Mill Creek is one of Westmoreland County’s natural treasures. Now, it is even better. Growing Greener II funding supported much-needed projects to stabilize the streambank and reduce the amount of sediment entering this exceptional waterway. Mill Creek is an important tributary of Loyalhanna Creek, which supplies drinking water for residents of Ligonier Township and affects […]
Marilla Bridge Reservoir Trail
The Marilla Bridge Reservoir Trail, part of the Tuna Valley trail system, was constructed with help from the Environmental Stewardship Fund. The one-mile trail winds through three newly constructed pedestrian bridges and past a historic 19th-century reservoir, while offering spectacular views of the surrounding forest. “The scenery is wonderful,” said Sara Andrews, project coordinator for […]
Making Local Watershed Protection Possible
The Environmental Stewardship Fund provides funding for watershed specialists in every county in Pennsylvania. The two-year grants enable conservation districts to plan watershed restoration and stream improvement projects with the knowledge that funding for these key positions is secure. “Local efforts are absolutely essential to the Growing Greener partnership,” said Ed Rendell, former governor of […]
Little Laurel Creek Restoration
Little Laurel Run flows into Clearfield Creek about two miles north of Ashville. Because of acid mine drainage from the long-abandoned Klondike Mine, the creek was devoid of life. But thanks to the work of the Clearfield Creek Watershed Association, funding from the Environmental Stewardship Fund, and dedicated volunteers, there are now two low-cost, low-maintenance […]
Kiski–Conemaugh Stream Team
The Kiski–Conemaugh Stream Team was formed in 1998 to address concerns raised in the Kiski–Conemaugh River Basin Conservation Plan. The plan identified the need for a water-monitoring program to collect baseline data on over 100 abandoned mine discharges in the Kiski–Conemaugh River Basin, which encompasses portions of Armstrong, Cambria, Indiana, Somerset, and Westmoreland Counties. The […]
Restoring Life in the West Branch Susquehanna River
With the help of significant Environmental Stewardship Fund investments, 20 years of coordinated efforts to restore life to the West Branch Susquehanna River in northcentral Pennsylvania have resulted in improved water quality and an increase in fish populations and biodiversity, according to a Trout Unlimited study. The study was coordinated by Trout Unlimited in cooperation […]
Citizens Cleanup Aultman Watershed In Indiana County
The Aultman Watershed Association for Restoring the Environment (AWARE) was started in February 2000 by concerned citizens from Indiana County who felt compelled to clean up the Aultmans Run Watershed. This area, nearly 30 square miles in total, empties into the Conemaugh River behind the Army Corps of Engineers dam, and it has abundant potential […]
Babb Creek Watershed Restoration
The Babb Creek watershed was once heavily polluted by acid mine drainage from the abandoned Antrim Mine. Underground mining for bituminous coal began the headwaters of Babb Creek before the Civil War and continued through World War II. Several coal seams underlay the watershed and at least six major mine complexes were dug within the […]
Ahead of the Curve: An Example of Foresight During the Early Years of Growing Greener
Three years before Governor Rendell signed Executive Order 2004-1, which created the Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recognized the devastating impacts of invasive plants in riparian areas. In 2001, DEP awarded Natural Biodiversity, then termed the Invasive Species Control Program, an Environmental Stewardship Fund grant to inspect invasive plants within […]
Catawissa Creek Restored After 70 Years
Acid mine drainage (AMD) has left Catawissa Creek and its largest tributary, Tomhickon Creek, essentially devoid of fish and other aquatic life. The discharge comes from the Audenreid Mine Tunnel, which is the largest abandoned mine drainage discharge in the watershed. Its location at the headwaters of Catawissa Creek has been impacting the entire watershed […]