the biggest threat?

[bikerfish]

just curious, what do you folks think is the biggest threat to our pa trout waters?

 

[tomgamber]

Do we get to pick from a list? Maybe start a poll?

 

[bikerfish]

if ya want. I didn't make a list just because there may be some threats I'm not even thinking of this morning. just curious what other folks thought.
personnally, I think the marcellus drilling is the biggest threat at the moment, which includes a bunch of threats, habitat degradation from site excavation, siltation from excavation,water withdrawal issues, water treatment issues, water dumping issues. toxic material spills. I'm sure there are many more issues than what I just named.
other threats might include development along streams, climate change, acid rain.

 

[pcray1231]

Biggest threat = Development. Leads to siltation, boom/bust flows, higher water temperatures, higher water use, etc.

Marcellus fits in there for the siltation issue especially, from newly built roads and well pads. Thats the biggest danger of Marcellus, IMO, and its a bad one. But this threat isn't limited to gas drilling. Urban sprawl, houses, etc. And I just don't see much of a way to stem the tide.

That said, the biggest current problems are AMD and acid rain, both of which have peaked and are recovering. I do have hopes that the improvements here can keep pace with increased development, and at least give us a zero sum game.

 

[MKern]

For trout water only I say old dams.

Silt piles up behind them and warm the water.

 

[tomgamber]

I think withdrawing water and dumping of waste water as part of Marcellous are just as big a threat as siltation. I do think development is a huge one for several reasons though. Runoff being a big one. But you will lose fishing water all together as streams become landlocked by development.

I find privatization (Spring Ridge) as a threat to trout waters. If its posted its gone.

I also worry that with all the concentration on Marcellous these days that AMD projects may get pushed aside.

 

[Festus]

I think withdrawing water and dumping of waste water as part of Marcellous are just as big a threat as siltation.

From what I've been seeing everytime a drop of rain falls around here, siltation is going to be a huge issue with the Marcellus development. Elk Run, which runs into Pine and is right smack in the middle of the Marshlands Play, turns to mud within minutes.

 

[pcray1231]

Thank you Festus. That shouldn't happen. I've been around drilling for much of my life, I grew up in a well rich area. This problem is priority #1, and its also fairly easy to solve. Well, maybe not solve, but at least control. They should have settling ponds set up and the surface water should be forced to enter the ground, and all activity should be far enough from any stream to ensure that there is enough ground for proper filtration. Doesn't sound like that is the case for some of your companies right now. Thats where control efforts need to be focused.

To be sure, I'm glad to see everyone shouting from the rooftops. I just feel the aim is a little off, and it could cost us. Is costing us, apparantly.

FWIW, for a given wellsite, when the drilling and fracking winds up and the collection of gas begins, those muddy messes of well pads will be allowed to shrink, and the remaining area grow up in low vegetation, much like a square power line. There will be a permanent tank or so in the middle, but nothing huge like the derrick, trailer, and all those trucks you see now. They will rather permanently maintain a passable road into it though, and it will be visited sporadically, either pickups or a small tank truck. Unfortunately, streams that are already silted in can take years to flush out. And the way things work, when one well goes into collection phase, the rig just moves a few miles and starts a new one, so there's always an active drilling project going on somewhere nearby. While your well pads are generally bigger than ours were, and more traffic right now, the sites will be spread out more. Where I grew up, I think they're every quarter mile or so. I know there's 4 in site of my dad's back yard, though only 1 is freshly fracked. No, not on his property, we don't get a dime from them.

 

[PennKev]

Access.

No access and then no one will care what happens. I wonder if all the landowners who post their land or lease it to clubs realize that that they won't get much help from the public when someone trashes their watershed. If the public can't use it, why should they bother? That seems to be human nature.

Kev

 

[Squaretail]

I would imagine access first can be a double edged sword. Who would care if they had access to dead water?
To me it would be keeping grips on the Marcellus drilling and roadway regs. But not by much. ;-)

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Link

so....

agriculture and urbanization
sedimentation from road construction and dirt and gravel roads
water temperature elevations stemming from storm water runoff the loss of riparian vegetation along the stream corridor
the presence of non-native species such as, brown trout (stocking)
acid precipitation and acid mine drainage


Now those a PA's main factors at the time this was written.
Marcus Shale raised the bar and they should be number one. Access should be on that list but i find that to be not near the problem as some listed above.

 

[Selfinflictedfunk]

humans

 

[gemiller]

I believe development is the biggest issue, followed by just pure carelessness of people. I had a full trash bag today after walking around this afternoon, I had to jump in the water to pull a 15ft piece of plastic sheeting out of the water.

 

[FruitingBodies]

Peak Water: commodification of water and privatization of water ways will ultimately destroy...more than just our beloved trout.

 

[BrookieBuster101]

I think its lack of interest.

My generation is the most indoor, self centered generation the trout streams have ever seen. So i believe that any effort to get kids hooked on fly fishing and conservation of cold water habitat is essential to seeing these waters taken care of.

Because after all a lack of care leads to all of the things you guys are talking about... just my thoughts though.