Getting My Feet Wet...

Additional Video Clips Betty Davies A lifetime with the Mehoopany   Cliff Furman Water testing on the creek Acid rain affects water quality   Travis Long, Watershed Specialist Working with the group Challenges facing the watershed   Marilyn and Campy Marilyn and Campy Watershed Treks   Additional Audio Clip Natural Sounds of the Creek

nce you get your feet wet in the Mehoopany, you always come back. That's what I've been told - and I have to agree, as this was my second trip back to the Mehoopany Creek Watershed. The Mehoopany itself is a beautiful waterway with rock outcrops snuggling one side and pebbles, smoothed and rounded over time by the currents of the Mehoopany, on the other. The wooded mountains that surround the creek seem to be never ending - thus, they're appropriately named "The Endless Mountains." It's a magical place, especially in the heart of the autumn foliage change - which was when I visited.

n my first trip to the area, this past summer, I learned that the volunteers of the watershed association are not only emotionally attached to the creek, but also spiritually. The Mehoopany has that affect on you. I enjoyed a peace and solitude during my visit that I wanted to hold on to forever, and even now I revert back to my moments on the creek when life is stressful.

he group is made up of some remarkable individuals. During my visit I met with Travis, Carol, Betty, Cliff, Marilyn, and Doc Ayers. We met at Betty's house, which is a beautifully hand-built cabin in 'the grove' near the creek. Betty, her father, and her late husband built the cabin together back in 1959 - and the family has been there ever since. I felt right at home from the moment I walked in the door. One characteristic that I have appreciated in my visits with the watershed community is that they truly are just like family. This was the mother of all families. Betty had prepared homemade meatloaf (which I of course loved, even though I don't eat red meat), home baked bread, raspberry and strawberry jams, salads - oh, it was sinful - and all homemade. It doesn't get much better! So, after we filled our bellies, told stories, and listened to the rain on the rooftop above begin to slow - we headed out to the Mehoopany for a look at what makes it so unique.

he Mehoopany is located in Wyoming County, in the Upper Susquehanna watershed. The volunteers are monitoring the creek on a monthly basis and hope to have a yearly snapshot of the actual health of the waterway this coming spring. The Mehoopany has its problems, despite its status as a viable trout fishery, and its natural beauty. Cliff, who is one of the monitors, told me that acid rain has a serious impact on the stream. Apparently the affects are not from the local industrial towns of Scranton and Wilkes barre, but from much farther west of Pennsylvania. Another affect is simply the erosion of streambanks. Betty has been fighting the streambank battle for over 20 years. She and her family have long enjoyed swimming in the creek on hot summer days, but Hurricane Agnes in 1972 changed all that. In an attempt to correct the damage made by the hurricane, the Army Corp of Engineers bulldozed sections of the streambank. Unfortunately this solution didn't solve the problem and only made things worse. Betty has been working on her own to save the property being lost by the now swift moving currents of the creek, and it wasn't until recently that a solution may be in sight. The Mehoopany Creek Watershed Association was just what Betty needed to renew her hope of saving the creek and her beautiful property.

he formation of the Mehoopany Creek Watershed Association is having a positive impact on the whole community, and Betty is right there in the thick of things. She, along with the other folks are using their passion for the creek, and their individual talents to make a difference. For instance, Bill and Carol Owens are a one-two-punch team. Carol works for the Wyoming County Conservation District office - so she knows all the avenues for assistance, and Bill is a pilot. Carol works with the local college, conservation groups and volunteers to keep everyone moving and networked into each other's programs. Meanwhile, Bill, and a local Videographer, Kenny, take to the skies and film the creek from above - it's a fantastic way to get a realistic view of the stream, areas which are being washed out and eroded, and areas where the wooded buffers are being destroyed. They bring these visuals back so the whole group can take a look at where the work needs to be done. Then there's Marilyn. She has also found a unique way of combining her passions to benefit the creek. Marilyn, and her horse, Campy, traverse the hillsides to reach points along the creek where people may not normally be able to get to on foot - or areas which would take an overnight backpack trip to visit. Cliff and Doc both spend many a weekend hour putting on their hip waders to test the stream health. They say they've only just begun the sampling and Cliff insists they still have much to learn about assessment, but they'll put on those hip waders if you ask. Could just be an excuse to get their feet wet, but I think they're just really excited by what they're doing. And finally, there's Travis. Travis has since left the Mehoopany Creek Watershed, where he served as the Watershed Specialist to take on a new adventure in his career. He will be sorely missed by the community, but vows to continue to help the group - he definitely got his feet wet in the Mehoopany.

s I packed up my gear and headed back to the city, I felt like I was leaving home. I can't wait to revisit the Endless Mountains, and to get my feet wet in the Mehoopany again. Maybe next time I'll get to jump from one of those rock outcrops and have some fun swimming with Betty and the crew!

Click on the Image to make it larger...