Lycoming College Clean Water Institute Participates

in Montoursville Ground Water Education
 

For the sixth consecutive year, the Lycoming College Clean Water Institute (CWI) recently participated in the Montoursville Ground Water Education program at Indian Park in Montoursville.

CWI Director Dr. Mel Zimmerman, CWI intern Kate Olsen and Lycoming College students Arianna Brawn, Nicole Rhodes, and Amber Rock educated eight classes of fourth-grade students from the Lyter Elementary and Loyalsock Valley Elementary schools about the aquatic life that inhabits Nicely Pond and local streams.

The CWI staff and Carey Entz, Lycoming County Watershed specialist and Lycoming College graduate, demonstrated fish collection and identification with seine, aquatic macro invertebrate identification, and biology of local amphibians, including the Hellbender salamander and other reptiles.

Students also spent the day learning about watersheds, water testing and drinking, as well as ground water simulation from representatives of the Department of Environmental Protection, Montoursville Borough staff, and Larson Design.

The CWI was founded in 1999 to be a resource on water issues and partner with watershed groups for education and protection of the water quality of the West Branch of the Susquehanna watershed. In the last six years, CWI has assisted 10 watershed groups on projects ranging from erosion assessment to fish and macrobenthic surveys along Muncy, Loyalsock, Lycoming, Pine, Black Hole, Antes, Mahoning, Buffalo, Limestone, Mill Chilisquaque, White Deer, and Big Bear Creeks.