AGES/IFTU Eastern Brook Trout Workshop Presentation

Developing Wide-Area Water Quality Monitoring Networks in the Shale Plays of Western Pennsylvania: A Case Study from the

Allegheny National Forest

Dr. Bruce C. Dickson

Chief Scientist

Applied Geology and Environmental Science, Inc.

Clinton, PA

Cooperative Effort:• Iron Furnace Trout Unlimited (Clarion, PA)• Elk County Conservation District• ColCom Foundation• United States Forest Service• Applied Geology and Environmental Science• United States Army Corps of Engineers

• On Allegheny Plateau

• Established 1923

• “Allegheny Brush-patch”

• ~ 517,000 acres

• Encompasses better part of 4 counties

Allegheny National Forest Water Quality Monitoring Network Goals:

• Monitor HQ-CWF streams with a focus on Allegheny National Forest covering approximately 175,000 acres;

• Generate baseline data in watersheds with ongoing conventional oil and gas extraction and new deep shale development;

• Identify and document pollution incidents;• Provide data for internal and external consumption;• Support and cooperate with other monitoring initiatives,

networks, and projects;• Create environmental education opportunities with local

schools and involve local communities.

Monitoring Approach

• Expands on TU Coldwater Conservation Corps Program with data loggers and multi-parameter real-time stations;

• Multi-parameter stations based on Susquehanna River Basin Commission watershed monitoring model.

YSI Sondes record:• Temperature • Conductivity• pH • Dissolved Oxygen • Turbidity • Pressure

Data loggers record:• Temperature• Conductivity• Pressure

Solinst Data Loggers

• Cost: ~ $1200; reader $160; software free;

• Loggers programmed to record temperature, level,

and conductivity at 15 minute intervals (95

observations/day);

• Loggers can stay in housing on site nearly 6 months.

Data Logger Locations:• Salmon Creek Watershed:

Four Mile Run* The Branch

• Spring Creek Watershed:

Spring Creek Hunter Creek

• Millstone Creek Watershed

Log Run

• West Branch Blue Jay Creek

• East Hickory Creek*

• McCaferdy Run

• Iron Run

• Clawson Run

*PAFBC Designated Wilderness Trout Fishery

Iron Run Logger(in-place 2 months)

Logger Data Management Serial_number:

1064818

Project ID:

Log Run

Location:

Millstone Creek Watershed FS131

LEVEL

UNIT: ft

Offset: 0.000000 ft

Altitude: 1380.349976 ft

Density: 1.000000 kg/L

TEMPERATURE

UNIT: Deg C

CONDUCTIVITY

UNIT: _S/cm

Date Time ms LEVEL TEMPERATURE CONDUCTIVITY

9/27/2011 18:00:00 0 3.084 16.6 18

9/27/2011 18:15:00 0 3.091 16.6 18

9/27/2011 18:30:00 0 3.097 16.6 18

9/27/2011 18:45:00 0 3.091 16.6 18

9/27/2011 19:00:00 0 3.097 16.5 18.1

9/27/2011 19:15:00 0 3.11 16.5 18.1

9/27/2011 19:30:00 0 3.104 16.5 18.1

9/27/2011 19:45:00 0 3.117 16.5 18.1

9/27/2011 20:00:00 0 3.11 16.4 18.1

9/27/2011 20:15:00 0 3.104 16.4 18.1

9/27/2011 20:30:00 0 3.11 16.4 18.1

9/27/2011 20:45:00 0 3.117 16.4 18.1

9/27/2011 21:00:00 0 3.11 16.4 18.1

9/27/2011 21:15:00 0 3.123 16.3 18.2

9/27/2011 21:30:00 0 3.11 16.3 18.2

Multi-Parameter Real Time Satellite Stations w/Web Data

Data is uploaded from the remotemulti-parameter stationat various time intervals.

Data viewing and access can be granted to project partners and other organizations by project administrator.

Data capture can be programmed for 15 minute intervals w/o upload to internet. Data downloaded manually if desired.

Cost: YSI Sonde: $ 5,000Hardware: $ 5,000Data Upload: Variable

Multi-Parameter Satellite Stations

Watersheds and TU Conservation Success Index (CSI)

Salmon Creek 64

Spring Creek 61

Millstone Creek 41

South Branch Tionesta Creek 62

Network Operation ExperienceMonitoring network locations:

• Most permanent stations on Federal land (USFS/USACE);• USFS requires site assessment (Environmental/Cultural);• Bureaucratic forms and review delays.

Equipment Calibration (internal):• All equipment can be calibrated in-house if desired;• Requires lab standards, understanding of equipment, space.

Equipment Calibration (external):• WHY ?

Data validity (accuracy) and data use by other parties;

• Permanent station YSI Sondes at $30/unit/month;• Loggers semi-annually at ~ $10/unit.

Network Operation ExperienceData logger accuracy for conductivity (µS/cm):

• Solinst data loggers with range of 0 – 80,000 µS/cm ;• Accuracy 2% between 500 – 80,000 µS/cm range;• Network data consistently < 500 µS/cm, often < 40 µS/cm.

• Conducted bench test to verify accuracy:• Lab standards at - 23.8, 50, 100, 200, 400 µS/cm;• Accuracy ranged from 2% - 6% from 100 – 400 µS/cm;• 10% for 50 µS/cm and 40% for 23.8 µS/cm.

• Replacing with Hobo loggers at 0 – 1000 µS/cm range with advertised 2% accuracy.

• Initiating logger-loaner program for Solinst loggers.• Schools/TU chapters with appropriate applications.

Network Operation ExperiencePermanent locations:

• Satellite or cell transmission to internet sites.• Locating on in-place infrastructure or in remote areas;• Operating costs higher with more frequent data transmission

to internet (~ $57/month/seven parameters/4 hr interval);• Store data in YSI Sonde and download monthly prior to

recalibration.

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Data Sample: McCaferdy Run Box Plot

Outreach:

Partnered with the Forest Area School District (West Forest

and East Forest Elementary and High School) to share

information and develop locally based educational programs

for 4th and 9th graders under the PA STEM (Science Technology

Engineering Math) Program.

Partnered with Hickory Grove Elementary and High School in

Brookville (PA) to share information and develop educational

programs for grades 1 -12 to develop curriculum for science

education through the PADEP Environmental Education Grant

Program.

Acknowledgements:

Iron Furnace TU would like to thank the Colcom Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA for the funding to support this project. We also thank our primary cooperating partners including the Elk County Conservation District, US Forest Service, and US Army Corps of Engineers.

Applied Geology and Environmental Science provides project management/oversight, technical support, and data management for the monitoring project.

For additional information please contact:

Bruce Dickson, PhD

Chief Scientist

AGES, Inc.

2402 Hookstown Grade Road, Suite 200

Clinton, PA 15026

814.806.6073 (mobile)

412.264.6453 (office)

412.264.6567 (fax)

[email protected]