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ACWA hears updates on projects
Friday, February 05, 2010
By Dianne Byers Staff Writer
CURWENSVILLE - Anderson Creek Watershed Association, at last night's meeting, heard updates on several projects affecting the watershed.
Michelle Merrow of Alder Run Engineering, Osceola Mills, informed the group about a meeting that would be held Thursday at 3 p.m. at Grampian Community Park to discuss the bank stabilization of Davis Run.
The meeting will be attended by officials from Grampian Borough, the state Department of Environmental Protection, Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and the state Fish and Boat Commission.
The borough submitted an application to DEP for permission for a project to strengthen the banks of the stream from Grampian Community Park to Walltown Road, which will work to alleviate flooding in the borough.
DEP recently sent a letter to borough council requesting additional information and questioning some details of the plan.
Merrow told the group she hopes a meeting at the actual site will reinforce the design plan and help officials visualize the problems and how the borough's plan will rectify erosion, especially behind the park's community building.
The Korb site in Bloom Township was also discussed. Merrow said earth will be moved there later this year in preparation to divert acid mine drainage away from a spoil pile left by clay and coal mining operations. She said when the work is completed, the site will be ready to house a lime doser that eventually would be used to neutralize the AMD flowing into an unnamed tributary of Bilger's Run.
Kelly Williams, watershed specialist for the Clearfield County Conservation District, reported the second bank stabilization/fish habitat built in October along the banks of Kratzer Run is performing beautifully. She said Dave Keller of the PFBC recently inspected the site and said he would support a third project to further stabilize the stream's bank near where Kratzer Run and Anderson Creek come together.
Carl Undercoffler, member, noted PFBC has the funding in place for four stream bank improvement projects and the third Kratzer Run site is included.
Williams also noted signs will be placed near the first and second stream stabilization projects once the weather improves. One sign will be installed along state Route 879 and the second on the Rails to Trails.
Mark Killar of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy said the agency received a $5,000 donation to do fish and insect sampling in the watershed to develop a hydrological unit plan and update the Anderson Creek comprehensive plan. He said the hydrological unit plan would allow the watershed to receive any federal grant funding for which it applies and is qualified.
Sam Miles of the DuBois Watershed Committee attended last night's meeting to discuss DuBois City Council's plan to drill for gas near the city's reservoir. He said the watershed preservation group is being reformed and hopes to give input into the contract for which the city is negotiating the gas extraction and well placement.
ACWA will meet again April 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Pike Township municipal building.
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