Our friend John Zaktansky, the Middle Susquehanna River Keeper, published the above named article October 9, 2020. It is an informative article that focuses on the lower water table from this summer’s drought. He does not address the possible effects of water withdrawals from Gas companies (fracking) but may do such an article in the future. You can find the article here or search for it under the blogs.

If you have not visited the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeepers website, please take a moment to visit it. There is a great amount of information and articles. You can visit their website http://www.middlesusquehannariverkeeper.org/

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The October issue of the Susquehanna Ripples is now available. You can download your copy here.

At a recent meeting of the Officer’s and Director’s, it was decided to cancel all Chapter meetings indefinitely.  This was not an easy decision to make and there was a lengthy discussion before the decision was made and voted on.

There were many factors that went into our decision and it was ultimately the safety of everyone that made the decision easier.  Even with safety precautions in place like wearing a mask and social distancing, COVID cases have increased in our area.

We are sorry for this and will continually review the COVID conditions and make appropriate decisions affecting our Chapter.  Everyone’s safety is or priority.

The September 2020 Issue of the Susquehanna Ripples is now available.  A misprint was found in the article on donations  and it has since been corrected.  The issue that you download is the corrected copy.

For those individuals who have received the original issue, the correction is In the donation article on page 9.  The correction is as follows.

In November 2017, Inflection Energy had a well pad off Yeagle Road in Eldred Township, Lycoming County.  Approximately 63,000 gallons of  treated brine water escaped onto the ground and some going into a tributary of Loyalsock Creek. Earlier this year, Inflection Energy entered into a plea deal with the AP attorney General’s Office and we received this donation as part of that plea agreement.

You can get your copy of the September 2020 Susquehanna Ripples here

Above was taken from the PA Council of Trout Unlimited Web page

The Chapter submitted a TAG (Technical Assistance Grant) application to Trout Unlimited for “assistance to monitor water quality, benthic macroinvertebates and fishery populations around AMD (acid mine drainage) treatment sites that have recently been rehabilitated to determine the impact of the remediation.  Additionally we would like to hvae an assessment of the current mine drainage issues in this portion of the watershed and determine additional potential restoration options.” (taken from TAG application)

This grant and subsequent work will find solutions to restoring a portion of upper Loyalsock Creek, upstream of US 220 from its present impaired status. The study is underway and stream monitoring will begin later this fall.

Ruth Rode of the Loyalsock Creek Watershed Association (LCWA) prepared the attached summary of abandoned mine discharge (AMD) abatement efforts in the upper Loyalsock watershed near Mildred and Lopez.

2020-06-20 AMD treatment history of LCWA

Drone video of the AMD Sites

Picture below submitted by Walt Nicholson Showing Tunnel B Treatment Pond in the Upper Loyalsock Creek

     We hope your summer is going well. These are certainly crazy times that we are in right now but hopefully this return to a somewhat normal way in the very near future. Please find attached the July issue of the Susquehanna Ripples. This is the first time we have published a summer issue and we hope you like it.

    Our next issue will be at the end of August or the very first part of September and our regular monthly meeting is currently scheduled for Wednesday September 9, 2020. We are still working on ideas and a location to have this meeting that will allow for social distancing and a safe environment for everyone.

As always we hope to see you at the meeting and on the stream.

2020-07 Susquehanna Ripples

Special Reminder for Anglers — It’s REALLY hot and dry out there!

With hot and dry weather upon us, many of Pennsylvania’s waterways are warming up and rivers and streams are experiencing below average water flows. As you can imagine, this can be a very stressful time for fish, especially cold water species like trout.

If you’re heading out fishing during this time, please consider that the added stress of being captured by an angler by line and hook under these conditions can often result in death for the trout.

In many cases, trout will seek out the closest source of cold water to provide thermal relief. This often results in many trout congregating at the mouths of cool-water tributaries or spring seeps.

Please consider that while crowded and thermally stressed trout in a pool of water may look like an easy target, these fish are typically in poor condition and difficult to catch. Anglers should avoid fishing for trout during these conditions, as it can have lasting impacts on the population
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If you are considering trout fishing when conditions are stressful, please follow these recommended guidelines:

Take a water temperature upon arriving at the stream. If the water temperature exceed 70°F, be mindful that trout are experiencing thermal stress and consider fishing for warm-water species such as Largemouth Bass, panfish, or catfish.

Anglers should fish during the morning when water temperatures are lowest. Stream temperatures can rapidly increase during the afternoon and evening hours, so avoid trout fishing during that time.

Avoid fishing in areas where trout are congregated. Actively fishing for thermally stressed trout will only add additional stress to the fish, decreasing the likelihood that the fish will survive after being caught and released.

Please like and share this post to help spread the word to other anglers, especially those who are new to the sport. As always, thank you from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission!

Taken from the PA Fish and Boat Commission Facebook page