conservation – Page 2 – Little Juniata River Association -a 501 c3 non-profit organization

telemetry study

Attention fisherman: telemetry study underway

Juniata College, in partnership with the LJRA, is repeating the brown trout telemetry study. So far 40 transmitters have been placed. If you catch a trout with a transmitter wire (see photo), please return it to the water and handle as gently as possible. Obtain a picture if possible and report the location and date caught as well as any observations about the health of the fish. Email the information (bjuniata@verizon.net) or call 814 684 5922. This is great way for you to participate in the study.

12th Annual River Bank Clean-up

12th Annual Riverbank Clean-up

Students from the Philipsburg-Osceola fly fishing club with the two trucks load of trash they picked up near the Pemberton bridge. Great job!

LJRA held its 12th annual river bank clean-up on Saturday April 8th. We had a great turnout, with approximately 200 volunteers showing up to clean the J.

More great news for the J!

More great news for the J!

The LJRA is excited to announce that as a result of the June electroshocking survey (scroll down to the next page), PFBC will recommend that two sections of the J be classified as a wild Class A fishery. Being declared a wild Class A fishery is an important step towards gaining high quality cold water (HQCW) designated use status by PA-DEP. One location encompasses 4.5 miles of the upper J from Sandy Run to the Rt 220 bridge in Bellwood. The other 3.2 mile section is located on the lower J from the Barre bridge to the mouth of the Juniata River. 2016 has been an excellent year for the J!

Major source of trash thwarted

Polluting junk yard cleaned up

Before clean up. The Upper J flows just behind the tree line of the left — Before clean up. The Upper J flows just behind the tree line on the left

After Pennelec clean up. A new fence will prevent junk from encroaching on the banks of the J

This site on the banks of the upper “J” was covered with junk from an auto salvage operation. LJRA worked with the legitimate landowner, First Energy, to get it cleared. We give our thanks to First Energy/Penelec for finally getting this done! This should greatly reduce the washing of tires and other auto-associated trash into the J during high water events.

Freeing a vital source of cold spring water for the upper J!

Freeing a vital source of cold spring water for the upper J!

This spring was diverted as a source of water for the Tyrone paper mill since 1935. In August 2016, American Eagle Paper Co agreed to free it at its source, located 2 miles upstream from their pump house in Tyrone. Director Carl Reed and Bill Anderson visited the spring and walked its path to the river. It is now providing much needed 50 degree cold water for an additional 2 miles of the upper J! Kudos to American Eagle Paper Co.

Water temperatures

The end of June through August is a tough time for our trout. Water levels are incredibly low and the temperature on the upper J exceeded 83 degrees yesterday! (July 14) upstream of Tyrone. It’s going to at or near 90s for the next 6 days. This is upstream of the springs but this water mixes with the springs and warms the water throughout the river. Regular updates on water temperatures and conditions are important for the trout as well as your fellow anglers deciding whether or not to travel to the area. Share your observations and current conditions in the forum. Better yet, leave the trout alone!

Electroshocking survey on the upper J

Wild trout survey on the upper river yields encouraging results

We are pleased that Kris Kuhn, Fisheries Manager for the south central district, and his PFBC crew electroshock surveyed two 300 meter stretches of the upper J between Bellwood and Tyrone (upstream from the DHALO) on June 10th. Large numbers of brown trout were found at both both locations. (During the survey they captured one of our telemetry study fish -see picture below).

Observers, including LJRA officers, are hopeful that, once the results are totaled, more than a Class A population will have been found at both locations. Being declared a wild Class A fishery is a requirement for gaining high quality cold water (HQCW) Designated Use and the added protection that follows this designation by PADEP. Adding this very significant section of the upper J to HQCW designated use list is one big step forward towards meeting the LJRA goal of obtaining HQCW designation for the entire river.

42.5 cm brown — A 42.5 centimeter telemetry study brown captured during the survey. He looked to be in fine shape. There was no sign of the sutured wound for the transmitter, however the antenna exit point was reddened for a small area around it (you can see it in the close up).

These observations, together with the increasing presence of pollution intolerant mayflies and stoneflies throughout the river, are very exciting developments indeed!

LJRA Riverbank clean up

LJRA 2016 Riverbank cleanup

Thanks to all!

It didn’t go as planned and the final stages have yet to be completed, but the 11^th Annual LJRA bank clean up was a success! Volunteers collected 61 tires and filled 1.5 large roll-away dumpsters so far. The major work was done on April 16^th, but different groups who could not attend the make up date organized or will organize on the following weekends.

April 23^rd: Angie Spagnoli (PSU-Altoona) organized a group of students to clean Spring Run in Altoona, the uppermost headwater of the LJ. They filled more than 130 garbage bags full of trash and lots of other large objects. This was the first time the clean up extended that far up the watershed. Great job PSU-Altoona

April 30^th: Boy scouts will clean the upper river

May 7^th: Our boating members and their friends are planning to float the Gorge area and clean areas inaccessible by foot

Thanks to Spruce Creek United Methodist Church for the great lunch, Sheetz Co for bottled water, Tastykake Co. for treats and Veederoot Co. for a monetary donation and commitment of labor

If you are interested in helping with the remaining stages of the clean up email bjuniata@verizon.net.

New Pig Corporation joins the LJRA in its Annual Riverbank Clean up

New Pig Corporation is a corporate sponsor of the LJRA and participates in our annual clean up. New Pig awarded the LJRA a Pig Difference grant in 2015 to aid in our efforts to preserve and protect the Little Juniata River. They produced a nice video describing the clean up that can be viewed here: http://www.pigdifference.org/ljra

February meeting highlights-montioring the upper J

Jim Eckenrode from the Blair County Conservation District presented the plans for monitoring important stream parameters such as temperature, turbidity, pH and conductivity along the upper J at the February meeting held Thursday the 11th. The data will be important for monitoring the health of the river and making a case for HQCW designation in the upper J. During the winter months the meetings of the LJRA will be held the second Thursday of the month at 7PM.