Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited

At the January meeting of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the PFBC will vote to approve new Class A and Wild Trout Streams in the Commonwealth. We need your voice to tell the commission that TU and its partners stand for Wild Trout protections.

To view a map of proposed streams in your area, click here!

Water quality protections offered by the Wild Trout and Class A designations allow for Pennsylvania’s wild trout to continue to thrive and grow in our beautiful waterways.

To view the full list of proposed Wild Trout Streams, click here!

To view the full list of proposed Class A Trout Streams, click here!

The voice of TU members for this approval process has been loud and fierce in 2018 and we can’t stop now. Make your voice heard – tell the commission you want protections for wild trout in Pennsylvania!

File your public comment to support the
designation Wild Trout and Class A streams.

Comments are due to the Commission by December 9, 2018.

    The Upper Susquehanna River watershed (PA) has experienced a rapid increase in unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development since it is part of the Marcellus shale formation. It is also part of the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay, which is the focus of considerable conservation and restoration activities by federal and state agencies under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Brook trout are of significant economic and cultural importance in this region, and require high quality, cold-water habitats to persist throughout the watershed,
Here is an important research paper that shows USGS’s approach to try and create an unbiased high level scientific methodology for evaluating impacts on populations of brook trout in the northern PA study area.  This paper, though largely empirical, but when calibrated with more future field studies and stream monitoring and assessment over more varying weather conditions, could be a useful tool in helping our agencies develop strategies to protect wild brook trout.

Click here to be taken to the paper

Today, November 1st, bidding will open at an auction to benefit all Pennsylvania Project Healing Waters programs!

This is our third benefit fundraiser and I need your help.

Please visit the auction (link below) and peruse the eighteen items offered for bid. The link has full descriptions, pictures, values and starting bids for each item.

https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/auctionhome.action?auctionId=341690479

Once you have reviewed the items (and hopefully made your bid) please forward the link to your program’s email list and 3 or 4 friends who may also be willing to help us!

Start bidding today!

Dave Riggio
Pennsylvania Deputy Regional Coordinator
West Bradford Program Lead

Mobile (484) 225-0452

BEGINS TODAY: a person shall wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket during the cold weather months from Nov 1st through April 30th while underway or at anchor on boats less than 16 ft in length or any canoe or kayak. Learn more here: http://ow.ly/Ysol30l804J

The November issue of the Susquehanna Ripples is now out.  Click the link below to get your copy.

2018-11 Susquehanna Ripples

The annual Chapter election will be held at the November 14, 2018 Chapter Meeting. As required by the bylaws, the Nominating Committee has presented the following list of candidates:

1 year Term
President:           Walt Nicholson
Vice President:   Dave Craig
Secretary:          Kevin McJunkin
Treasurer:          Bob Baker

3 year Term
Director: Charlie Knowlden
Director: Isaac Bragunier

Since posting the list of candidates in October, Steve Szoke withdrew his name for consideration for another term as Director. The nomination committee then named Isaac Bragunier, who accepted the nomination to be considered for the open Director position.

We will take nominations from the floor prior to the election. Please consider giving back to the Chapter by assuming a leadership role.   You can self nominate yourself or nominate someone else. You don’t have to worry about experience and you will not be left alone as you will have all the support, and help, you need in order to succeed.

On Wednesday, November 14th at 7 pm, the Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited will be featuring a special presentation by Nathan Reagle of the PA Bureau of Forestry on improving habitat for wild trout in the headwater streams of Pennsylvania by employing techniques such as selective use of large woody material placement in streams. Natural deposition of large tree trunks and woody debris in forested trout streams have been found to have ecological and conservation benefits by increasing shelter and food habitat for trout and helping to reduce bank erosion.   Ongoing and potential projects to utilize these practices in our area streams will be discussed, as well as how sportsmen groups and conservation organizations can get involved in support of stream restoration efforts. The public is invited to attend this event which will also include the annual meeting and election of officers of the TU chapter. The presentation and meeting will be held in the Fellowship Hall of Covenant Central Presbyterian Church, rear of 807 W 4th Street in Williamsport (enter off of Campbell Street).

Informational downloads for you:

Wood in Streams Brochure

Stream Habitat Improvement LWM

Help needed with the annual spawning survey in Cross Fork Creek watershed (tributary to the Kettle Creek, Potter County)! Please contact Shawn Rummel at shawn.rummel@tu.org no later than Sunday, October 21st if you are interested! We are planning to expand the redd surveys to include at least three surveys over the course of the spawning season. Volunteers would be asked to survey a reach of approximately 1-3 miles roughly every two weeks beginning in late October or early November (for a total of three times at each reach) to record the number and location of redds observed. A brief training and/or webinar will be provided to volunteers. Surveys could be completed on your own schedule since multiple surveys make logistics difficult to line up days that work for everyone.