March 2024 - Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy

NPC Helping to Restore the Shoreline at F. J. Sayers Reservoir

March 28, 2024 Renee Carey

Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County features the F. J. Sayers Reservoir, a man-made lake owned by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). While the USACE manages water levels, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of State Parks (DCNR) oversees public access for fishing and boating at the park.

Several areas of lakeshore have erosion issues. There are two main factors leading to the erosion, a steep shoreline and wave action from the motorized boats traveling the lake.

Because of the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy’s (NPC) partnership with the stream habitat section of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), the lake habitat section reached out for help.

The PFBC lake crew studied F. J. Sayers Reservoir in cooperation with its partners and developed a plan to stabilize erosion in various areas and add some habitat structures for fish. They needed an additional partner, however, to help pull the funding together, manage the grants, and order some of the materials. An email and a phone call later and NPC was working to submit for grant funding. NPC gave them the ability to be more efficient and go after funding that they previously weren’t able to go after.

Recently the Pennsylvania Lake Management Society (PALMS) awarded NPC a grant for one of the more popular areas at Sayers Reservoir/Bald Eagle State Park, Hunters Run Access. The shoreline work will happen in late May or early June. The area first needed to be prepped for the shoreline event. Offshore submerged habitat work was also designed for when the lake was naturally drawn down for its annual water elevation operation schedule. The project prep and submerged offshore habitat work happened on a cold and blustery March day.

The PFBC lake crew worked to place reef balls on the lake bottom. These reef balls are made of concrete which are more or less a hollow gumdrop with holes in them. The holes on the sides allow fish to easily swim in and out for cover.

They were placed to improve the local habitat, providing better fishing for the shoreline anglers and boaters. The reef balls can be used as a standalone structure or become more complex with felled trees. Despite the necessity to remove shoreline trees during the area’s reshaping, plans are in place to establish a new and improved riparian buffer once the project progresses further. Those felled trees, however, did not go to waste and were used to make additional excellent fish habitat! The trees, with their roots and limbs intact, will serve as a mini food web for macroinvertebrates, which intern is food for the small and young of the year fish located in the lake. These areas then will become a perfect location for the larger sized fish that everyone enjoys catching since the area has both excellent habitat and food for them.

The next phase of the project will be in late May or early June. This project will focus on placing shoreline stone framed deflectors. These will not only improve fish habitat and water quality but will also improve angler access. Stay tuned for more updates!

Uncategorized

Town Talks: A Key Component of Conservation

March 25, 2024 Holly Byers

Thanks to the unwavering support of its members, the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC) proudly serves a 12-county region across Northcentral PA. This extensive footprint allows NPC the opportunity to champion the environmental wellbeing of the region as a whole, one community conservation project at a time! However, operating within such a widespread area presents its own set of challenges; like being in all places at once or initiating projects in towns where NPC staff or board members do not personally reside.

Yet, NPC’s roots lie in the communal power of town talks, firmly believing that building trust and transparency are essential for any conservation project to be successful!

A prime example of this is the Coal Creek property located in Blossburg. There, staff have been actively participating in Borough Council meetings for over a year and a half. These meetings enable NPC to maintain communication not only with the local community but also with project partners like the Tioga County Concerned Citizens Committee, Susquehanna River Basin Commission, and Kleinfelder engineering. These connections facilitate the sharing of information and ensure that the community’s needs are considered throughout the project.

Tioga River restoration plans outlined for Blossburg community

In 2022, NPC acquired the 216-acre Coal Creek property in Blossburg.

Last month, community members and landowners gathered to learn more about the plans for treating the Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) affecting the Tioga River. Organized by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (BAMR) with input from all partners, including NPC, the community meeting was a significant step in fostering dialogue and transparency.

NPC was asked to moderate the presentations and facilitate the meetings, a testament to NPC’s ongoing outreach. Nearly 80 individuals, including landowners and organization members directly impacted by the project, had the opportunity to learn about the plans.

The meeting provided an overview of the three streams with AMD issues affecting the Tioga River, followed by a “tour” of the proposed treatment system. Attendees gained insights into how each stream – Morris Run, Fallbrook, and Coal Creek – would be contained and pumped to the Active Treatment Plant (ATP), along with details on funding, operations, maintenance, and paperwork requirements for impacted landowners.

Prior to the meeting, NPC addressed rumors circulating within the community, ensuring transparency and trust from the outset. During the question and answer session, concerns ranging from public safety to property usage were addressed.

A notable community need emerged regarding public safety, with the volunteer fire company advocating for the inclusion of hydrants in the system. Their input will ensure quicker response times during emergencies, minimizing potential risks to nearby homes and businesses.

After the formal presentations wrapped up, staff from the various organizations were on hand to answer questions. There was also a complete set of plans available for the engineers to show people and explain, and a series of maps were on display to help people follow the path of the water from the discharge to the ATP and back to local streams.

Jim Green with BAMR (left) listens as a landowner explains a traffic concern.

Thanks to the NPC membership for their steadfast support in the Coal Creek acquisition and the broader Tioga River restoration efforts. Their membership not only contributes to restoring the Tioga River but also empowers local communities to voice their concerns and inquiries.

The design will be finalized in the next several months. Once the design is wrapped up, the engineers will prepare the bid packets. The hope is that construction will begin in 2025 and wrap-up in 2026. Stay tuned for more updates on how NPC members are helping to restore the Tioga River!