Conservation Program Update
The Lehigh Valley Group continues with a number of conservation programs relating to water quality. There are four primary areas highlighted below.
1) abandoned mine drainage remediation—Lehigh University Summer Engineering Institute (SEI) selected the Lausanne Tunnel Abandoned drainage site again this year for the field trip on environmental engineering. Matt MacConnell coordinated the visit by 50 select high school Juniors along with Lehigh faculty and students. The students studied the rectangular weir flow monitors that Sierra Club had installed as well as measurements of iron remediation and related water quality factors using equipment funded by Sierra Club. A Hulpits grant to provide a solar powered aera-
tion system to the wetland was granted this year and will be installed in 2017.
2) Lehigh River main stem water quality—Data graphed below is downloaded from the internet site showing four water quality parameters from probe located in Slatington (Lehigh County) from April through September this year. The goal is to baseline normal riverine conditions in various points along the river to provide a data basis for restoration of a cold water fisheries to the Lehigh.
3) Canal studies to support the goal of lower Lehigh Dam removal—Glendon and Easton dams is ongoing with a report funded by a Huplits Grant nearing completion and that address-
es canal flow assessment and alternate watering strategies.
Pictures below from upper left and clockwise: Jim Deebel and Matt MacConnell measuring ferrous iron in Aquashicola Creek in Palmerton as part of the 2016 Lehigh Tributary Survey. About 20 of the students at the SEI event congregate at the inflow to the Lausanne Tunnel wetland remediation site. A drone aerial view of the Lausanne Tunnel remediation site outflow to the Lehigh River, SEI students reviewing test data at Lausanne Tunnel site.
