Restoring the health of our waterways starts with monitoring their current health.
Sylvia Earle, founder of the Sylvia Earle Alliance and Mission Blue, stated in a recent NPR interview, “Accelerated decline of circumstances (environment) do not bode well for the human future of Earth as we know it.” yet she adds, “Nature is resilient, and places that have been protected over the last 10 years have shown tremendous resilience.” MACWell is working to support Johnston Run’s resilience.
On Saturday, February 25th, MACWell and the Mercersburg Academy hosted a water quality testing course taught by Dickinson College’s Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM). Using scientific tools, volunteers learned how to test the water along the stream by chemically monitoring conductivity, nitrate and phosphate levels, turbidity and several other determinants of stream health. MACWell volunteers and Mercersburg Academy students will test 5 areas along Johnston Run monthly. The data will be used not only to monitor the stream quality, yet also guide restoration and aquatic protection activities. Streams are just one part of the Earth’s vast circulatory system. Johnston’s Run, flows into the west branch of the Conococheague Creek, which in turn flows into the Potomac River, the Chesapeake Bay, and finally the Atlantic Ocean. Everything upstream, impacts all life downstream. Click here for our previous results by KCI.
Water monitoring goes hand in hand with the Trail Project. The trail will help build riparian buffers of native vegetation, helping promote a greater awareness of the stream as an amazing natural resource and its link to a healthy environment and community. MACWell strives to help the community understand the importance of protecting Johnston Run to support wildlife habitat, recreation, and mitigate flooding. Maintaining streamside forests and wetlands also act as natural filtration to remove pollution before it filters into the water system.
Volunteer monitors who completed the initial course include: Dr. Marianne and Roger Herr-Paul, Dr. Elizabeth George, Elizabeth Grant, Will Willis, Ashley Carbaugh, Brent Gift, Katrina Shatzer, Claudia Schuchardt-Peet, Brent Gift, and Franklin Bell. Ray Larson will also assist in stream monitoring, however could not attend the hands-on training. Annual Johnston Run water quality reports will be provided to the community.
On Saturday, February 25th, MACWell and the Mercersburg Academy hosted a water quality testing course taught by Dickinson College’s Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM). Using scientific tools, volunteers learned how to test the water along the stream by chemically monitoring conductivity, nitrate and phosphate levels, turbidity and several other determinants of stream health. MACWell volunteers and Mercersburg Academy students will test 5 areas along Johnston Run monthly. The data will be used not only to monitor the stream quality, yet also guide restoration and aquatic protection activities. Streams are just one part of the Earth’s vast circulatory system. Johnston’s Run, flows into the west branch of the Conococheague Creek, which in turn flows into the Potomac River, the Chesapeake Bay, and finally the Atlantic Ocean. Everything upstream, impacts all life downstream. Click here for our previous results by KCI.
Water monitoring goes hand in hand with the Trail Project. The trail will help build riparian buffers of native vegetation, helping promote a greater awareness of the stream as an amazing natural resource and its link to a healthy environment and community. MACWell strives to help the community understand the importance of protecting Johnston Run to support wildlife habitat, recreation, and mitigate flooding. Maintaining streamside forests and wetlands also act as natural filtration to remove pollution before it filters into the water system.
Volunteer monitors who completed the initial course include: Dr. Marianne and Roger Herr-Paul, Dr. Elizabeth George, Elizabeth Grant, Will Willis, Ashley Carbaugh, Brent Gift, Katrina Shatzer, Claudia Schuchardt-Peet, Brent Gift, and Franklin Bell. Ray Larson will also assist in stream monitoring, however could not attend the hands-on training. Annual Johnston Run water quality reports will be provided to the community.
See our current team learning during waterway monitoring training...
Top picture from Left - Franklin Bell (Mercersburg Academy biology teacher); Elizabeth Grant (Franklin County Planning Department); Brent Gift (TWEP - teaching animal and stream biology).
Bottom Pictures - Will Willis (MA biochemistry teacher); Marianne Herr Paul DO; Roger Herr Paul (backyard conservationist); Kirsten Shatzer (streamside landowner)
Top picture from Left - Franklin Bell (Mercersburg Academy biology teacher); Elizabeth Grant (Franklin County Planning Department); Brent Gift (TWEP - teaching animal and stream biology).
Bottom Pictures - Will Willis (MA biochemistry teacher); Marianne Herr Paul DO; Roger Herr Paul (backyard conservationist); Kirsten Shatzer (streamside landowner)
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