent chromium that is implicated in toxicity to aquatic organisms and humans. It also may be a human carcinogen.

Lead is naturally occurring metal and is present in low concentrations in the earth's crust. However, the human use of lead has increased its concentration in the environment a great deal. Although releases of lead have been significantly decreased in recent years due to removal of lead from gasoline and paints, there are still significant concentrations of lead in the soils and streams of the U.S. left over from automobile exhaust, paints and road salt. Acidified drinking water can dissolve lead from old lead pipes and from solder on copper piping and deliver it to our drinking water. Lead has been known to cause brain damage, behavioral disorders, convulsions and death and is particularly toxic to children. Urban runoff may be a major source of lead; studies on the Carlisle urban runoff resulted in average concentrations of lead at 28.2 ppb. The average concentrations in the ALLARM samples of 1.02 ppb are below levels of concern.

None of the average concentrations found in the Toxic Fingerprint Project samples are high enough to cause alarm, although there may be some individual samples that warrant further study. This was expected, since most samples have been taken from streams that are not the direct recipients of industrial discharge or urban runoff. Concentrations in our samples are comparable with average concentrations in U.S. waters and are important as documentation of background levels of these metals. The few sites that showed high concentrations will be asked to re-sample. Preliminary results are as follows:

Element Average Level Lead 1.02 ppb Chromium 0.30 ppb Cadmium 0.10 ppb Aluminum 64.1 ppb

Low Value Oppb Oppb Oppb Oppb

High Value 6.60ppb 1.93 ppb 1.10 ppb 203.00ppb

MCL* 15ppb lOOppb 5ppb lOppb

*The maximum contaminant level (MCL) set by the E.P.A. for drinking water.

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These results should be good news to all you volunteers that put forth the effort to mail in your samples. Our apologies go out to those of you who did not receive sampling kits, or who received kits that were leaking or otherwise faulty. Because we need to rely on another lab to send out the kits, these errors were beyond our control. However, all of us have learned from these mistakes and will improve the sampling protocol in the future. That, of course, is the purpose of a pilot project. You witl receive the final results of our analysis by early February.

This spring the Toxic Fingerprint Project will be expanded to include more parameters and more sites, and improved protocols for sampling and for lab analysis. It is our hope that the Toxic Fingerprint Print Project will become a stepping stone to a full blown citizen's lab. For minimal cost relative to market cost, we will analyze samples for priority pollutants. Although we are not ready to do this now, we hope to have the capability over the next few years.

If anyone has questions about the project, please feel free to contact Andy through the ALLARM office.

Where Did You Hear About ALLARM? by Jared Volpe and" Stefanie Comastro

The ALLARM staff is trying to determine our best form of advertisement and we need some information from you in order to accomplish that! Therefore, we would love for you to drop us a line to let us know where you found out about ALLARM. Please fill out the form below and send it to the ALLARM office!

Address: _

County: _

Year you began monitoring: _

Where did you hear about ALLA~M'): _

Please return this form to: ALLARM ENVIRONMENT AL STUDIES DEPT. DICKINSON COLLEGE CARLISLE, PA 17013-2896

S tr eam of Consciousness LS published twice a year as a service for the members of che Alliance for Acid Rain t-'1on1torine (!.__l_L.!""fUvl) Membership is available for S20 and includes a monitoring k.it., attendance at ALLA.RM wor ksbops and a subscription lo this newsletter. All donations ar e fully LU deductible Priru e d on r c cvc l c d paper.

ALLIANCE FOR ACID RAIN MONITORING Dickinson College Environmental Studies Department Carlisle, PA 1701J (717) 245-1565

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ALLIANCE FOR ACID RAIN MONITORING Environmental Studies Department Dickinson College Carlisle, PA 17013-2896

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POST AGE

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