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.