A citizen report of potential pollution in a small Union County tributary of Penns Creek the night after a heavy rainstorm in late May led to an investigation and ongoing corrective action by a nearby business.
The morning of May 23, 2024, an individual reached out to Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky the night after a big storm sharing pictures and video of a very dark, nearly black water flowing down a small waterway and through a culvert under County Line Road not too far from the intersection with Route 304. "I looked at that little run and it was totally black and it smelled like major sewer," the person relayed. "I can tell you one thing, it is all headed to the Penns Creek."
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Participants learn about bees, invasive plants at Aug. 19 Floating Classroom aboard Hiawatha8/20/2024 Despite being rescheduled due to high waters related to Tropical Storm Debby, the bees and invasive plant Floating Classroom hosted by the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association aboard the Hiawatha Paddleboat in Williamsport drew a wide variety of families for hands-on instruction on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.
On the upper level, association Northern Tier Regional Director Emily Shosh shared an overview on invasive plants found throughout the region, the issues they cause and what can be done about them. The presentation included an activity that illustrated how invasive plants can deplete resources in an environment and cut off native species. Column: Internship offered a fresh perspective on environmentalism through outdoor exploration8/11/2024 Riverkeeper's note: The following column was written by Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association summer intern Theadora Duane. She can be contacted via email by clicking here.
I had the privilege of interning for the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association this summer, and it was an experience unlike any other. From the office to the river, I forged meaningful connections and strengthened my love for and admiration of the environment. I came into the role a bit intimidated and unsure of what to expect. I am by no means an expert in any topic, and the thought of environmental education was both exciting and mildly terrifying. I was immediately met with a kind-hearted support system that taught me that a key part of teaching others is a willingness to learn alongside them. Intern column: Pollinator trends can be indicators for water quality if we are paying attention8/9/2024 The following column was written by Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association summer intern Theadora Duane. You can contact her directly via email by clicking here.
We’ve heard it all before. One domino can cause the rest to topple. One beat of a butterfly’s wings can alter life as we know it. One drop of water causes wide ripples. One move can change everything. While these cliches are a bit dramatic, they do hold some truth. Taken literally, the ripples caused by a drop of water are simply a result of energy transfer and surface tension. Depending on what’s in those drops, though, the impacts exceed that which we can directly see. Intern column: TikTok offers valuable platform for engaging wider audience about waterway education8/9/2024 The following column was written by Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association summer intern Sarah Joy. You can contact her directly via email by clicking here.
With the world at our fingertips, social media platforms have changed the game when it comes to expressing new ideas, information and reporting news to a broader audience. The social media app, TikTok, used by roughly 1.8 billion people worldwide has the ability to connect people together like never before. While there may be a stigma surrounding the usage of social media, believing it turns users into screen addicted zombies, there are far more people that believe in the good this platform can bring about regarding its use as a vessel for informative and educational outputs. Update (Aug. 15, 2024): Due to continued high water levels from last weekend's tropical storm, the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association will not be able to offer its Riverwalk programs as planned at the Sunbury Riverfest on Aug. 17. River levels are too high to safely get to the islands where much of the programming was planned.
The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association will be offering several guided Riverwalks on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, during the annual Sunbury RiverFest event, depending on the weather and water levels. The Riverwalks will be offered from the Sunbury Boat Launch located on the south end of town near the Southside Bait Shop. They will include walking across a part of the river to an island and exploring the aquatic ecology, from shoreline through a trail across the center of the island to see various stages of the ecosystem. These programs will be capped at 10 people per group and will only be for those 10 years old and older. Children under 18 should be accompanied by an adult. Participants should wear clothing they can get wet and muddy in with proper footwear (water shoes with hard soles), sunscreen and bug spray. Videographer Michael Kinney will be sharing a special presentation of footage from his 24-day, 228-mile paddle across the West Branch of the Susquehanna River in May of 2024 at an event scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, at the Campus Theatre in Lewisburg.
Kinney left the town of Cherry Tree on May 1 in a kayak with his girlfriend, Missy, providing support and supplies from the road until he paddled to Curwensville, where he switched to a canoe and she joined him on the water. They chronicled the entire trip via video and photos and have developed a special film to recap the adventure and what was learned along the way. More than 50 learn about hellbender research and awareness on Hiawatha's Aug. 6 Floating Classroom8/6/2024 The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association hosted its fourth public Floating Classroom of the 2024 summer season on Tuesday, Aug. 6, with a hellbender theme aboard the Hiawatha Paddleboat in Williamsport
More than 50 people participated in the program which included a lower-level presentation by Matt Kaunert, of Lycoming College's Clean Water Institute, and two of his students, on their current hellbender research and nest box efforts. On the upper level, Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky and association Board President Michael Kinney talked about various efforts to bring awareness to the species, including videos, songs, art projects, legal cases and where things stand with potential protections for a species that has seen a massive reduction in habitat across the greater watershed. Adaptive kayak launch added at Montour Preserve to help more people access Lake Chillisquaque8/3/2024 The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association and Montour Area Recreation Commission collaboratively installed a new adaptive kayak launch at Montour Preserve's Lake Chillisquaque on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024.
The launch, which updates the previous boat dock, was made possible thanks to a grant from the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds and funding from the Vernal School Environmental Education Partnership effort via the 1994 Charles B. Degenstein Foundation. "Adaptive kayak launches allow people who may have physical limitations or emotional fears to access the lake by using a special chute and bench system that cradle a kayak or canoe and make it much easier to get in and out," said Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky. "This launch will allow people to engage with our resources in ways they couldn't before. To my knowledge, this is the only adaptive launch within an 80- to 90-mile radius from this area. We are excited to offer programs using this system to inspire more people to connect with our aquatic ecosystem." |
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
December 2024
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