Environmental Education Videos
The District has been making some educational videos about the environment. Click on the heading links below and see what you can learn.
Abandoned mine drainage (AMD) is water that is polluted from contact with mining activity. It is a common form of water pollution in areas where mining took place in the past. The high incidence of abandoned mine drainage has resulted in polluted and acidic streams throughout Pennsylvania. Acidic runoff degrades stream water quality and often results in the elimination of fish or other aquatic life. Over the last 30 years, several water treatment systems have been developed to combat this problem. Passive treatment systems rely on chemical and biological processes to treat acidity with little to no mechanical assistance or continuous maintenance.
The Jefferson County Conservation District works to combat these polluted waters through monitoring the passive treatment systems within the county. Routine water sampling and maintaining these treatment systems have helped to reduce the impacts of mine drainage and improve the quality of our streams.
Several chemical measurements are taken to determine the water quality of a stream. Some of those measurements include pH, alkalinity, and metals. pH measures the amount of free hydrogen ions in water. pH ranges from 0 to 14 with a pH of 7 being neutral, above 7 being basic, and below 7 being acidic. pH is an important water quality variable because aquatic animals are sensitive to changes in pH, especially when the changes are large or sudden.
Metals such as iron, manganese, and aluminum are common in acid mine drainage. In AMD treatment, the pH must be higher than 6.5 for iron to precipitate, and higher than 8.0 for manganese to precipitate. Metals are important to consider because they can be toxic to aquatic life and harm their habitats. Routine water sampling and maintaining these treatment systems have helped to reduce the impacts of mine drainage and improve the quality of our streams.
Several chemical measurements are taken to determine the water quality of a stream. Some of those measurements include pH, alkalinity, and metals. Dana explained why pH and conductivity are important tests to perform while monitoring the effects of abandoned mine drainage. We are going to discuss alkalinity. Alkalinity refers to the capacity of a solution to neutralize acidity. One aim of treatment for acid-impacted water is to increase alkalinity by dissolving substances with calcium carbonate such as limestone into the water. Metals such as iron, manganese, and aluminum are common in acid mine drainage. During treatment, pH and alkalinity must be high enough so that when metals precipitate, sufficient alkalinity remains to buffer any additional acid inputs.
The Jefferson County Conservation District works to combat these polluted waters through monitoring the passive treatment systems within the county. Routine water sampling and maintenance of these treatment systems have helped to reduce the impacts of mine drainage and improve the quality of our streams.
The Northern Spring Salamander is a common salamander species that can be found in springs, seeps, and streams with a good rocky base. In this video, we have a larvae Northern Spring Salamander that was found at the headwaters of an unnamed tributary stream. The aquatic larvae are similar to adults, but the tail fin is lateral, and you can see it still has external gills. It is darker in color and blends in well with the stream bed. As it reaches adulthood the gills will disappear, and it will become terrestrial, staying near wet, damp areas. This is a species that does not tolerate polluted waters and is a good indication of good water quality.
Macroinvertebrate Sampling
Ever wonder what is living in a nearby stream? Join the Jefferson Conservation to learn about how we monitor water quality and we will show you some of the critters that may live in that nearby stream. Remember to check your local regulations before collecting any samples.
We hope this helps inspire your explorations. Let us know what you find!
This video discusses vernal pools, which are commonly found in Pennsylvania. Now is a great time to get outside to explore and find these amazing ecosystems. If interested, The Jefferson County Conservation District is developing a database to better protect these pools, so please contact us if you would like to provide us with vernal pool locations.