Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance
Current Projects
The Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance (BCWA) of the Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy continues to press forward with activities to promote good stewardship of the environment in the Buffalo Creek watershed. It has a number of projects currently underway.
Streamside Tree Stewardship Program
We are partnering with the Chesapeake Conservancy and The Union County Conservation District to assure that streamside tree plantings survive. . As part of the Riparian Rangers program, we provide support for maintenance of already established plantings that that will help protect our steams from sediment and nutrients that are polluting our streams . If you are interested in helping, please contact us.
Stream Monitoring
The BCWA maintains a scheduled program of monitoring the water quality in Buffalo Creek. The goals of the monitoring are (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. Click here to download an Excel file with all the data collected from 2007 through 2018, click here to see some of this data accessible in a map issued by the Chesapeake Monitoring cooperative, and click here for the data for the first monitoring project, phase 1, from 2005 through 2007.
Remediation of Acid Precipitation: Headwaters of Buffalo Creek
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.
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.
Remediating Agricultural Sources on Impaired Tributaries
In an effort to begin to improve the water quality of the stretches of stream tributaries that have been identified as impaired by agricultural sources, BCWA cosponsored, together with the Union County Conservation District, a project to hire an agricultural environmental specialist. This person conducts on-farm environmental assessment, works with conservation partners in assisting with computer modeling of environmental conditions, and assists landowners with best management practice identification and implementation in the Buffalo Creek Watershed. This project has been funded by a 319 grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency.
