Our 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

BWCA of the Merrill W.Linn
Land and Waters Conservancy

is the parent organization of the Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance and played an active role in its establishment and continues to support its activities. The Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy

Acid Remediation Project

In 2007 BCWA was awarded a Growing Greener II grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in the amount of $290,00 for the construction phase of it’s acid remediation project in the headwaters of Buffalo Creek.

BCWA recently made an important step toward remedying the high acid conditions in the upper reaches of Buffalo Creek. At a meeting of DCNR-Bureau of Forestry officials, DEP representatives, Dietz-Gourley Consulting, LLC, and BCWA board members in early October, all parties were able to agree upon the conditions under which construction will proceed. The goal of beginning the construction of two passive water treatment basins on Buffalo Flats near the headwaters of the main stem of Buffalo Creek next spring is now in view.

BCWA has been working for several years on reducing the high acid conditions in the upper reaches of the main branch of Buffalo Creek. The water quality in this segment of the stream historically supported a wild brook trout fishery, but over time the fish population diminished to zero in this area. The reduction in water quality and consequent fish loss was the result of the gradual deposition of acid-causing air pollutants. As the acidity of the water increased over time it caused an increase in aluminum in the water to levels that are toxic to aquatic life. 

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.

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.

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.

Fifth Annual Canoe & Kayak Float

An overnight rain had dropped three-quarters of an inch of rain on the Buffalo Creek Watershed in Union County, enough to raise the level of the water in the creek by almost a foot on this Sunday morning. That was good news for the twenty folks who had signed up for the Fifth Annual Buffalo Creek Canoe & Kayak Adventure.  Their canoes and kayaks would float easily downstream, right over any snags and riffles along the way from the Mazeppa to Strawbridge Road.

Before we all got on the water Allan Quant of Canoe Susquehanna taught some basic boating skills and water safety pointer, trying not to frighten the new boaters too much. Soon the canoers and kayakers, newbies and pros, put boats on the water, and a colorful flotilla glided under the bridge and headed downstream.  Oops, one kayak needed some help right at the start, but that was it for the day.  There were no further mishaps, under the careful guidance of Allan, Betsy and Jeremy Quant.  Everyone enjoyed navigating the flowing water through curves in creek and around the occasional fallen tree.  There was plenty of time to see and hear the mallards, mergansers, wood ducks, Canada geese, red-winged blackbirds, and kingfishers as they flew overhead and in the surrounding woods.

Two miles of creek passed quickly by, and it was time to stop at historic water-powered Grove’s Mill for a personal tour by Curt Falck, grandson of Charles Grove and the current operator. Built in 1784,  just as settlers began to return to the valley after the Revolutionary war, this remarkable mill continues to grind, sift, and mix grains much as it has for over 220 years: a gem of 18th century technology. 

After admiring and photographing the mill, we returned to our boats, paddled back up the mill race, and portaged over a knoll into the main stream of the creek. Meandering another two miles through woods and farmland, the familiar landscape appeared fresh and fascinating when seen from the creek: not our usual view of the world!  A quick glimpse of a horned owl’s nest in a streamside sycamore tree near Dale’s Ridge, and we arrived at the takeout at the Strawbridge Road Bridge: time for good-byes and thank-yous after a fun afternoon.

See you next year!

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.

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

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.

Acknowledgements

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.