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Additional information on this topic provided below. |
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Getting Wet in the Loyalhanna
By Carole Wright, Program Manager, Loyalhanna Watershed Association
 he
Loyalhanna Watershed Association (LWA) watershed assessment is a Growing
Greener Grant project to assess and prioritize environmental challenges
within the Loyalhanna Creek Watershed. The project has required us
to walk a majority of our 2,500 miles of stream.
he assessment is performed by completing a visual survey...we use
the USDA Visual Assessment Protocol which assists us in taking note
of the stream substrate, canopy cover, riparian area, habitat and
the presence of impacts. This assessment has taken us through every
type of terrain in every type of weather! And it has been invaluable
for the LWA; I know my watershed better than I ever imagined!
he Loyalhanna Creek Watershed, like many in the state, is breathtaking.
I never grow tired of the beauty of the headwaters, but am dismayed
every time I see the horrible impact from mine drainage downstream.
At the end of our project, we will not only be more familiar with
our watershed, but we will also publish a document that will serve
as our guide to complete future restoration projects. As funding becomes
an uncertainty, it is important that we approach all projects with
the knowledge of what each project's overall impact will be on total
health of the watershed.
ne of the ways we share our knowledge of the watershed with the community
is through the ‘Sources and Solutions’ program. The program
offers a variety of tours to the public, one of which was held along
the banks of Two Mile Run, which is a tributary to the Loyalhanna
Creek.
wenty community members joined us for an in-depth look at the fish
and aquatic species that live in the stream. The Western Pennsylvania
Watershed Assistance Center helped us by providing the equipment and
their knowledge about life in the stream.
t was our goal to get folks excited about what we are doing and what
can be found in the stream, and I think it worked! Today our feedback
regarding the program has been excellent, and I have a feeling that
many of the kids who joined us will be eager to get back into the
stream to continue their search.
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| Click on the photo to
enlarge it. |
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For more information
 The
Loyalhanna Watershed Association
The
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Watershed Assistance Center |
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