Event, On the Blog, Tioga River Restoration, Water

Tie-Dye and the Tioga River: Turning Pollution into Art 

Blossburg – On Friday, June 27, more than 80 people gathered at the Blossburg Memorial Library for an afternoon of creativity, learning, and community connection at a free tie-dye party. However, this was not your typical tie-dye event. Instead, participants used an orange dye made from an unusual source: abandoned mine drainage (AMD). 

Erica and Maddy from the Tioga County Conservation District help out at the Tie-Dye Party held at the Blossburg Memorial Library.
Inside, NPC staff, Sara and Jesse, lead participants through a macro-matching game while waiting for their turn to tie-dye.

Why the Tioga River Runs Orange

AMD happens when water flows through old coal mines, picking up iron and metals along the way. When this water reaches meets air (oxygen) chemical reactions takes place. One chemical reaction is the iron in the water turns orange. This orange can stains the rocks and streambeds. This is what causes some parts of the Tioga River to have that bright orange color. 

At the tie-dye party, guests of all ages learned how AMD has affected the Tioga River for years. AMD from old mines along Fall Brook, Morris Run, and Coal Creek continues to flow into the river, harming water quality and aquatic life. Rather than just talking about the problem, we turned it into something colorful. Using pigment made from iron oxide collected from AMD, guests created one-of-a-kind t-shirts they could take home. 

The bright orange color in parts of the Tioga River comes from iron in abandoned mine drainage (AMD). As the iron-rich water meets air, chemical reactions turn the riverbed orange.

Access Leads to Action

The Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC) is playing a key role in the Tioga River’s recovery. By acquiring the Coal Creek property, NPC helped make it possible for scientists and engineers to reach the largest mine discharge site in the entire Tioga River watershed. This access is an important step toward designing and building treatment systems that can clean the water and bring fish and other aquatic life back to the river.

Rivers, Coal and Crafts: Highlighting the Tioga River Restoration

This event is part of the ongoing Rivers, Coal and Crafts series, made possible by grant funding from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), the Jones Foundation, and Friends of the Blossburg Memorial Library.  

The series, coordinated by NPC, Tioga County Conservation District, and the Blossburg Memorial Library celebrates the Blossburg community and shares information about the Tioga River’s ongoing restoration.  

Through hands on workshops, craft projects, and storytelling, participants of all ages are learning about the decades-long impacts of Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) on the Tioga River, and how local partnerships are working together to restore the health of the river and its surrounding landscape.  

Tioga River Restoration, Uncategorized, Water

Local Students Explore Water Quality with Gnolli and the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy

Gnolli, the Tioga River Gnome, recently joined the 2024–2025 class of the Tioga County Partnership for Community Health’s Youth Leadership Program at their final session. High school juniors and seniors from across Tioga County spent the day learning about watersheds, water quality, abandoned mine drainage (AMD), and the importance of community involvement in conservation.

Students test pH with red cabbage juice and learn how abandoned mines affect local waterways.

Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC) Board Member and former Southern Tioga School District science teacher, Julie Weaver, led students through an activity exploring water pH.

pH is a measure of how acidic or basic water is. Because pH is affected by the chemicals present, it’s an important indicator of whether the water is undergoing chemical changes. The pH level also determines how much of a substance can dissolve in the water and how accessible that substance is to aquatic life.

pH is one of the key indicators used when studying abandoned mine drainage.

Metals like aluminum become more toxic at lower pH levels because more of the metal dissolves into the water under acidic conditions.

After discussing how abandoned mines can affect water quality, students used red cabbage juice to test the pH of various liquids. One of the samples was water from Coal Creek. Other samples included lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, milk, pond water, rainwater (there was plenty of that this month), baking soda, and soda pop. In case you’re curious, Coal Creek’s water typically has a pH between 2.7 and 3.0, according to Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) data. For comparison, baking soda has a pH of 8.5, and dairy milk has a pH of 6.5.

When red cabbage juice was added, acidic liquids turned red, while less acidic (more basic) substances turned blue.

The amateur scientists walked away with a better understanding of pH and how water can be impacted by abandoned mines—and Gnolli had a chance to make some new friends!

Thank you to the Tioga County Conservation District, Tioga County Commissioners Shane Nickerson and Sam VanLoon, and Blossburg Mayor Tim Martin for including NPC—and Gnolli!

Coal Creek Connections: How NPC Is Helping Restore the Tioga River

For years, abandoned mine drainage has flowed from closed coal mines into the Tioga River from at Fall Brook, Morris Run, and Coal Creek. To support long-term restoration efforts, NPC acquired the Coal Creek property. This key site provides access to the largest mine discharge in the Tioga River watershed. That access is essential to designing and implementing real solutions to clean the water and restore aquatic life. 

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Lake project, Water

Stewardship in Bald Eagle State Park with the “Lake Guys”

Because of your support and help with stream work across the region, the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy is now also working with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s “Lake Guys.”

Back in March 2025 the Lake Guys stabilized a section of eroding shoreline at F.J. Sayers Reservoir in Bald Eagle State Park. Using large rocks, the crew built sawtooth and stone framed deflectors along the shoreline. The stone deflectors will help rebuild the shoreline, and also help prevent the lakeshore from continuing to wash away.

Before: Eroding shoreline at F.J. Sayers Reservoir
After: Stone framed deflectors help stabilize the shoreline and prevent further erosion.

You may be wondering what causes erosion at a lake.

Good question.

The wave action from power boats and wind can be enough over time to wash away stretches of the shoreline.  This adds nutrient and sediment into the watershed, degrades terrestrial and aquatic habitat, and leads to poor shoreline access.  The deflectors improve these items and create fishing hotspots where family’s and other groups can gather and catch lots of fish

The Lake Guys spent several weeks working on the project. Later this spring or fall, trees will be planted. Over time the tree roots will add to the stabilization at the site.

The “Lake Guys” at PFBC studied F.J. Sayers Reservoir in cooperation with its partners and developed the plan to stabilize erosion in various areas and add habitat structures for fish.

NPC’s members helped by applying for funding, administering the grant, and working on some coordination. Thanks to Beyond the Pond and Bass Pro for their financial support of the project!!

Other funding and technical assistance came from Bald Eagle State Park, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (they operate and maintain the dam for flood control purposes).

This is the second location on F.J. Sayers Reservoir where NPC and our partners have worked together to restore the shoreline. Last summer, we collaborated to restore a section near the Hunters Run Access, and we’ll continue working together to secure funding and build on this progress.

Lake project, On the Blog, Water

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

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!

On the Blog, Water

Why Wetlands Matter

Raise your hand if you’re a fan of fens?!  How about a sucker for swamps?!  Or go bonkers for bogs?! Marvel at marshes?!  Fens, swamps, bogs, and marshes are all types of wetlands you can find here in PA…and they really are worth going wild about! 

Wetlands are places where the soil holds water either permanently or seasonally. Wetland water may be visible, or it may be below the surface of the ground.

Wetlands support a wide variety of animals and insects, including migratory and resident birds, turtles, fish, snakes, frogs – making them crucial hotspots for biodiversity.  In fact, 40% of all species live or breed in wetlands!

Wetlands are not only a great place to view wildlife, but they can also offer many opportunities for recreation like boating, fishing, hunting, and canoeing.

Wildlife habitat. Clean Water.  Climate Control.  Economic Benefits.  Recreational Opportunities.  Basically, wetlands are like ecological and societal powerhouses. 

Dragonflies can be found patrolling above the water and broods of ducks raise their young at the PPL Wetlands.

NPC members have played an active role in helping to conserve these delicate ecosystems across the region.  Here’s a look at some of those conserved land:

Pennsyl & Homer Webster
These two sisters properties located just north of Wellsboro cover a large area of wetland, locally known at the “The Muck.”  The area was once used to raise lettuce and celery, but today hosts as a breeding ground for a variety of birds, including Marsh Wrens, American Bitterns, Common Snipe, Virginia Rail and Sora Rail.  It’s been designated as one of Pennsylvania’s Important Bird Areas and offers a boardwalk and wildlife viewing blind for the public to enjoy.

Cavanaugh Access
Many people know the Cavanaugh Access Area because it provides quick access to the Pine Creek Trail.  However, this 132-acre parcel of land also helps conserve important wetlands along Marsh Creek.  The wetlands are extensive, fed by Canada Run, and close to wooded areas. This allows wildlife to use the wetlands and Creek by moving from the forest to the stream and wetlands and back.  Marsh Creek is a major tributary to Pine Creek. Marsh Creek meanders and bends through this property for nearly one mile. This Creek and its associated wetlands are a huge sponge that provide water year round that helps keep Pine Creek’s water cooler in the summer.

Brid watching at the Pennsyl property
Knob Mountain conservation easement

Clinton County Solid Waste Authority (CCSWA)
Wetland mitigation is the restoration, creation or enhancement of wetlands for the purpose of compensating for unavoidable impacts to wetlands at another location.  During the 1990’s, the CCSWA worked closely with the Army Corps of Engineers to construct a mitigation wetland to replace an area that was impacted during their expansion.  Today, NPC holds a 49-acre easement on the land, protecting the wetlands’ water, soil, fish and wildlife conservation values.

PPL Wetlands
This property was the first conservation easement of any type in Montour County back in 2008.  The entire conserved property consists of nearly 109 acres and includes a 5-acre mitigation wetland constructed by PPL, 59 acres of wooded wetland, cropland, and creek frontage.  Today, dragonflies can be found patrolling above the water and broods of ducks raise their young here.

Fossil Farm
The 150-acre easement holds a variety of unique environmental values, including a beaver pond and several other large wetland areas.  Catlin Hollow Creek flows through the property before entering Crooked Creek before winding its way to the Chesapeake Bay.  This property helps to conserve the water quality of not only this region, but plays a vital role on a much larger scale as well!  

Learn more about NPC’s other conserved properties with wetlands here:  John F Logue, Logue/McMahon, Maurey, Viani, Knob Mountain.