​Eureka Resources started removing wastewater from its Second Street, Williamsport, site on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, according to Dustan Karschner, Environmental Protection Specialist with the Department of Environmental Protection.

According to his inspection report, Karschner had stopped in for a follow-up inspection of the site to find out that three truck loads of fracking waste water were departing that morning for disposal with a total of up to six truckloads per day planned to be removed moving forward, transporting the wastewater to Kleese Disposal in Ohio, which is a permitted disposal site.

Nearly 50 people participated in the final Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association Floating Classroom of the 2025 season on Oct. 14, 2025, aboard the Hiawatha Paddleboat. 

The program, Trees and Trout, featured a presentation by arborist and Rider Park manager Sara Street on trees that can be found along waterways in our river basin. The other floor explored how those trees directly impact trout via macroinvertebrates through presenter Eric Belfanti of Susquehanna University. 

"It is always sad to see another full season of Floating Classroom programs come to an end," said Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky. "This year, we had so many unique new programs and presenters and are excited about what will come in 2026. We'd love everyone's feedback as we map out the options and start connecting with potential presenters."

The 2025 Songs of the Susquehanna two-disc Greatest Hits album is finally ready for purchase, just in time for the holidays and packed with 30 original songs inspired by our river, its tributaries and the creatures that depend on it all. 

The album comes in a hard plastic case with two CDs packed each with 15 songs representing a wide variety of different musicians, genres and themes. Some songs have been out for a while, a few are from musicians who have since passed away, others are from current veterans in the region's music industry and there are songs from teenagers and other first-time musicians. 

Riverkeeper note: The following is an overview of a fish rescue/research project along the passageway near the fabridam by Sunbury. It is the third time for this project. Check out the pool work done on Dec. 19, 2024, in this post and Nov. 27, 2024, in this post. Consider getting involved in this or other areas of our work via a membership.

​More than 350 fish – including 33 eels – were caught, identified, measured, recorded and released into the Susquehanna River out of three small pools within the fish passageway around the Shamokin Dam side of the fabridam on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, as part of a three-way partnership between the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, Susquehanna University and DCNR.

“To me, the biggest story is the 33 eels,” said Matt Wilson, director of Susquehanna University’s Freshwater Research Institute. “However, it is also unfortunate that these pools also seem to be a habitat for juvenile flathead catfish, of which 11 were found.”

The passageway was built two years ago as a way for fish to navigate around the inflatable dam structure when bags were filled during the boating season, from before Memorial Day weekend until sometime after Labor Day. This year, the dam was deflated last week after Columbus Day, according to Ben Bender, the new manager of the Shikellamy State Park.

Nearly 50 people learned valuable wilderness survival skills and Leave No Trace principles during the Sept. 30, 2025, Floating Classroom aboard the Hiawatha Paddleboat near Williamsport. 

On the upper level, Rose Anna Moore, of This is My Quest, and one of her junior board members, Mia, discussed survival tips and tricks including important lessons Moore learned while competing on Season 8 of the television show Alone, including dealing with numerous grizzly bears in their natural habitat. She showed some of her key tools for fire starting, shelter building and the importance of clean water. And she discussed the importance of keeping calm and being creative when using tools in survival settings.