West Branch Susquehanna Restoration Coalition
West Branch Recovery Benchmark Project
There has been tremendous effort by West Branch Susquehanna Restoration Coalition (WBSRC) partnering organizations and others to restore the waters of the West Branch Susquehanna watershed from abandoned mine drainage. However, we cannot quantify these efforts or know how the millions of dollars spent to date have been of benefit because there has not been a concerted effort to reevaluate the West Branch Susquehanna and its tributaries.
In fact, the most recent attempt to comprehensively inventory the fish populations in the upper and middle West Branch occurred in 1998 and 1999 by the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). In addition, the most recent effort to evaluate the West Branch Susquehanna’s tributaries, with respect to AMD, and their impact to the main stem of the river was in 1984 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Recognizing this problem, Trout Unlimited (TU) has partnered with the PA Department of Environmental Protection and the PFBC and will be completing a widespread analysis of flow, chemistry, fish, and benthic macroinvertebrates of the West Branch Susquehanna and its tributaries during the spring and summer of 2009.
To find out more about this project or to find out how you can volunteer contact TU’s Becky Dunlap at rdunlap@tu.org or 570-748-4901.
About the West Branch Recovery Benchmark Project by DEP's Mario Carrello
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