This PowerPoint provides a summary of the water quality monitoring activities being conducted by the Iron Furnace Chapter of Trout Unlimited as of January 2013.

1. Iron Furnace Trout Unlimited
Water Quality Monitoring Projects
January 2013
Bruce Dickson, PhD

2. IFTU Water Quality Monitoring
Program Development
PATU Coldwater Conservation Corps (CCC):
• National TU and the PA Council teamed up to
develop and implement a stream surveillance
program in response to the shale gas boom in
Pennsylvania;
• TU volunteers monitor water resources, conduct
visual assessments, and report violations of state
environmental laws to appropriate state agencies
ensuring that special watersheds and coldwater
resources are protected from the threats of
environmental degradation.

4. Coldwater Conservation Corps Approach

5. Coldwater Conservation Corps Approach
• Volunteer based;
• Participation and extent of coverage;
• Limited data collection;
• Aging membership;
• Distances to developed areas and
associated travel cost;
• How can IFTU respond?

6. Iron Furnace Water Quality
Monitoring Program
• Technology based;
• Broaden coverage area (north);
• Expand data collection (parameters
and frequency);
• Share information and partner
where possible.
 Data Loggers;
 Real-Time Satellite Stations.

7. • On Allegheny Plateau
• Established 1923
• “Allegheny Brush-
patch”
• ~ 517,000 acres
• Encompasses parts of 4
counties

8. Deployed: Satellite Station
• Salmon Creek
• Tionesta Creek
• Millstone Creek
• Spring Creek
• Cathers Run
Broadcast water quality
data to internet (4 hours):
• Temperature (C)
• pH
• Specific Conductance
• Dissolved Oxygen
• Turbidity
• Level (discharge)

9. Satellite Station
Transceiver Sonde Tube

10. Satellite Station
YSI Sonde Sonde Tube

11. Viewing Monitoring Data
www.ironfurnacetu.net

12. Viewing Monitoring Data
www.ironfurnacetu.net

13. Viewing Monitoring Data

14. Solinst Data Logger
Conductivity Range: 0 – 80,000 µS/cm
Accuracy: 2% accuracy @ 500 – 80,000 µS/cm
Accuracy: highly variable < 500 µS/cm
Also records temperature and pressure (level)

15. Hobo Data Logger
Conductivity Range (low setting): 0 – 1,000 µS/cm
Accuracy: 2% 0 – 1,000 µS/cm
Also records temperature & has full conductivity range @
0 – 10,000 µS/cm

16. Assembled Logger Housing
Water
circulation holes
Painted Housing
(neutral color)

17. Logger Ready for Deployment
~ 3’ of 1/8” Cable
1/8” Double
ferrule to form loop
Zip tie secures
logger in housing
Single
1/8” ferrule
for cable stop
Predrilled concrete
form stake

18. Logger Staked in Place
Under Bridge After 60 Days

19. Logger Stations
Deployed:
• Salmon Creek
The Branch, 4 Mile Run, Little Salmon Creek, and Trib 55118
• Spring Creek
Hunter Creek, Banks Run
• Millstone Creek
Log Run
• Allegheny River (Direct Tributaries)
Ward Run, Anderson Run, Hemlock Creek, East Hickory Creek,
McCaferdy Run
• Tionesta Creek
Blue Jay Creek, Irwin Run
• Clarion River
Mill Creek (loaner)
Collect:
• Temperature (C)
• Specific Conductance
• Level (discharge)

20. Logger Data

21. IFTU Monitoring Experience
Data Loggers:
• Inexpensive ($700 – Hobo/$1200 - Solinst);
• Easy to deploy/redeploy, and durable;
• Solinst conductivity range limitation
(> 500 – 80,000 µS/cm);
• Programming and data download relatively
simple;
• Large quantity of data (15 minute interval = 95
observations/day);
• Infrequent calibration (in-house or lab*).

22. IFTU Monitoring Experience
Satellite Stations:
• Expensive ($10K initial investment);
• Siting and installation (permanent locations);
• On-going expenses (site maintenance, sonde
calibration, sensor replacement, unit
management, data transmission);
• Large quantity of data;
• Steep learning curve;

23. IFTU Monitoring Network Map

24. IFTU/Three Rivers Quest Project

25. Three Rivers Quest Monitoring Stations
Collected at 10 USGS Stations:
• French Creek Field
Utica • Temperature (C)
• Oil Creek • Specific Conductance
Rouseville
• pH
• Brokenstraw Creek
Youngsville
Laboratory (Brockway)
• Alkalinity
• Allegheny River • Acidity
Port Allegany
• Bromide
Eldred
• Chloride
• Tionesta Creek • Sulfate
Lynch • Dissolved Aluminum
Tionesta • Dissolved Manganese
• Clarion River • Dissolved Sodium
Cooksburg • Dissolved Iron
Ridgway • Total Suspended Solids
Wilcox • Total Dissolved Solids

26. Three Rivers Quest Monitoring Stations

27. Three Rivers Quest
Mini-Grant Program
2013
• Grant program designed to
expand monitoring
opportunities in the
Northern Allegheny Basin;
• Data to be incorporated into
3RQ database (WVWRI);
• IFTU oversight;
• RFP details available soon.

28. ->>PARTNERS<<-
• United States Forest Service;
• PA Fish and Boat Commission;
• Allegheny WINs;
• Western Pennsylvania Conservancy;
• PADCNR/DADEP;
• US Army Corps of Engineers;
• Elk County Conservation District;
• McKean County Conservation District;
• Warren County Conservation District;
• PA Council Trout Unlimited;
• Colcom Foundation;
• West Virginia Water Resources Institute/Three Rivers Quest;
• Forest County School District (West and East Forest Schools);
• Hickory Grove Elementary School (Brookville, PA).

29. Marcellus Rig
at Mayburg, PA
on RT 666 adjacent
to Tionesta Creek
January 9, 2013.