Category: conservation

The upper “j” (Bellwood upstream to Altoona) has a number of locations where the riverbank is badly eroded. This stretch of river is officially considered to be “Impaired” by DEP due to sedimentation and also from phosphorous pollution from two waste treatment facilties. The phosphorous problem is being addressed by AWA and by Antis Township, operator of the “Logan” plant. However, streambank erosion can only be addressed by identifying and repairing eroded banks, starting with the worst cases, one of which is located near Pinecroft, just upstream from the mouth of Sandy Run. Stream bank repair is labor intensive and expensive. On October 30th, 13 volunteers from LJRA and 3 from JKTU, joined forces to repair 100 feet of eroded bank some 7 ft high. They created outstanding trout habitat in the process. This project was funded using private donations from First Energy Foundation, Little Juniata River Association and the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.  The total cost was $14,500. Pictures taken yesterday (Saturday Oct. 30th) are on the LJRA Gallery under “The River”, “Stream Bank Restoration”. More pictures of the completed project will be abvailable on Manday Nov.1st. We will also post video to the LJRA Facebook page . A list of the 16 volunteers will be posted soon as well. Thanks to all!

Bill Anderson

Two years ago, the LJRA joined with other local groups to challenge the proposal to build a Walmart Super center on a Pinecroft site in the Sandy Run watershed. Our concern was based on the knowledge that Sandy Run eminates from a very large, cold, limestone spring and contributes the largest shot of cold water in the upper “j”. SR is also a class “A’ wild brown trout stream which is used as a significant spawning tributary by browns from the river and is surrounded by a DEP designated “Exceptional Value” wetlands. Our objection was voiced in public hearings and in writing, at that time and contributed to a resulting DEP response which required the Walmart site to comply with the strict rules governing run-off. This meant that the run-off water from several acres of roof and parking lot had to be treated and cooled, before release into the stream and EV wetlands. This added a significant additional cost to the choice of this site. We are not anti-development and we accept the official explanation from Walmart that they cancelled their plans due to the economic conditions, (see attached Altoona Mirror article) however we believe that there are much better sites for development in Blair County than one which would add to stormwater run-off into Sandy Run Wetlands, the only EV wetlands in our watershed.

Bill Anderson

http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/529553.html?nav=725