Problems on the Bushkill Creek Northampton Cty PA

[tight-lines]

The Bushkill creek in Northampton County is a class A wild brown trout fishery. We have an ongoing issue with major sink hole activity in a stretch approximately 2 miles below an active limestone quarry. The problems started around 1999 and have gotten progressively worse. We are now at the point where when the pumps shut down or for any reason the stream is de-watered for those 2 miles.

We are not looking to lay blame but find a solution. Having the Bushkill de-water 3 times in the past year is unacceptable.
The link below will take you to the Forks of The Delaware TU website
click "sign the petition" watch the short 2 minute video we filmed during the last event ,12/9/17, and if you wish sign. Ideally we would ask you to also share this link with other sporting groups.

We are convinced, after countless hours and years of previous effort,the only way we can attain any positive movement on this is by turning up the heat and we need people to sign to give us that momentum.

Thank you

Joe Baylog
Forks TU

https://forksofthedelaware.tu.org/blog-posts/tell-pa-dep-protect-wild-trout-in-bushkill-creek

 

[sapper6]

This is a great little stream where I cut my teeth learning to fly fish about 20 years ago. It’s my favorite Lehigh Valley stream, despite all the other limestoners (sorry Monocacy guys!). Despite being an ‘urban’ stream at the lower end there are plenty of nice places to fish. It really deserves better treatment.

I’m really surprised that Buzzi doesn’t have the pumps connected to emergency power. I’ve worked many years in the cement industry, and power outages are a fact of life. Emergency (backup) power is always at a premium, there is never enough generator capacity to run all the equipment you want to during an outage. So it seems that Buzzi either has to reprioritze power usage or upgrade their backup generator capacity. They’re probably not going to do that on their own, without some kind of incentive.

 

[tight-lines]

snapper6
I totally agree, and I will also we have spent a tremendous amount of time over the last 15 years trying to work with the quarry to find a solution. As you so well put part of the solution requires adequate back-up power to maintain pumping. An out lay of capital no company would justify unless mandated by regulatory agencies. By signing our petition all anyone is doing is helping us provide pressure and cover for the PA Dept of mines to mandate what one would think would have been a requirement all along. Buzzi Unicem has delayed the expense of a necessary cost of operation for 15 years ....now its time to pay up.