Summary Report-Muncy Creek

By Lycoming College Clean Water Institute

CWI WEBSITE www.lycoming.edu/biology/cwi

Fall 2003

Muncy Creek Watershed Information

1)Chesapeake Bay Program Watershed Profiles

Contains information on Both Muncy and Little Muncy Creek

CWI Website contains a direct link or www.chesapeakbay.net/wspv31

2)USGS Real Time Gauge Station Data for Sonestown (01552500) and Muncy (01553005)

CWI Website or http://Pa.waterdata.usgs.gov

Protected Use

Main Branch

-From the source to the US 220 bridge at Muncy Valley, the stream is designated as High Quality Cold Water Fishes (HQ-CWF).

-A HQ-CWF stream is a stream which provides for the maintenance and/or propagation of fish and flora and fauna indigenous to cold water habitats which have excellent quality waters and environmental or other features that require special water quality protection.Pa DEP Chapter 93

Protected Use

Main Branch continued

-At the confluence with the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, the stream is designated as Trout Stocking (TSF).

-A TSF stream is a stream that provides for the maintenance of stocked trout from February 15 to July 31 and maintenance and propagation of fish species and additional flora and fauna whichare indigenous to warm water habitat.Pa DEP Chapter 93

Protected Use

Tributaries

-There are 23 named tributaries to Muncy Creek and 11 major tributaries to Little Muncy Creek.

-17 of the tributaries are High Quality Cold Water Fishes (HQ-CWF) Streams.

-5 are designated Cold Water Fishes (CWF) streams.

-A CWF is a stream that provides for the maintenance and propagation, or both, of fish species including the family Salmonidaeand additional flora and fauna which are indigenous to cold water habitat.Pa DEP Chapter 93

Protected Use

Tributaries continued

-ElklickRun is designated as an Exceptional Value (EV) stream.

-An EV stream is a special stream which constitutes as an outstanding national, state, regional, or local resource.

-All the tributaries of Little Muncy Creek are designated as Cold Water Fishes (CWF) streams.

Tributaries

Drainage Area

(Sq, Mi.)

PADEP

Water Use

County

Lopez Pond Brook

.45

HQ-CWF

Sullivan

South Branch

.55

HQ-CWF

Sullivan

Rock Run

.24

HQ-CWF

Sullivan

TublickRun

.78

HQ-CWF

Sullivan

Peters Creek

.58

HQ-CWF

Sullivan

Big Run

.68

HQ-CWF

Sullivan

Cherry Run

2.60

HQ-CWF

Sullivan

ElklickRun

4.41

EV

Sullivan

Long Brook

1.29

HQ-CWF

Sullivan

Slip Run

1.28

HQ-CWF

Sullivan

Unclassified Tributaries: Dry Hollow, Deep Hollow, and Mosey Run
Text Box: Major Tributaries to Upper Muncy Creek

Tributaries

Drainage Area

(Sq, Mi.)

PADEP

Water Use

County

Big Run

13.7

HQ-CWF

Sullivan

Trout Run

4.79

HQ-CWF

Lycoming

Spring Run

1.94

HQ-CWF

Lycoming

Rock Run

11.7

HQ-CWF

Lycoming

Lick Run

5.51

HQ-CWF

Lycoming

Big Run

5.89

HQ-CWF

Lycoming

Roaring Run

3.30

HQ-CWF

Lycoming

Laurel Run

5.50

HQ-CWF

Lycoming

Pine Run

1.04

HQ-CWF

Lycoming

GregsRun

8.50

HQ-CWF

Lycoming

Sugar Run

9.54

CWF

Lycoming

Little Muncy Creek

82.3

CWF

Lycoming

Wolf Run

1.11

CWF

Lycoming
Text Box: Major Tributaries to Lower Muncy Creek

Tributaries

Drainage Area

(Sq, Mi.)

PADEP

Water Use

County

Buck Run

.81

CWF

Lycoming

W.branchLittle

Muncy Creek

4.33

CWF

Lycoming

Little Indian Run

3.36

CWF

Lycoming

Beaver Run

12.7

CWF

Lycoming

Big Run

3.99

CWF

Lycoming

DerrRun

1.61

CWF

Lycoming

German Run

6.87

CWF

Lycoming

Broad Run

2.94

CWF

Lycoming

LauralRun

12.2

CWF

Lycoming

ShepmanRun

1.59

CWF

Lycoming

Cox Run

1.20

CWF

Lycoming
Text Box: Major Tributaries to Little Muncy Creek

SRBC Report (Pub 226-June 2003) on West Branch Susquehanna SubbasinSurvey (July-Nov 2002)

“Muncy Creek Watershed is influenced by agriculture. The upstream site (Beech Glen) did not exceed any water quality limit value. The downstream site (Main St. Bridge-Muncy) shows elevated nitrate and nitrite nitrogen. Little Muncy Creek exceeded limits for temperature, total suspended solids, nitrate and nitrite nitrogen, slightly impaired macroinvertebratecommunities.”(Compared 1994 to 2002 data)

Lycoming College Clean Water Institute Interns Involved in Muncy Creek Project

Summer 2000

Rebecca Tully, Erin Dunleavy,

Greg English

Fall 2000

KielyEngle

Summer 2001

Dawn Lipinski, Chris Fuller

Fall 2001

Carey Entz

Summer 2002

Christina Appleman, Carrie Monroe

Summer 2003

Amanda Mills, Matt Bruce,

Drew Zimmerman

Lycoming CWI Helping Hands

Kristin Brown

Laura Lockhart

Matt Bennett

Cass Peluso

Amy Curry

HenaAhmad

Jason Yufer

Lycoming College CWI Projects

in Muncy Creek Watershed

1)Habitat Assessment

a)Erosion Assessment–fininshedsummer 2002

(Completed for Muncy Creek/ Limited on Little Muncy Creek)

b)Completion of RBA Habitat Evaluation Forms

and Riparian Evaluation at all Biological Sampling Sites -on going

Lycoming College CWI Projects

in Muncy Creek Watershed

2)Water Chemistry (May-Sept. data at selected sites-on going)

-PH, Alkalinity, TDS, Temperature, Oxygen,

Nitrate, Nitrite, Total Phosphorus,

Ortho-Phosphorous, and Conductivity

3)Biological –on going

-Macroinvertebrates, Fish, Coliform Bacteria,

4)Sediment Load (preliminary and new project)

Physical Assessment (finished summer 2000)

There was a total of 175 sites found that showed erosion potential.

Out of those 175 sites, 30 of them were land bars.

At 17 of the 30 land bar sites, there were no signs of erosion to the stream bank on either side.

At 6 of the 30 land bars there was erosion found on both the left and right stream banks.

For the last 7 land bars there was only erosion on one side of the stream.

Erosion Form

Bank with high erosion potential

Percentages for Physical Assessment

Bank Height

HighMediumLow

34.9%38.55%26.51%

Bank Angle

HighMediumLow

31.93%46.39%21.69%

Density of Roots

HighMediumLow

22.29%34.94%42.77%

Particle Size

HighMediumLow

43.37%43.98%12.65%

*The bridges that are located on Muncy Creek were also sited. Foreach on the length, width, height and GPS location were found. That information is located on the bridge data sheets.

Water Quality Standards for High

Quality Streams in PA PaDEPChapter 93

Partial list below

Text Box: PH7 is neutral6-9 okay for aquatic life5.5 damagingAlkalinity<20 ppm raise concern (<10=high risk of acidifica

How is acid precipitation impairment identified?

Low alkalinity and pH

Macroinvertebrate data

–Low pH and no mayflies

–Low pH and obviously low abundance

Elevated levels of dissolved aluminum

Fisheries data documenting species loss and reproductive failure

Whole Watershed Data

pH/alkalinity

Kick and SurberSamplers

Biotic Index

Water Quality Based on Family Biotic Index

Whole Watershed Data

Biotic Index

EPA Rapid BioassessmentProtocol III

RBA continued…

RBA –Watershed sites

Macroinvertebrates

Stream IDTotal TaxaEPT Taxa

RangeRange

Upper Muncy 23 -2515 -19

Lower Muncy20 -3315 -26

Little Muncy20 -23 14 -18

Upper Tributaries11 -20 6 -13

Fish analysis

Samples collected by

–Electrofishing

–Snorkel surveys

Calculations

–Density (fish per 100 m)

–Calculation of Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI)

Fish sampling

IBI Metrics

An IBI gives a comparative analysis of species to identify levels of biological conditions. Using metrics the IBI categorizes organisms into separate groups that can be used to identify habitat type and quality. Each metric outputs a number which corresponds with habitat conditions.

IBI for Fish

RBA Continued

Brown Trout From GavittSite

Historical species list of fish for Muncy

Fish (CWI 2002-2003)

Stream IDTotal Taxa(different species)

GavittSite7

Above Nordmont5

Below Nordmont4

Lower ElklickRun8

Fish Collected at Four Sites Along Muncy Creek

Brook Trout

Brown Trout

Fall Fish

Slimy Sculpin

Creek Chub

BlacknoseDace

CutlipsMinnow

LongnoseDace

Stone Roller

Margined Madtom

IBI Muncy

GavittSite = 40

Above Nordmont= 48

Below Nordmont= 48

Intergrityclasses-Excellent-58-60; Good-excellent-53-57; Good-48-52; Fair-good-45-47; Fair-40-44; Poor-fair-35-39

Fish density (fish per 100m)

2003:

Total FishTotal Trout

Above Nordmont11623

Below Nordmont24126

Gavitt64636

Elklick13860

Why Coliform Bacteria?

Pathogenic bacteria are a great concern because of health problems.

Unfortunately, pathogens are hard to detect in water (low numbers, do not survive long outside host)

Health risk if try to measure pathogens directly, therefore, coliforms are measured (because they are a harmful commensal)

If coliforms are found we can presume human or animal feces present in water and possible pathogens

Coliform Standards

Zero for drinking water

200 per 100mL for primary contact waters (swimming)

A positive relationship exists between total coliform in water and your chances of becoming ill (range 2,000-3,000 per 100mL considered high risk)

Coliform Growth (miliporefilter technique)

Coliforms in Muncy Creek

ISCO Unit for Suspended Sediment

Conclusions

Diversity, Density and Assessment of Macroinvertebrates indicate moderate to excellent water quality

Fish Assessment needs additional data (Is there a taxaloss?)

Water Quality (pH, alkalinity, nitrogen, phosphorus) need continued monitoring. Any changes during low and high flow?

Things To Do

Use discharge or stream flow data from gauge stations to determine Loadfor nutrients (historical to current trends). The load of a constituent in obtained by multiplying the concentrationby the dischargein the period of time considered, Loads are typically expressed in pounds-per-day or tons per year. Loads are useful for determining the impacts of land use changes on water quality.

Things To Do continued…

Collection of water chemistry and sediment data during “storm”/bank full events.

Continue Biological assessment of macroinvertebrates and fish

Monitoring of Restoration Projects.

The End…