Investigation of Fluvial Mixing Zones in the Marsh-Beech-Bald Eagle Creek System in Centre and Clinton Counties, PA
Eric J. PIRRONE, Dept. of Geology and Physics, Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA 17745, epirrone@lhup.edu; Alex Neidig; Brandin Mann; Philip Griffith; Thomas Keane; Md. Khalequzzaman, Dept. of Geology and Physics, Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA 17745.
The AMD-impacted Beech Creek and nutrient-rich Marsh Creek join the net-alkaline Bald Eagle Creek before it empties into the West Branch of Susquehanna (WBS) River. The goal of this project was to observe the behavior of mixing zones as they relate to geochemical processes within the Bald Eagle Creek system.
Water quality data was assessed for a 6.2-mile stretch during the summer of 2014, starting below the Foster Joseph Sawyer dam and ending at Mill Hall, PA. The field data were collected using two Hydrolab Sondes (MS-5) that recorded temperature, pH, DO, conductance, TDS, salinity, chlorophyll-a, and ORP at one-minute intervals. In addition, 8 water samples and 4 soil samples were collected. These samples were analyzed in the lab for additional geochemical parameters, including acidity, alkalinity, metals and nutrients. The results of the field and lab data were visualized using ArcGIS software and analyzed using statistical methods. The data provided insights into the impact that various physical, hydrologic, geological, anthropogenic, and chemical processes have on the water quality in the studied system.
The following trends were observed in the downstream direction: a decline in chlorophyll-a, specific conductance and DO concentrations, and an overall increase in pH. This study warrants further investigation to better understand the role of geochemical processes on the water quality of this tri-creek system.

Impact of AMD and Marcellus Shale Gas-Well Drilling on Surface Water Quality in Centre, Clearfield, and Clinton Counties, PA
Eric J. PIRRONE, Dept. of Geology and Physics, Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA 17745, epirrone@lhup.edu; Brandin Mann; Alex Neidig; Philip Griffith; Thomas Keane; Md. Khalequzzaman, Dept. of Geology and Physics, Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA 17745.
With the sustained Marcellus Shale gas-well drilling in central Pennsylvania, Lock Haven University Water and Environmental Lab continues its ongoing relationships with several community-based organizations to monitor the quality of surface water in the proximity of various Marcellus Shale drilling locations. Participating organizations include the Clearfield and Centre County chapters of the Pennsylvania Senior Environmental Corps, Beech Creek Watershed Association, and the Centre County Conservation District. Numerous sub-watersheds of the West Branch Susquehanna River, including Beech Creek, and various small watersheds in Clearfield County, have been selected to provide baseline water testing as a service to the surrounding communities. The study was intended to monitor potential areas for contamination due to natural gas extraction. Measured field parameters included temperature, pH, DO, TDS, conductance, ORP, and surface discharge in the monitored streams. Additional lab analyses yielded parameters, including net acidity and alkalinity, along with several cations and anions, such as total iron, aluminum, manganese, copper, calcium, magnesium, barium, sulfate, and chloride concentrations.
Multiple conclusions have been reached regarding the water quality of the monitored watersheds. Samples collected from the Beech Creek and Clearfield sub-watersheds typically exhibit values below the established MCLs of drinking water standards for various chemical parameters, which are related to natural gas extraction. However, multiple study locations exhibit pervasive AMD impairment, which is a direct result of legacy coal mining. Through active collaboration with community-based organizations, students have the opportunity to garner research experience, while providing a valuable service to the greater community. This study has far-reaching implications for policy-making in regards to the development of Marcellus Shale as a resource while protecting the environment and preserving human health.

The Missing Legacy of Middle Creek Lake: Implications of Legacy Sediment Erosion
Jennifer M. ELICK, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, elick@susqu.edu; Kyle Seaman., Earth and Environmental Sciences, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870
Erosion of legacy sediments from Middle Creek Lake, south of Selinsgrove, PA, contribute to pollution in the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay. In the last two centuries, at least 4 different dams have operated on Middle Creek. Two adjacent grist mills, operating simultaneously, were located on the creek throughout the 19th century, and later, in the 20th century, two small wooden hydroelectric power plants: one in 1906 and a larger, replacement dam in 1936, operated until 1992, when it was removed. Each of these dams allowed sediment to accumulate in the lake as legacy sediment.
Recently, the Middle Creek Lake Basin was examined to better understand the anthropogenic legacy sediment record. Though the lake underwent nearly 163 years of sediment deposition, much of this record is now believed to have been removed by erosion. In 1992, the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PAFBC) estimated 760,000 m3 of total sediment within the lake. With the breach of the dam in 1992, they also estimated a potential loss of 57,000 m3 of silt to be transported away, to the Susquehanna River and beyond. Based on recent examination of the lake sediments, we estimate a total of 789,000 m3 of sediment was deposited in the lake basin, with 436,000 m3 representing actual legacy deposits. Artifacts exposed at the surface of legacy sediment today, range in age from the 1940’s to the 1970’s, suggesting that much of the sediment deposited from 1936 to 1992 has been eroded. Additionally, the silty loam representing this time interval (56 years) is very thin throughout the basin, averaging 0.15 m. We approximate that nearly 3 to 4 times as much sediment estimated by the PAFBC has been lost from the lake basin due to erosion since 1992. This study suggests earlier estimations of sediment volume were imprecise and too low, and a greater amount of sediment likely made its way into the Susquehanna River and to the Chesapeake Bay.

Presence of Trout Populations in Unassessed streams of North Central Pennsylvania
Dan ISENBERG, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, isenberg@susqu.edu; John Panas, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA, 17870, Desmond Edwards; Jeremy Gurbatow; Erin McKeown; Mike Bilger; and Jonathan Niles, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870.
While Pennsylvania has over 64,000 waterways, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission only has data on approximately 7,000 of these waters. Created in 2010, The Unassessed Waters Initiative is a collaboration between the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Pennsylvania colleges to visit headwater tributaries that have never been assessed to determine the presence and status of wild trout populations. Data collected from the Unassessed Waters Initiative is used by the Fish and Boat Commission to help correctly classify and protect high quality streams from environmental alterations and degradation. Streams classified as wild trout waters receive greater protection under PA Code and wetlands of wild trout streams protected as Exceptional Value Wetlands. Since 2011, Susquehanna University has assessed 500 streams for the Initiative. During summer 2014 we surveyed over 170 previously unassessed tributary streams throughout north central Pennsylvania looking for the presence of trout populations via backpack electrofishing. Historical data indicates that approximately 50% of unassessed waters in North Central Pennsylvania are found to have trout species present. Efforts in 2014 were focused on the assessment of un-named tributary streams. In addition to sampling these streams for fish species according to PFBC protocols, we collected water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate data at study sites.




Landscape Characteristics of Unnamed Tributaries on White Deer Creek
Daniel E. RESSLER, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, resslerd@susqu.edu; John Niles Department of Biology, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870
Wild trout (brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis) are native in Pennsylvania waters and are considered an important species in forested watersheds. Their populations are an important asset in Pennsylvania's managed recreational fisheries. Populations in unnamed tributaries to White Deer Creek were measured in 2013. The coordinates of sampling locations were used to construct sub-watershed boundaries in ArcMap 10.2 using USGS digital elevation models. Land use, soils, water quality, and terrain datasets were analyzed to determine whether these traits could predict wild trout populations. Results indicate that watershed size, channel slope, soil parent material, and channel width are significant predictors of trout populations. As more watersheds are analyzed, these watershed characteristics may be valuable for predicting trout populations in other un-assessed waters.

Use of Artificial Nest Boxes to Facilitate Egg Collection for an the Eastern Hellbender Head-Starting Program
Samuel E. Wanner, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701, wansamu@lycoming.edu; Sarah D. Pedrick, and Peter J. Petokas, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701
Population declines have been taking place throughout the entire geographic range of the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) in North America. The declines and local extinctions have led to multiple head-starting programs to augment or restore hellbender populations. Once widespread throughout the Susquehanna River basin, the eastern hellbender is now restricted to several tributaries of the West Branch watershed. In order to establish a head-starting program for the Susquehanna River basin, we are collecting fertilized eggs to be transported to zoological facilities that are prepared to raise larval and juvenile hellbenders until they are of a size where they are unlikely to be subject to predation (3-5 years of age). To facilitate the collection of fertilized eggs, we installed 17 artificial nest boxes in the late summer of 2014. The boxes are distributed across three stream reaches occupied by hellbenders and within a single tributary of the West Branch watershed. The boxes are made of concrete and weigh 27 kg. By mid-September, no adult hellbenders had taken up residence in, nor had nested within, the concrete boxes. We now believe that the nest boxes should have been installed several months in advance of the nesting season so that adult hellbenders would have had more opportunities to find the boxes and take up residence. We plan to leave the boxes in place until the next nesting season, but will modify the boxes to darken the chamber, making it more suitable for permanent residency and egg deposition. In lieu of collecting eggs from the artificial nest chambers, we are currently searching for natural nests from which we hope to collect eggs to be transported to the head-start facility.

dentification of Bacteria Isolated from Lesions on Young of Year Smallmouth Bass
Miranda GIRALDO, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport PA 17701, girmira@lycoming.edu; Hannah MORRISSETTE, Joseph DINSMORE; Sydney BLOSSER; Jeffrey D NEWMAN, Department of Department, Lycoming College, Williamsport PA 17701.
Bacteria were cultured on Tryptic Soy or R2A agar after collection from lesions on six diseased Young of the Year (YOY) Smallmouth Bass from the West Branch Susquehanna River at Watsontown. These six fish sampled were of ten fish that had symptoms of clinical disease, a disease which has been studied for more than ten years without a known causative agent. The nearly complete 16s rRNA gene was amplified from isolates and the 5’ half was sequenced via conventional Sanger methods. Identifications were made by comparison of the quality-trimmed sequence to the EZTaxon type strain database. The most commonly isolated organisms were Plesiomonas shigelloides, Chryseobacterium gambrini, and a variety of Aeromonas species, including A. australiensis, A. veronii, and A. taiwanensis. Other less frequently isolated organisms were Acinetobacter gyllenbergii, Flavobacterium johnsonii, Exiguobacterium acetylicum, Pseudomonas mos selii, and a novel Chryseobacterium species. Additional testing must be conducted to determine whether any of these organisms is the causative agent for Smallmouth disease.

Habitat Preferences, and Population Structure and Stability, in an Eastern Hellbender Population in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River
Sarah D. PEDRICK, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701, pedsara@lycoming.edu; Samuel E. WANNER, and Peter J. PETOKAS, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701.
We collected habitat and population data over two field seasons (2012 and 2014) for an eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) population in a tributary of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. Analyses of population data show that the population has been stable across the sample years, with no significant change in linear density. Analyses of habitat use show that hellbenders take up residency in or near the thalweg, where the majority of cover rocks are located. Peripheral cover rocks are only rarely used by hellbenders. We found a positive relationship between the size (total body length) of hellbenders and the size (length) of the cover rock. Population size/age structure and sex ratios were similar between the two sample years. During the second field season (2014), we observed American eels (Anguilla rostrata) beneath cover rocks, but in no case did we find eels and hellbenders beneath the same cover rock. We observed no eels in the study area in 2012. Recent eel introductions in the watershed likely explain the sudden appearance of eels in the study reach. The precipitous co-occurrence of eels and hellbenders raises the concern that eels may compete with hellbenders for rock cover and for a limited food resource that consists mainly of Allegheny crayfish (Orconectes obscurus). Significant competition for food and cover, and eel predation on hellbender eggs, larvae and juveniles, could potentially initiate a decline in an otherwise stable hellbender population.

IRiver Bed Characterization on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River with Side Scan Sonar
Tucker COTTRELL, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, tac017@bucknell.edu; Jessica T. NEWLIN, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837.
Channel formation and maintenance processes for river form and habitat creation depend greatly on the ability of discharges to transport and distribute sediments of particular sizes. Commonly-used methods for sediment size determination (e.g. pebble counts and sample collection with a dredge device) have limitations for use in large river environments with substantial gravel- and cobble-sized bed sediment such as the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. Side scan sonar and photogrammetry methods are being used to conduct a large-scale characterization of bed material size and spatial distribution of sediments on the bed of the river. A 5-km reach of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River is identified as a test section for the application of the side scan sonar. A Lowrance® HDS-10 Gen2 system with StructureScan® is used to collect extensive sonar imagery of the bed of the river. The collected data are processed with the SonarTRX and ArcGIS software to develop a complete sonar image of the river bed. The characterization of river bed sediments and distribution patterns on a section of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River provides necessary data for the interpretation of channel formation due to modern floods and paleofloods in the region and for aquatic ecologists interested evaluating benthic habitat within the river.

Competitive effect and mechanisms of an invasive species, Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) in the riparian plant community of the Susquehanna River
Emily A. JAGER, Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837; eaj008@bucknell.edu; Mark SPIRO, Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837
Polygonum cuspidatum, Japanese knotweed, is an invasive exotic species from Asia. Originally introduced to North America as an ornamental plant, it has caused significant disruption to the native riparian plant communities of Pennsylvania. In the summer of 2014 we carried out field research in the riparian zone of the Susquehanna River adjacent to Bucknell University to identify native plants that are highly susceptible to competition from P. cuspidatum. Our current research is investigating the mechanism of this competition with a focus on the role of allelopathy, the release of chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants. Allelopathy is thought to be one of the main mechanisms that allows P. cuspidatum to successfully compete with native plants. In the field study, several 2.5m by 0.5m plots were set up on both the upstream and downstream sides of patches of P. cuspidatum encountered along the river and divided into five 0.5m by 0.5m plots. In each plot, frequency of each species was recorded and a photo was taken from above. Impatiens pallida and Verbesina alternifolia may be highly susceptible to P. cuspidatum and are candidates for further study. We are conducting controlled studies in the lab that measure the effect on germination and growth of applying extracts from leaves and rhizomes of P. cuspidatum to the seeds of I. pallida and V. alternifolia. An additional study will be conducted in the field that measures the effect of either the full plant, only the below ground parts, or only the aboveground parts of Japanese knotweed on the other species in its community with a specific focus on the plants that were found to be highly susceptible to its presence.

Comparison of the Water Quality, Fish and Macroinvertebrate Characteristics of Two Class A Trout Waters with other Impaired Streams
Alison MCNETT, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701, mcnalis@lycoming.edu; Mel ZIMMERMAN, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701.
Two class A trout streams, both named Hagerman’s Run (one a tributary of Lycoming Creek; the other a tributary of West Branch Susquehanna River) in Lycoming County were sampled for the last 5 years and will be compared to seven other streams from impaired sites. The Hagerman streams show high species diversity when it comes to the macroinvertebrates but low diversity of fish. In addition, one of these creeks is also showing some impairment due to erosion from gravel roads which may threaten its classification. The seven other streams are tributaries to or part of the Sugar Creek watershed which is a tributary to the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. All 7 of these streams had no trout, and showed low macroinvertebrate diversity. All of these streams were located near, or next to farms, and there is a high possibility that a lot of run off is occurring from these farms not using Best Management Practices. The fish diversity was higher compared to the two Hagerman’s Run streams. The water chemistry also showed higher concentrations of Phosphorous and Nitrogen. An attempt will be made to find correlations between the influence of chemistry, habitat and biota on these creeks.

Assessment of Passive and Active Macroinvertebrate Collection Methods in Adjacent Reaches on the Upper Main Stem of the Susquehanna River 2012-2014
Andrew ANTHONY, Department of Biology, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, anthonya@susqu.edu; Michael BILGER, and Jack HOLT, Department of Biology, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870.
Macroinvertebrates are functional indicators of stream health based upon their sensitivity to pollution. Our study utilized different passive and active benthic macroinvertebrate collection methods (D-net, Surber sampler, rock baskets, and Hester-Dendy multiplate samplers) during the summer 2012 - 2014. Collections were taken on both sides of the west channel in the west channel of the upper main stem of the Susquehanna River near Shamokin Dam, PA. Sampling sites each included seven locations, one for passive sampling and six longitudinal locations for active sampling. During previous sampling periods during summer and fall 2012 - 2013, we collected 50 taxa of macroinvertebrates identified to family-level, which allowed us to calculate pollution tolerance values and other comparative metrics. The Proportional Bray-Curtis Similarity Index analysis describes a very low to moderate overlap between benthic macroinvertebrate communities collected by active and passive methods (2% - 43%). Furthermore, other metrics including the Shannon Diversity and Hilsenhoff Biotic Indices reflected the variability in occurrence of pollution intolerant taxa according to method and location. The greatest variation occurred in percent EPT which showed a range of 0% to 56% in a single sample period using different methods. Passive sampling methods selectively collected colonizers and omitted other taxa (e.g. burrowers and mollusks) illustrating their bias in sampling. Overall, the metrics did not support the use of one technique over another. Rather, they supported the practice of using both passive and active collection methods in order to use macroinvertebrate community estimates to assess water quality in large rivers that have a wetted channel of cobble, silt, and sand like the upper main stem of the Susquehanna River. We concluded that active samplers which target different habitats together with passive samplers which allow comparisons from one site to another would be the most appropriate methods to use in the upper main stem of the Susquehanna River.

Water Quality Status of Black Hole Creek, Lycoming County, PA
Juian JONES, Biology Department, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701, jonjulie@lycoming.edu; Mel ZIMMERMAN, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701.
Black Hole Creek is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River near Montgomery, in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. It is approximately 8 miles (13 km) long. Black Hole Creek starts near U.S. Route 15. The first one third of the creek flows through forests. The second one third of the creek flows through a golf course. The final one third of the creek flows through residential areas and farmland. The stream contains trout. It also is subject to significant increases in temperature downstream of a pond on the grounds of the Allenwood Federal Prison. In 2003 an assessment of erosion along Black Hole Creek was completed by Lycoming College Clean Water Institute Interns. This information was used by the local watershed group to projects that decreased bank erosion and improved fish habitat. The 2003 study also included water chemistry, macroinvertebrate and fish (electrofishing) surveys. During the summer of 2014 a similar study was repeated at three sites to evaluate and update water quality and aquatic life above and below the White Deer Golf course and federal lands. The upper one third of the stream has developed into a class A brook trout stream while the warm waters created by the pond still hinder the trout population downstream even though some restoration projects have been completed. Recommendations for future projects will be presented.

Preliminary report on diatom communities in the upper main stem of the Susquehanna River in 2013-2014
Ian J. MURRAY, Biology Department, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA, 17870, murrayij@susqu.edu; Amir ALWALI, Department of Chemistry, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA, 17870; Jack HOLT, Department of Biology, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA, 17870.
The upper main stem of the Susquehanna River is formed by the confluence of the West and North Branches, each of which is chemically and physically distinctive. The upper main stem retains the signatures of the two branches due to weak lateral mixing, and we refer to them as the North Branch plume (NBP) and West Branch plume (WBP). Thus, characterization of the diatom communities required samples taken from sites that occur in the plumes of both branches. We sampled sites at a transect that straddles Byers Island near Shamokin Dam, PA and below the Adam T. Bower inflatable dam at Sunbury, PA. Samples were taken in the summer and fall of 2013 and the summer of 2014 and prepared for examination by light and electron microscopy. Within the plumes of the two branches, we identified four particular habitats inhabited by diatom communities: sediment, stone, plant and plankton. We eliminated epiphytes from this analysis because beds of submerged and emergent plants occurred only in WBP. Samples from WBP had 36, 28 and 4 species in the stone, sediment and plankton communities, respectively. Similar samples from NBP had 22 (stone), 51 (sediment) and 5 (plankton) species. Of the diatom communities on stone surfaces, there were only 9 species in common to NBP and WBP. Similarly, sediment samples from both plumes had only 11 species in common. No diatom species were common to the plankton of both plumes. Habitats of the NBP were dominated by small centric species (e.g. Stephanodiscus parvus, Cyclotella atomus, Stephanocyclus meneghiniana, and Discostella pseudostelligera), all taxa that were absent from the WBP.

Bathymetry and sediment accumulation of Walker Lake, PA using two GPR antennas
Ahmed LACHHAB, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, lachhab@susqu.edu; Matthew BEREN, College of Engineering and Science, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634; Aaron BOOTERBAUGH, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Silting within all man-made reservoirs can be a major problem. Exploring a lake’s bathymetry with Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) techniques is one way to identify the magnitude of sediment accumulation in these reservoirs. In this study, the bathymetry and sediment accumulation of Walker Lake, PA were explored with two frequency GPR Antennas. The apparatus developed in this study included two antennas placed on an inflatable boat towed by a 14 feet Jon Boat powered by a 55 lbs. thrust electric trolling motor. Depending on the depth of the lake, either a 400 or 100 MHz antenna was applied to identify the bathymetry, the amount of sediments deposited, and its distribution. A total of eighteen transects were taken along the entire length of the lake. Using multiple processing software including RADAN 7, GPR Viewer, SAS 9.1.3 and MATLAB three-dimensional and contour surfaces of the pre-1971 topography and bathymetry of Walker Lake were developed. The bathymetry, the volume of sediment and its accumulation rate were successfully estimated. The lake was found to vary between few cm to 9 m in depth. Deposition of sediment takes place mainly near the inlet of the lake and gradually decreases toward the dam while the depth of the water increases. The depth of sediment deposit ranges between few centimeters and 1.85 ± 0.15meter.


Water Quality of the West Branch Susquehanna River at Watsontown
Johanna HRIPTO, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701, hrijoh@lycoming.edu; Mel ZIMMERMAN, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701.
The Susquehanna River has faced many changes and challenges in recent years, from flooding, the effects of acid mine drainage, non-point source run-off and point sources such as sewage treatment systems with discharges from combined sewage overflows. This study compares chemical and biological data collected on the river at the Watsontown site from 2009 and 2014 to document any changes to the “health” of the river. The Hilsenhoff Biotic Index was used to calculate benthic macroinvertabrate biodiversity and species tolerance, as insect population and abundance are key to understanding the health of the river. The EPT index was also used to calculate water quality, as were food-web charts of the benthic macroinvertabrates. Water chemistry was also taken and analyzed at the two sites. Since September of 2013, sewage discharge from the primary sewage treatment facility at Watsontown has been eliminated since the plant was removed and replaced by a holding facility which sends the sewage to be treated by the advanced treatment system in Milton. Effects of this change are also included in the study.

Assessing the Trophic State of Rose Valley Lake
Hannah Morrissette Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701, mrhann@lycoming.edu, Mel ZIMMERMAN, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701.
Rose Valley Lake is a 369 acre man-made reservoir located in Lycoming County and managed by the PA Fish and Boat Commission for recreational fishing and boating. Since 2000, the Lycoming College Clean Water Institute (CWI) has been a partner with the Rose Valley/Mill Creek Watershed Association to complete the chemical and biological assessment of the lake and Mill Creek watershed. A major part of this assessment is the determination of the trophic state of the reservoir. This involves measurement of chemical and biological parameters following the protocols of Carlson’s Tropic State Index as outlined in the Secchi Dip-In. The first North American Secchi Dip-In started in 1994 and now thanks to the support of volunteer programs and volunteers, the North American Lake Management Society, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Dip-In database has grown to more than 41,000 records on more than 7,000 separate water bodies (not including different sites, such as along rivers and estuaries). Macroinvertebrate, macrophyte, phytoplankton , zooplankton, and fish counts were completed in order to compare to historical data. Trends found in the data suggest an appropriate amount of aging in the lake environment, but also a negative trend in ecological health. Several threatening factors are present in the area, including nearby Marcellus gas drilling, erosion, and other factors related to increasing amount of human occupation/visitation

CONTRIBUTION OF LYCOMING COLLEGE CWI TO THE PFBC UNASSESSED WATERS PROJECT (2010-2014)
Toby BOYER, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701, boytoby@lycoming.edu; Mel ZIMMERMAN, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701.
This is the fifth year that Lycoming College CWI has participated with PA Fish and Boat Commission in the Unassessed Waters Project. To date the team from CWI has completed a total of 361 streams in the Loyalsock, Lycoming , and Pine Creek Watersheds. In the past two years streams in the Genesee , Allegheny , White Deer Hole Creek, Black Hole Creek, Quenshukeny, Pine Run and Antes Creeks watersheds as well as unnamed tributaries in Tioga County have been completed. Data for this project has been logged into the PFBC Unassessed Waters Data set for consideration of trout stream protection. The number of class A, B, C, D and E streams in each watershed will be presented. On average 50% of the streams sampled support wild trout and near 20% are considered class A or B trout streams. A breakdown of the benefits and limitations of this program will be presented.

The Lycoming County Farm Project – 4th Year Update of Water Quality Monitoring
Alec MINNICK, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701, minalec@lycoming.edu; Mel ZIMMERMAN, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701.
In August 2011, a long term project started to monitor the water quality of three sites along an unnamed tributary to White Deer Hole Creek (Lycoming County). This project involved the cooperation of 4 farms (3 Amish), the Lycoming County Conservation District, the Lycoming County Planning Commission, and Lycoming College Clean Water Institute. After one year of preliminary water quality monitoring, the Lycoming County Conservation District worked with farms to implement best management practices (BMPs), consisting of riparian buffer construction, manure management, and no-till farming. Clean Water Institute interns began a pre and post evaluation along three sections of the tributary (upstream middle and downstream of project), collecting monthly chemical and physical data. Yearly sampling included macroinvertebrate and fish (electrofishing) density and diversity. Data loggers documenting flow have been used to calculate nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads. Data will be presented that document some improvement to nutrient and sediment loads, as well as an effect on the biota present. Specific evidence pointing to this observation includes the reappearance of brown trout at two of the sites.

Lateral Mixing of the North and West Branches of Susquehanna River at Hummels Wharf, PA
Brian ZUIDERVLIET, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, lachhab@susqu.edu; Ahmed LACHHAB, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870
The mixing zone of the north and west branches of the Susquehanna River at a site downstream from the merging point (Sunbury, PA) was studied to understand how these two streams and the rain events, associated with their corresponding watersheds are affecting this lateral mixing. Continuous data sampling from the Shady Nook site was used to collect multiple transects from August 2009 to August 2013 to identify the transition zone between the west and north branches. The specific conductivity of the water yielded the strongest correlation to the two branches’ mixing zone and provided accurately tracking of the lateral shifting during both wet and dry conditions. Based on this correlation, predictions can be made to explain movement of pollutants and their mixing. Precipitation and discharge data was examined to study the influence of rain events on the location of the mixing zone. Results have shown that as the discharge of the mainstem increases, the mixing zone shifts lateral away from the Shady Nook shoreline until it reaches a threshold discharge of 12300 ft3/s, and then the mixing zone shifts backward as the discharge increases beyond this threshold discharge.

The riparian continuum concept: spiders and cross ecosystem subsidies along a stream size gradient
Nicole R. KING, Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, nrk005@bucknell.edu; Matthew E. MCTAMMANY, Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, 17837.
Emerging aquatic insects provide important subsidies to consumers in terrestrial ecosystems and elicit a variety of responses in riparian predator populations. Flux of aquatic insects into the riparian zone is determined by both secondary production per unit stream area and stream width, while particular insect taxa emerging are dependent on location within the river continuum as described by the river continuum concept. Riparian spider communities appear to be particularly influenced by emergence events due to their various feeding strategies and ability to track preferred prey. However, little work has been conducted on the relationship between spider groups and aquatic insect emergence patterns. We hypothesized 1) spiders using different hunting strategies will be distributed in a predictable manner along the river continuum and 2) spider biomass will correlate with aquatic insect emergence. We collected riparian spiders and emerging insects from 1st-7th order streams in central Pennsylvania during a one month period in summer 2014. Preliminary results indicate riparian predator abundance increases with aquatic insect flux; however, further data analysis is required to examine patterns in spider feeding group distributions.

Stream size determines the response of microbial communities to phosphorus pulses during storm runoff
Sarah E. Hay, Department of Biology, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA 17815, seh33204@huskies.bloomu.edu; Steven T. Rier, Department of Biology, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA 17815
Brief phosphorus (P) pulses associated with storm runoff have the potential to be important drivers of microbial community growth in stream ecosystems. We measured the capacity of stream microbial communities to respond to brief P pulse during natural storm events in a small headwater tributary of Fishing Creek and a larger fifth order section near Bloomsburg, PA. Storm runoff in the fifth order section of Fishing Creek resulted in substantial increases in algal polyphosphate, the primary P storage structure for microorganisms. P storage in this reach appeared to be followed by a period of rapid growth. In contrast, we did not observe such an increase in polyphosphates in the headwater section of Fishing Creek for natural storm runoff events or after we performed an artificial P release. Our results indicate that the combination algae domination of the microbial community and P pulses that are higher in concentration and duration might allow P delivered during storm runoff to have greater ecosystem-level effects in larger streams and rivers.

Water Temperature Variability in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and its Tributaries
Erin COX, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, ecc014@bucknell.edu; Jessica T. NEWLIN, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837.
The water temperature and hydraulic characteristics of a river create environments that support complex habitats within the river and its tributaries. Measurements of water temperature are collected using a network of over fifty HOBO Pendant® data loggers placed in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River (WBSR) and its tributaries. Analyses of water temperature variations achieve several goals, including (1) mapping of the spatial variability in water temperature in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, (2) identification of primary groundwater inflow sources to the WBSR, and (3) general characterization of hydraulic mixing where smaller tributaries enter the main river. A broadly-spaced network of water temperature data loggers in the WBSR is being used to better characterize general longitudinal and cross-channel temperature variability. Methods are developed for mapping of longitudinal transects of the WBSR from Muncy, PA to Winfield, PA using a SonTek RiverSurveyor® M9 system in combination with In-Situ and Solinst data loggers. In combination with geologic data and field observation, analyzing near- bed temperature, water-surface temperature, water conductivity levels, and general temperature mapping identifies potential groundwater inflow sources to the river. A detailed network with data loggers more closely spaced is installed at major tributary confluences with the main river to allow for the characterization of hydraulic mixing at these locations. Overall, this collection of water temperature variability and velocity data on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and its tributaries serves as an initial step in understanding the hydraulic dynamics necessary for proper river and stream management decisions that consider the long-term sustainability of the river's ecosystem processes.

Watershed Monitoring Network Using Sensor Nodes in a Mesh Topology
Gilbert KIM, Department of Computer Science, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, gsk009@bucknell.edu; Alan MARCHIORI, Department of Computer Science, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837.
A hydroclimatic monitoring network was installed in the Miller Run watershed, a tributary to the Susquehanna River. The goal of this project is to develop and test state-of-the-art methods for collecting and displaying weather and streamflow data from a network of remote monitoring stations in real-time. The monitoring network is currently comprised of three stations. Each station is solar powered and able to communicate using a private wireless network. One station is also equipped with a cellular data modem and routes data between the Internet the other monitoring stations using the private wireless network. A server at Bucknell University periodically records weather and streamflow data from each station into a distributed time-series database. A separate server queries this database to provide real-time interactive visualizations and a user-friendly dashboard accessible to researchers. This project demonstrates the feasibility of providing real-time hydroclimatic information using modern wireless communication, database, and web technologies. In the future, we plan to grow our system by adding more stations and integrating data from other providers (e.g., USGS) to create a unified platform for hydroclimatic research.

Importance of aquatic prey subsidies and habitat structure to riparian spider communities along a stream size gradient
Claire C. RAPP, Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, ccr004@bucknell.edu; Matthew E. MCTAMMANY and Nicole R. KING, Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, 17837.
Abundance and distribution of riparian predators are strongly affected by trophic subsidies from aquatic ecosystems (prey availability) and habitat structure within the riparian zone. As suggested by the river continuum concept (RCC), biological communities change as river size increases from small headwater streams to large rivers due to differences in river size and food resources. During the summer of 2014, we investigated how changes in aquatic communities affected riparian predators, specifically orb-weaving spiders, preying on emerging aquatic insects along river size gradients. We deployed standardized wooden tree structures to control for varying habitats in order to focus solely on the influence of trophic subsidies. These structures (catering to both horizontal and vertical orb-weaving spiders) were placed along riparian zones of 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th order sites of three local rivers (the North and West Branches of the Susquehanna River and the Juniata River). We hypothesized that if trophic subsidies are more influential than habitat structure, then riparian predator communities on standardized habitats will be similar to natural habitats but will vary along stream size gradients. Conversely, if physical habitat structure has more influence, then riparian predator communities will be similar on standardized habitats regardless of stream size but different from surveys of predators in natural riparian zones. Additionally, we hypothesized that, as stream order increases, spider abundance, biomass, and diversity will increase due to higher aquatic insect availability. Preliminary data show that tree structures attracted fewer and smaller spiders than adjacent riparian plots, which could be caused by limited exposure time for colonization or colonization by younger spiders avoiding competition with larger spiders for prime web sites. As a result, our results are inconclusive at this point regarding the relative importance of habitat structure to riparian spider communities.

The 2014 Acadian Program in Regional Conservation and Stewardship- report from the PA team of SRHCES.
Trent LEE, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701, letren@lycoming.edu; Haley GIONNE, Department of Biology, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA 17815; and Mel ZIMMERMAN, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA 17701.
The goal of this program is to educate students on the importance of conservation, especially in regards to large landscape-scale conservation. Students are brought from all over the world to participate in this week long course. This year’s participants were from Massachusetts, Chile, Argentina, Belize, Vietnam and Pennsylvania. Prior to the workshop, each team was directed to prepare a 3 hour presentation on a large conservation initiative in their country/state. The Pennsylvania team included two students from Lycoming College Clean Water Institute and one from Bloomsburg University. Pennsylvania’s team, under the direction of Dr. Zimmerman, delivered an elaborate presentation on the issues, clean-up efforts, and economic effects of the Susquehanna River watershed and Chesapeake Bay. Groups collaborated together after each presentation to come up with a consensus of possible solutions for each group. After introducing specific conservation efforts being made around the world, the student’s attention was then brought to a current project that is underway in Maine. The “Bay to Baxter” initiative entitles the efforts being made to connect parcels of land that currently represent a long corridor from the Penobscot Bay to Baxter State Park. Teams from each region were mixed and assembled into new teams according to specialties; this allowed for each group to concentrate on a specific task. Each team was provided with a challenge to solve regarding the “Bay to Baxter” initiative, and as a whole, aid in organizing the next efforts to be made. Aside from the presentations and initiatives, the course also included trips to several locations along the Penobscot River and Acadia National Park. The top of Cadillac Mountain provided a fantastic view that captured nearly the entire stretch of the “Bay to Baxter” initiative, and was a good representation of the sheer size of land this initiative is aiming to protect.


An environmental DNA Survey of eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis) populations in the central Pennsylvania
Mayu UEMURA, Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, mu008@bucknell.edu; Mizuki K. TAKAHASHI, Department of Biology, Bucknelll University, Lewisburg, PA 17837; and Matthew VENESKY, Department of Biology, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA 16335
Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis) is one of many amphibian species that have been experiencing population decline in recent years. Because of its secretive nature in aquatic habitats, it is difficult to grasp the distribution range at a regional scale. The conventional survey can be invasive as it often involves physical handling and alteration of micro-habitats. We used a non-invasive environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, which is an analysis of genetic materials left in organism’s habitats, to survey the hellbender populations in the Susquehanna River Basin. We tested three hypotheses: 1) eDNA would detect previously unknown hellbender populations; 2) water samples from night collections would have higher eDNA concentrations than day samples because hellbenders are nocturnal; and 3) hellbender eDNA concentration would be higher during their breeding season (i.e., the end of August and September) than that during the non-breeding season. We conducted monthly water sampling from eight tributaries of the West Branch Susquehanna River between June and October 2014. Each tributary was sampled twice (day and night) every month. These tributaries are Penns Creek, Buffalo Creek, White Deer Creek, White Deer Hole Creek, Muncy Creek, Loyalsock Creek, Lycoming Creek, and Pine Creek, among which the latter four creeks contain known hellbender populations. The water samples were filtered and DNA was extracted. Quantitative PCR was used to not only detect but also obtain concentration of hellbender DNA in the samples. The preliminary data from the June samples suggest the presence of hellbender populations only in the tributaries previously known to contain its populations.

Feasibility of using freshwater mussels to monitor Ba and Sr contaminations in Pennsylvania streams
Xiaoying PU, Department of Computer Science, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, xp002@bucknell.edu; Carl S. KIRBY, Department of Geology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, 17837
With the extensive Marcellus Shale natural gas development, horizontal drilling, combined with hydraulic fracturing, produces a large quantity of saline flowback water high in Ba and Sr contents, raising health and ecological concerns in case of spills or leaks.
Freshwater mussels, as sedentary filter feeders, could potentially take up Ba and Sr in the growth rings of their shells, reflecting the chemistry of the aquatic environment over time. The experimental site mussels (E. complanata and L. cariosa) were obtained from the West Branch Susquehanna River near Williamsport PA; the control site is on Buffalo Creek, Union County. From 2010 to 2014, PA Department of Environmental Protection data, at two monitoring points near West Branch sample sites, showed that the river water Ba concentrations (± 1σ) were 30 (5) and 34 (13) μg/L, Sr 100 (44) and 98 (50) μg/L. In two tributaries, Ba concentrations were 19 (6) and 26 (6) μg/L, Sr 23 (8) and 32 (8) μg/L. X-ray diffraction confirmed that the mineralogy of the shell is mostly aragonite (CaCO3). Cross-sectional thin sections (0.5 mm) were observed under transmitted light microscope and environmental scanning electron microscope back-scattered electron mode to identify possible growth rings. Major (Ca) and trace elements (Ba, Sr) were analyzed along transects in shell layers using electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA). Results were reported as molar ratios of [X/Ca]shell (X Ba, Sr). Correlating [X/Ca]shell and historical [X/Ca] in the water was challenging, because of the uncertainty in the shell layer ages and the scarcity of data. If shell and water chemistry data had sufficiently high spatial and temporal resolutions, freshwater mussel shell layers could potentially be interpreted as water chemistry records.

2014 State of the Little Juniata River
Garret KRATINA, Environmental Science and Studies, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA 16652, kratigj11@juniata.edu.
The Little Juniata River is a seventh order stream located in Blair and Huntingdon Counties of Pennsylvania. The headwaters of this watershed cre ate the western boundary of the Susquehanna River Basin. Throughout much of the twentieth century, the Little Juniata River was a target for industrial and domestic discharges, severely degrading its water quality. With the establishment of water quality regulations and enforcement by state agencies, the stream was able to support game fish by 1971, and by 1980 the health of the Little Juniata River had improved dramatically. However, there were still several point and non-point source pollution issues that continued to plague the river. The most significant issues include: nutrients from agricultural runoff, illegal roadside and sinkhole dumping, stream bank erosion, storm runoff, contamination from industrial, domestic and agricultural sites, and discharges of raw or improperly treated sewage from domestic or municipal sources. As a result, there has been a concerted effort by many interested parties, both state and local, to restore the integrity of the stream since the mid to late 1990’s. A key component of this effort has been the collection of biological and physiochemical data to monitor the river’s health. Therefore, in an effort to determine the current status of the Little Juniata River; data from previous and current studies (ranging from 1998 to 2014) under taken by multiple collaborators were complied to create a GIS database. Key indicators of stream health used in the “2014 State of the Little Juniata River” include: Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) scores for macro-invertebrates, maximum water temperatures, E. coli counts, nitrate levels, dissolved oxygen levels and pH. Data for each of the five main reaches of the Little Juniata River was analyzed. Any data of the same type within a particular reach was averaged together. Each indicator of stream health was given a distinct symbol, and a colored scaling system was used to indicate whether a parameter was in good, intermediate, or poor condit ion. Overall, the data suggested that water quality in the Little Juniata River is of intermediate condition; and shows signs of slight improvement from its headwaters to its confluence with the Juniata River.

Raystown Lake Channel Catfish Spawning Study (2013-14)
Garret KRATINA, Department of Environmental Science and Studies, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA 16652, kratigj11@juniata.edu; Lucas CORBIN, Department of Environmental Science and Studies, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA 16652.
During the summers of 2013 and 2014, Juniata College and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) partnered to perform Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, spawning studies on Raystown Lake in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Past fingerling stocking programs in Pennsylvania have been unsuccessful in sustaining Channel Catfish populations, which has been attributed to an absence of preferred spawning microhabitats. Therefore, PFBC devised a protocol that relies on the introduction of man-made spawning structures, catfish boxes, designed to replicate optimal nesting sites. They believe the boxes could become an important management tool to enhance young-of-the-year (YOY) survivorship in lakes lacking suitable nesting habitats. To test this theory, catfish boxes were deployed into Raystown Lake and checked for occupancy from May to August of 2013, with the goal of determining if Channel Catfish in Raystown Lake would actively utilize these artificial man-made structures. Observations from 2013 found evidence of continuous spawning for six straight weeks, confirming that the boxes provide Channel Catfish with acceptable reproductive and grow-out microhabitats in this environment. Following the 2013 study, researchers questioned fry survival rate after they leave the catfish boxes due to the lack of cover in which fry could hide. A 2014 study was designed to test if adult Channel Catfish would selectively choose boxes that provided protective cover for fry once leaving the artificial structure. Catfish boxes were again deployed into Raystown Lake and checked for occupancy from May-July of 2014. This study differed in that boxes were place near different structure types. Observations from 2014 suggested that Channel Catfish appeared to prefer catfish boxes with stone structure on top as documented by higher occupancy rates than in boxes with no cover and boxes near submerged woody debris. We speculate this observation occurred because fry, upon leaving the catfish box, could hid e in the cervices created by the stone pile to avoid predation. As a result, we were able to provide PFBC with information on how to improve the placement of catfish boxes for future catfish restoration and management projects across the state.


Stories of the Susquehanna
Henry STANN and Alexa Gorski, Comparative Humanities, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, hjs008@bucknell.edu
This summer we analyzed both primary documents and secondary literature to compile a database of significant Native American locations with a five mile corridor of the Susquehanna River’s West Branch. We then created a Geographic Information System (GIS) interactive map layer of these sites. In this, clicking each point location will give you a description and the sources used. This layer we created will be added to a larger map which details the North Branch and the Main Stem of the Susquehanna River. This research helps us better understand the story of the past: settlement patterns, tensions and conflict, relationships between different groups of people and of people with their environment. This research was on behalf of the Chesapeake Bay Conservancy, who aim to update the John Smith National Historic Trail with the history of the Susquehanna River. There were limitations to this research , as it is difficult to find written history from so long ago, in addition to a general lack of recorded information from the Native Americans. However, we found old county histories, the works of JF Meginness, and Moravian Church's diaries written in German (translated by Katherine Faull) to be very valuable resources. We hope to continue mapping locations, chronologically, to produce a time lapse map of the area.
In addition to mapping, we are developing a self-tour app. This uses your phones GPS and speakers to talk when you are near an important site. Although there are many uses around Bucknell for such an app in the future, the current one is dedicated to people who kayak on the Susquehanna River. It provides a tour based on the information we have collected this summer and that has been collected in years past.

Marcellus Shale Development, Air Pollution, and Asthma Exacerbations
Sara G. RASMUSSEN, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, srasmus7@jhu.edu; Jennifer K. IRVING, Center for Health Research, Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pennsylvania 17822; Dione G. MERCER, Center for Health Research, Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pennsylvania 17822; and Brian S. SCHWARTZ, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, Center for Health Research, Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pennsylvania 17822, & Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
Unconventional natural gas development (UNGD), the extraction of natural gas from shale, has rapidly grown in Pennsylvania since 2005. Shale gas extraction is a major industrial undertaking with the potential to affect air, water, and soil. Much of the concern over UNGD has centered on water, but air pollution may be of greater concern. There has been little research on the health concerns of the potential air impacts of UNGD. We are engaged in a study to evaluate associations between UNGD and asthma exacerbations. We began by creating a complete database of wells. Starting with data on well location; dates of drilling, perforation, and stimulation; well depth, and production from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), we filled in missing data using the Pennsylvania Internet Record Im aging System/Wells Information System, and then imputed values that were still missing. Our final population includes 6,915 drilled wells by June 2013. Using remote sensing and crowdsourcing technologies, we collected the dates of well flaring and locations of ponds associated with UNGD. Information on compressor stations, which data suggest are an important source of UNGD-related air emissions, is not currently electronically available. We started with a list of compressor stations related to UNGD from DEP (nP6) and made a total of 17 visits to 4 DEP offices, scanning 6,007 documents. These documents were data abstracted into an electronic database. The source of our health data is the Geisinger Health System, which has used electronic health records (EHR) since 2001. These records include information on diagnoses, vital signs, medications, procedures, laboratory tests, tobacco use, and sociodemographics. Using EHR data, we identified 38,646 asthma patients in Pennsylvania and New York. Between 2005 and 2013, we identified the following asthma exacerbations: 446 primary asthma hospitalizations, 4,833 primary or secondary asthma hospitalizations, 1,896 asthma emergency department visits, and 30,516 new oral corticosteroid medication orders. We are assigning patients exposure estimates based on the different phases of UNGD, ponds, and compressor stations. We are using a nested case-control study design to evaluate associations between exposure to UNGD and asthma exacerbations in this cohort of patients.


Open Limestone Channels for Acid Mine Drainage Treatment: Performance and Design Guidance
Sergio Carvajal-Sanchez, 117 Evergreen Dr. Box 1149, Loretto, PA 15940, sxc102@francis.edu; William H. Strosnider, Environmental Engineering, Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA 15940; Charles Spellman, Joshua Vinglish, Arthur Rose, Edward Zovinka, Joel Bandstra, Environmental Engineering, Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA 15940
The Swank open limestone channel has been treating Al-dominated acid mine drainage in the upper reaches of the Clearfield Creek watershed. The channel has been functioning since 2011 and is located in the village of Frugality. This channel is used to counter the effect of ac id mine drainage that averages an acidity of 83 mg/L CaCO3 and Fe, Mn and Al concentrations of 0.6, 0.9, and 9.2 mg/L respectively. The channel is 275 m long with slope of 6 to 9%. Treatment performance has been monitored over the life of the channel. In addition, rhodamine tracer tests were used to develop a reliable relationship between flow rate and residence time. As expected, increased residence time led to increased pH. However, the pH levels off at approximately 40 min of residence time once it reaches pH of around 4.4 due to the release of hydrogen ions from the formation of Al(OH)3. Acidity removal is directly proportional to residence time; the higher the residence time is the more acidity is removed. Using this information, a simple model has been created to predict treatment performance of this channel in order to guide the design of future channels treating similar waters.

The Effect of Sodium Chloride on the Rate of Calcite Dissolution and Acid Mine Drainage
Jessica E Mazzur; Engironmental Engineering, St. Francis University, Loretto, PA 15940, jxm281@francis.edu; Maria A Messina; John A Golanoski; Austin W Renz; Nick J Frank, Sergio Carvajal; Joel Z Bandstra; Bill H.J. Strosnider; Rachel Wagner; Charles D Spellman Jr., Environmental Engineering, St. Francis University, Loretto, PA, a5940
Open limestone channels are a common method for treating acid mine drainage. The Swank open limestone channel in Reade Township, Cambria County has been monitored over the past 3 years, measuring pH, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity. In 2011, the inflow of the channel had an average pH of 3.3 and an outflow average pH of 4.4. Currently, there is less pH increase than when the channel was originally installed. This is due to the buildup of precipitates on the limestone rocks which slows dissolution rates. In order to fix this problem, a new method of regeneration needs to be discovered. The purpose of this experiment was to observe the effect of salt (sodium chloride) on the speed of calcite dissolution and acid mine drainage by testing the pH, conductivity, and alkalinity every 3 hours for 2 days under controlled laboratory conditions. Based on the data collected, the pH increased faster with salt than without. By adding salt, the conductivity raised drastically, allowing the pH to change faster. Future treatment plans could include adding salt to increase calcite dissolution rates and possibly regenerate channel performance.


Passive Co-Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage and Municipal Wastewater: Simple Anaerobic Trials
Jacob McCloskey, Rebecca Peer, Emily Bach, Evan Anthony, Jeffrey Chastel, Peter Smyntek, Rachel Wagner, Joel Bandstra, William Strosnider, Environmental Engineering Program, Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA 15940
The passive co-treatment of municipal wastewater (MWW) and acid mine drainage (AMD) is an emerging treatment approach that has shown recent promise. The approach involves allowing a self-designed microbial ecosystem to synergistically improve these waters by passively manipulating redox conditions. To investigate the efficiency and rates of reactions of anaerobic co-treatment, 24 replicate anaerobic 1L-cubitainers containing a 5:2 MWW:AMD mixture and inert Kaldnes plastic media were sealed and incubated for 30 days. The AMD had 37 mg/L aluminum, 20 mg/L iron, 2.6 mg/L manganese, and 670 mg/L sulfate with a pH of 2.7. The MWW had 1200 mg/L of chemical oxygen demand, 7.4 mg/L phosphate as P, pH of 6.9, and 375 mg/L of alkalinity as calcite equivalent. After a sharp decrease from the initial mix pH of 6.9 to 6.3, the pH increased linearly back to 6.9. Following pH, alkalinity also dipped from the initial mix of 153 to 128, but then increased linearly to 249 mg/L as calcite equivalent due to bacterial sulfate reduction. Sulfate decreased from 230 to 149 mg/L. Iron decreased to 0.05 mg/L upon mixing due to the effect of increased pH on trivalent iron. Iron later increased near the midpoint of the incubation, likely from the activity of iron reducing bacteria acting on iron oxyhydroxides. However, the iron released into solution subsequently precipitated via iron-sulfide formation. Hydrogen sulfide concentrations increased dramatically over time, supporting sulfate reduction and iron-sulfide precipitation as treatment mechanisms. Phosphate decreased to below detection limits (< 0.5 mg/L as P) immediately upon mixing. Chemical oxygen demand decreased from 389 in the influent mix to 242 mg/L. Overall, results revealed interesting iron treatment dynamics and provided reaction rates central to expanding this technology to field-scale application.

Drinking Before the Drills: A Study of Three Pristine Water Sites in Sullivan County
Shelby S. Coleman and Christopher P. Hallen, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, PA 17815, jssc92324@huskies.bloomu.edu.
During the last decade, technologies have improved allowing for extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus shale at depths of eight to ten thousand feet, opening Pennsylvania for drilling and fracking. Economic reality, however, has caused oil and gas companies to delay drilling at many of the sites for which they have obtained drilling permits. This affords us the opportunity to measure natural non-impacted chemical quantities (aka baseline data) at several ponds in Sullivan County, specifically Sones Pond, Beech Lake, and Shumans Lake. Sones Pond is located in the Loyalsock State Forest, Forks, PA and was sampled on June 6. Beech Lake is located in Laporte, PA and was sampled on June 11. Shumans Lake is located in Lopez, PA and was sampled on June 20. Samples from each site were strategically taken to gain knowledge of the entire body of water, including any obvious inflows and outflows. Data collected in situ included pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and turbidity. Conductivity values averaged 12 µS/cm (Beech) and 14 µS/cm (Sones), but ranged from 61 to 204 µS/cm at Shumans Pond. pH at all the ponds was slightly acidic to neutral, with the lowest pH at Beech Lake (5.2 to 5.6). Alkalinity was low at all sites sampled, ranging from 1.1 to 1.6 mg/L as CaCO3 at Beech Lake to 2.4 to 9.6 mg/L as CaCO3 at Shumans Pond. Acidities were also low ranging from 2.1 to 6.0 mg/L as CaCO3 at Beech Lake to 4.6 to 13.6 mg/L as CaCO3 at Shumans Pond. Samples were analyzed for aluminum, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc using ICP-OES, with all metals except barium, iron, and manganese being below detectable limits. Both fracking and produced water from Marcellus production can be traced using conductivity, chloride, strontium, barium, and some heavy metals making pollution from Marcellus production easily detectable in these ponds should it occur – all via a sonde placed at the inflow.

Analysis of DNA Sequences from Largemouth Bass Virus Isolates from Smallmouth Bass
Shannon Pipes and Jeffrey D NEWMAN, Department of Biology, Lycoming College, Williamsport PA 17701.
The viral pathogen, Largemouth Bass Virus (LMBV), is a member of the family Iridoviridae and has been known to cause large fish kills among Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides. The viral pathogen is also consistently isolated from other species where diseased fish are found. Throughout the Susquehanna River Basin since 2005, Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus dolomieu, have been suffering from wide-spread disease related deaths. Even though LMBV is not clinically known to affect Smallmouth Bass, this virus is prevalent among diseased fish infected with other pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The question we seek to address is whether there are significant genetic differences between LMBV isolates from smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Total DNA was isolated from preparations of LMBV derived from smallmouth bass and largemouth bass isolates. Five LMBV-specific primer sets were used to amplify fragments from each preparation for conventional Sanger sequencing and the total DNA preparations are also being analyzed using MiSeq NextGen sequence analysis. After we receive the sequence data, further assembly, annotation, and analysis will be conducted to identify any host-specific variations.

Evaluation of metals and organic compounds in water samples from seven locations across the upper main stem of the Susquehanna River near Sunbury, PA
Kristen M. Benitez, Chemistry Department, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, benitez@susqu.edu; Amir Y. Alwali, and Lou Ann Tom, Chemistry Department, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870.
River water samples from seven locations across the upper main stem of the Susquehanna River near Sunbury, PA were analyzed for the presence of metals and organic compounds. A Perkin Elmer Analyst 800 Atomic Absorption Spectrometer was used to analyze the water for presence of the following metals in suspension using external standard methods: manganese, iron, aluminum, antimony, arsenic, mercury, tin, chromium, lead, nickel, cadmium, selenium, molybdenum, copper, strontium, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Control spike samples were also analyzed to determine if the metals may absorb onto the sediment found in several of the sample locations. The concentrations of metals varied from non-detectable using flame atomization to concentrations over 100 ug/mL. Those metals which could not be detected will be re-evaluated using the more sensitive graphite furnace methods for lower concentrations. The results are considered preliminary because digestion of the samples before analysis was not performed, but if the spiked samples suggest that metals may absorb onto the sediment particles, this will be pursued as part of the sample preparation. Samples are also being analyzed using a Thermo Trace 1300 Gas Chromatograph with an ISQ Single Quadrapole Mass Spectrometer for the presence of organic compounds.

Pre-Construction Assessment of Turtle Creek and Unnamed Tributaries (Turtle Creek, Union County)
Dave Rebuck, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 208 West Third Street, Suite 101, Williamsport, PA 17701, drebuck@pa.gov.
DEP biologists and interns collected D-frame kick-net samples, basic water chemistry, and deployed temperature sondes in May 2014 on six farms along Turtle Creek in Union County. The work was done to provide baseline conditions prior to implementing Growing Greener Grant funded stream bank stabilization work and installation of agricultural best management practices. Data was collected both on the main stem and on two unnamed tributaries. On the main stem, the 3 sites represent a farm where cows have active access to the stream, a farm where the cows were fenced out of the stream approximately 5 years ago, and a farm that has not had any cows in the stream area for over 20 years. The unnamed tributaries were on 2 separate farms. At both farms an upstream reference site was selected as well as a site where stream improvement or agricultural best management practices were to be implemented. The reference sites on both unnamed tributaries were closer to the source and represent a more unaltered stream ecosystem than the sites selected for stream improvement work.

Temporal Variation in Black Spot Disease in Three Common Species of Cyprinids from the Susquehanna River
Chad K. Katra, Environmental Program, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711, ChadKatra@kings.edu; Thomas P. Mangan, Environmental Program, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18711, ThomasMangan@kings.edu; Chad K. Katra, Environmental Program, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18711; Vanessa L. Wagner and Brian P. Mangan, Environmental Program, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18711
We examined spotfin shiner (Cyprinella spiloptera), spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius), and bluntnose minnow (Pimephales notatus) for black spot disease. These fishes were collected from seven years of seine samples from the Upper Susquehanna River. Our goals were to assess variation in the prevalence (=Nhost/Nfish), mean intensity (=Nspots/Nhost), and abundance (=Nspots/Nfish) of disease among the years sampled.
Black Spot Disease in a Large Discrete Sample of Spotfin Shiners from the Upper Susquehanna River

Chad K. Katra, Environmental Program, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18711; Thomas P. Mangan and Brian P. Mangan, Environmental Program, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18711
We examined 3500 spotfin shiners (Cyprinella spiloptera) for black spot disease. These fish represented a single haul of a 7.6 m bank seine along the shoreline of the Upper Susquehanna River. This sample presented an opportunity to assess black spot in a large, discrete sample of a common minnow at a single point in time. Our specific goals were to assess the prevalence (=Nhost/Nfish), mean intensity (=Nspots/Nhost), and abundance (=Nspots/Nfish) of disease in these fish.


Passive Co-Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage and Municipal Wastewater: Simple Anaerobic Trials
Jeffrey Chastel, Environmental Engineering Program, Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA 15940, jac101@francis.edu; William Strosnider, Environmental Engineering Program, Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA 15940
The passive co-treatment of municipal wastewater (MWW) and acid mine drainage (AMD) is an emerging treatment approach that has shown recent promise. The approach involves allowing a self-designed microbial ecosystem to synergistically improve these waters by passively manipulating redox conditions. To investigate the efficiency and rates of reactions of anaerobic co-treatment, 24 replicate anaerobic 1L-cubitainers containing a 5:2 MWW:AMD mixture and inert Kaldnes plastic media were sealed and incubated for 30 days. The AMD had 37 mg/L aluminum, 20 mg/L iron, 2.6 mg/L manganese, and 670 mg/L sulfate with a pH of 2.7. The MWW had 1200 mg/L of chemical oxygen demand, 7.4 mg/L phosphate as P, pH of 6.9, and 375 mg/L of alkalinity as calcite equivalent. After a sharp decrease from the initial mix pH of 6.9 to 6.3, the pH increased linearly back to 6.9. Following pH, alkalinity also dipped from the initial mix of 153 to 128, but then increased linearly to 249 mg/L as calcite equivalent due to bacterial sulfate reduction. Sulfate decreased from 230 to 149 mg/L. Iron decreased to 0.05 mg/L upon mixing due to the effect of increased pH on trivalent iron. Iron later increased near the midpoint of the incubation, likely from the activity of iron reducing bacteria acting on iron oxyhydroxides. However, the iron released into solution subsequently precipitated via iron-sulfide formation. Hydrogen sulfide concentrations increased dramatically over time, supporting sulfate reduction and iron-sulfide precipitation as treatment mechanisms. Phosphate decreased to below detection limits (< 0.5 mg/L as P) immediately upon mixing. Chemical oxygen demand decreased from 389 in the influent mix to 242 mg/L. Overall, results revealed interesting iron treatment dynamics and provided reaction rates central to expanding this technology to field-scale application.