The Guardian | Winter 2010-2011
January
Jessica introduced Lauren Sicher as MCWA’s new intern. She will assist in a Riparian Buffer Campaign.
April
A successful stream clean-up at Dreibelbis Station Rd. and Circle Rd. next to the Maiden Creek just downstream from Lenhartsville was reported to the Great American Cleanup of PA.
May
A Spring clean-up was conducted on May 16th along the north section of the Sacony Creek. The successful event was performed by 13 volunteers and was reported to the Schuylkill Scrub program.
Elaine met with Larry Lloyd and Norm Milnes to discuss the riparian buffer on the Kutztown Borough’s vacant lot along Constitution Blvd. which they agreed to discontinue mowing.
Elaine met with Larry Lloyd and John Buzzer from PA Fish and Boat to discuss the riparian buffer plans along the Willow Creek flood plain. PA Fish and Boat is applying for a grant.
June
Sen. Michael O’Pake sent MCWA a congratulatory letter for receiving the Environmental Education Grant for the Rain Garden/Rain Barrel project. Allison provided an overview of the site conditions at the Maidencreek Municipal Building. Two gardens are in the preliminary stages, to include a rain garden to act as an infiltration basin in the empty lot next to the building and a small garden combined with the rain barrel in front of the building.
June
Debra DiCrocco was introduced to MCWA as a new intern through Kutztown University for Bacterial Sampling of the streams in the watershed. She will also prepare a field log to help future volunteers to identify macroinvertebrates.
July
Elaine shared a native plant list she created to help citizens choose plants for their rain gardens, based on drought tolerance, shade, and plant placement.
The Environmental Education Grant Committee agreed to order the Berks County Conservation District’s Bio-retention brochure to promote the benefits of rain gardens. Both the plant list and the brochure will be distributed at our workshops for rain gardens.
August
Shannon and Elaine set up a display on Rain Gardens and Rain Barrels at Kutztown Day in the park.
August
Volunteers manned a display at the Kutztown Fair which emphasized the Rain Gardens and Rain Barrels.
The engineer from Maidencreek Township will not allow the rain garden to be constructed in front of the building due to the large amount of runoff from the roof and the possibility of sink holes.
The rain barrel will be installed in front of the building for use to water plants. A bio-retention rain garden will be below grade of the storm drain coming off of Route 73. The garden will be 75’ by 20’.
Maidencreek Township employees will excavate and add leaf mulch for soil amendments as in-kind services.
September
The Rain Garden was completed with planting by students of Fleetwood Junior High School and Kutztown University, MCWA member volunteers, Maidencreek Township employees and Blandon Lion’s Club members.
The rain garden withstood the 7-inch rainstorm that occurred right after installation.
September
Russ reported that Joe Molesky had his equipment stuck in the Maiden Creek downstream from his property and drove out of the creek at Russ’s property causing damage to his streambank. Mark reported this to Berks County Conservation District’s Soil and Erosion office.
October
MCWA held it’s first Rain Garden/Rain Barrel Workshop on Oct. 21st with only one guest attending.
Boy Scout Troop 101 did a fantastic job removing the invasive species along the Sacony Creek at Constitution Blvd.
Elaine and Larry Lloyd planted a few trees in that area and the boy scouts will follow up with planting in Spring.
Sacony Creek Trail
Check The Borough of Kutztown’s website for lists of:
Birds
Animals
Plants
in the Sacony Creek Marsh and along the trail.
WHO ARE WE?
The Maiden Creek Watershed Association is a non-profit Pennsylvania Corporation. The group is made up of: Individual citizens, farmers, non-profit conservation organizations, and local and state government representatives. We have joined together and are committed to a common purpose.
“To promote awareness of the Maiden Creek Watershed as a valuable resource through community education and citizen water quality monitoring”
For more information about Maiden Creek Watershed Association, visit our website:
Membership renewals are due by March 31, 2011. Your membership will help MCWA accomplish it’s goals to protect the quality of our water and educate others on how they can participate.
MCWA’s GOALS FOR 2011
- Streamside cleanups
- Continue chemical monitoring and share data
- Continue macroinvertebrate monitoring
- Invite guest speakers to share area conservation efforts with members
- Encourage involvement with local school groups, scouts and other organizational groups
- Complete rain garden grant by conducting workshops in communities of the watershed
- Continue maintenance of invasives along Sacony Creek Trail. Encourage adoption of sections of the trail by volunteers.
- Encourage research and maintenance of the wetland at the Brooklyn Bridge
- Setup displays at Kutztown Day and the Kutztown Fair
- Encourage tree planting in Lyons Borough
- Encourage members to participate in workshops, and conferences on topics of concern for MCWA
- Encourage riparian buffer planting on Maiden Creek