 On Friday, April 30, the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association mailed out nearly two dozen microplastic-focused letters and information packets to the governor, state senators and state representatives serving the 11,000 square-mile middle Susquehanna watershed.
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 A dead crayfish, trapped in discarded fishing line, was found on May 21 near the Adam T. Bower Memorial Dam by Sunbury. Tangled in discarded fishing line, a small crayfish had no real chance of survival before its knotted-up corpse washed ashore below the Adam T. Bower Memorial Dam near Sunbury.
The unfortunate outcome provides an important red flag ahead of a Memorial Day weekend where people traditionally surge to the river and other outdoor hotspots to unofficially kick off summer and enjoy the first of two statewide free fishing days offered by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.  Doug Fessler, of Sunbury, shows off some tadpoles and organic debris from one of the vernal pools located outside of town. A few hours after posting an overview article and podcast episode featuring master naturalist Jon Beam on the importance of protecting our vernal pools, I received a Facebook message from Doug Fessler.
One of nearly 100 volunteers during a recent trash pickup event around Sunbury, Fessler was concerned about a number of vernal pools near the dike behind the city. He invited me to hike through the region, showing off a neat little outdoor oasis marred by a not-so-neat trail of what appeared to be criss-crossed bike, dirtbike and maybe even ATV tracks in and around vernal pool regions, as well as pockets of newly discarded litter.  A vernal pool formed in a yard near the Penns Creek in Snyder County. Averaging just an inch in length and four grams in weight, the spring peeper’s annual heralding of the spring season depends much more on sound than sight.
“For such a tiny tree frog, their high-pitched voices can carry up to a half-mile,” said Jon Beam, a master naturalist and outdoor educator at the Montour Preserve and vice president of the Montour Area Recreation Commission. Not only does their call provide an important seasonal rite of passage, but provides a distinct audio reminder of the importance of vernal pools within our local ecosystems.  Earth Day 2021 is less than two weeks away (April 22), and this year, the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association would like to honor the occasion by encouraging students throughout our watershed to design a poster using the theme ... "One Thing I Can Do to Help Our River Is ..."
Entries must be done on 8 1/2 x 11 paper in a vertical format, as we plan to display some of the coolest entries in our office windows on one of the busiest street corners in Sunbury ... just a short distance from the Susquehanna River's bank. They will also be shared on the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association's website and a few may make it into local media circles.  Peter Petokas, a renowned expert on the hellbender with 15 years experience, talks in our newest episode of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Podcast, about the dwindling populations in our watershed, the importance of the amphibian, what can be done to improve the situation and other water quality issues.
 Our inaugural Songs of the Susquehanna project CDs are now available at the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association office located at 112 Market Street, Sunbury, PA or via mail.
 Water specialist for the Columbia County Conservation District, Brittney Hartzell grew up in the region and developed a passion for the outdoors at a young age.
In this week's podcast, she talks about the county's response to a Chesapeake Bay initiative, some of the water quality concerns in the region she serves and discusses ways people can make a difference in their day-to-day lives for our water resources. |
AuthorsRiverkeeper John Zaktansky is an award-winning journalist and avid promoter of the outdoors who loves camping, kayaking, fishing and hunting with the family. Archives
October 2024
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