The Paxton Creek Rangers

PCWEA's Watershed Monitoring Volunteers

PCWEA Watershed Monitoring Currently on Hold For several years the PCWEA Rangers conducted monthly and quarterly monitoring of Paxton Creek tributaries throughout the watershed. Staff gauges were installed, and USGS current meters were acquired to facilitate flow measurements. Water quality data were compiled under a PA Senior Enviromental Corps (PASEC) project, and compared with information recorded by provider professional monitors. Once conclusions were reached, and monitoring results from Hatch Kits were found to be limiting for some parameters (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus sulfate, current flow), efforts were halted until a new monitoring protocol was developed, and additional monitors could be trained, reflecting changed priorities (e.g., rehabiltitation project efectiveness as compared to monitoring ambien conditions). Meanwhile, the Targeted Watershed Grant began with partner SRBC's professional monitors performing watershed work. Near the end of the TWG project, the Rangers with reform, and undergo training for additonal project monitoring and response to occasional watershed problems (e.g., petroleum spills). Since the changed monitoring protocol and techniques are expected to be contrary to the PASEC protocol, PCWEA is not likely to affiliate with PASEC in the future.

 A diverse inter-generational group, PCWEA affiliates with the Pennsylvania Senior Environment Corps (PASEC), which has approximately 12 groups actively monitoring water quality in Dauphin, Cumberland, and Perry counties. In addition to basic water quality parameters,* PCWEA also monitors water levels, erosion, and sedimentation. PCWEA's actions are in concert with monitoring by The Harrisburg Authority, and a watershed assessment of Paxton Creek conducted for the City of Harrisburg, under a Growing Greener grant. This latter project involves cooperation among the Paxton Creek Rangers, the Dauphin County Conservation District, and Skelly & Loy a natural resource consulting firm that conducted the watershed corridor assessment of Paxton Creek.

Part of the Ranger monitoring protocol is community education and service at least twice a year. Current and past educational and mentoring activities of the Rangers include the following: Snapshot , Creek Critters Safari , 3M Mentoring Monitoring and More Jamboree , and Midwinter Macros , and the 2004 Macros Blitz (with professional partners).

C-SAW Interactions During the summer and fall, 2002, the Rangers reviewed and modified their sampling plan, procedures, and monitoring protocol through involvement with the Consortium of Scientific Assistance to Watersheds (C-SAW), sponsored by the PA Department of Environmental Protection. C-SAW organizations providing assistance to the Rangers are the United States Geological Survey, the Canaan Valley Institute,, and ALLARM of Dickinson College.

In the late Fall, 2002 the Rangers and partners installed staff gauges, for measuring creek levels, at 12 locations. In 2003 Rangers have been calibrating the gauges to measure current speeds at different water levels, following current meter training by C-SAW partner the U.S. Geologic Survey. 

Annual Snapshots The Rangers join watershed monitors around Pennsylvania in collecting and reporting water quality data to the Department of Environmental Protection. The annual event, which is essentially water sampling and analyses across the state at the same time, takes place during Earth Week, around Earth Day on April 22.

PA Snapshot 2003 included the Rangers, along with partners Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and PA Department of Environmental Protection staff. Students from Harrisburg High School and the Londonderry School participated in Snapshot activities on Earth Day at the Wildwood Campus of Harrisburg Area Community College

For PA Snapshot 2002, Rangers invited other monitors of Pennsylvania Senior Environmental Corps, staff of the Department of Environmental Protection, and a nature artist to participate. Snapshot partner RSVP provided logistical support. Elementary students from two Harrisburg schools, and their teachers rotated among monitoring stations at Wildwood Lake Sanctuary to observe water chemistry testing, water bug (macroinvertebrate) identifications, physical habitat descriptions and measurements, and other activities.

In 2001, Rangers participated in two Snapshot sessions, one in Wildwood Lake Sanctuary involving Londonderry School with water quality monitoring and GPS applications, and another on the HACC Wildwood Campus.