BWCA
of the Merrill W. Linn
Land and Waters Conservancy

The Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance is part of
The Merrill Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy

Upcoming Events

BCWA’s water quality restoration project near the headwaters of Buffalo Creek is now in operation. After many years of high acidity caused by the deposition of polluted rain and snow, the stream is now being restored to conditions that will support healthy aquatic life once again.

The passive treatment system installed near Buffalo Flat road in Hartleton Township diverts some of the stream water into two limestone basins, where natural chemical and biological reactions increase its alkalinity and raise its pH. The treated water then flows back into Buffalo Creek. As the creek water returns to a more normal pH level, fish, insects and other aquatic life will return downstream.

The Two Limestone Basins

You are welcome to visit the site in the Bald Eagle State Forest. Directions to get there: starting at the intersection of US 15 and PA 45 go west for 17.8 miles, turn right onto Stony Run Road (just before the Laurelton center and the junction with PA 235). After 3.2 miles you will come to an intersection of forest roads. Turn right onto Buffalo Flat Road and follow it for 1.6 miles. Immediately after crossing the stream you will see the sign and gate to the BCWA acid remediation site.

Entrance to Remediation Site

Download a fuller description of this passive treatment system here.

Assessing Agricultural Runoff

Dan Wagner, agricultural environmental specialist, at the Union County Conservation District continues to assess agricultural runoff in impaired segments of the Buffalo Creek watershed. His work is supported by the federal Clean Water Act § 319 grant program, for which BCWA was a co-applicant with the UCCD.  Dan has started compiling data for establishing best management practices (BMPs) in a tributary to Buffalo Creek (just outside Mifflinburg). With guidance from DEP, he will create a model to predict future water quality for each sub-watershed as measurements are completed. Since thirty-four percent of the watershed is farmland, assessing the streams and working with farmers to limit agricultural runoff is vital to the future health of Buffalo Creek.  This is the beginning of a very long-term project.

BCWA Mission

The Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance has as its central purpose to encourage ecologically responsible stewardship of Buffalo Creek, its tributaries, and the environment within its watershed.

• Goals
• Activities

Stream Monitoring Program

Beginning this December BCWA initiated major changes in its monitoring program. The new goals of the monitoring will be (1) to track improvements from remediation projects, (2) to identify future remediation projects, (3) to provide data for the listing and delisting of segments as impaired by US EPA, and (4) to provide data for recommending changes in water quality ratings by DEP, while (5) continuing to accrue more baseline data.

A 20-minute video

describing the creek and the activities of BCWA, is available for loan at the Union County Public Library,the Laurelton Library, and the Herr Library. DVD versions may be made available upon request.
Inquire at buffalocreek@dejazzd.com

Your Concerns

Let Us Know Your Concerns About Buffalo Creek
This link will bring you a form that will allow you to give us your ideas about Buffalo Creek, its future, its needs, its potential. Please take few minutes to download and e-mail it to us. Let us know your concerns about the watershed.

What You Can Do At Home
Preserving clean water is
everybody's business.
What each of us does in our own home adds up to making a difference in how much water we have to drink and how much there will be available in the future. To find out how you can do your part. Click Here

Volunteers needed!

We are looking for people to take water sediment measurements during high water events. Bucknell geology professor, Craig Kochel, has the kits for these measurements and will teach volunteers how to use them. Write buffalocreek@dejazzd.com if interested.

Our WEB site hosted as a community service by D&E Jazzd Internet Services

WREN

The design of this web site has been funded in part by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund through a Section 319 Federal Clean Water Act grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency administered by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.