A New Way to Look at Chloride |
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Streamkeepers met at Ethel Jordan Park for an exciting new initiative at the end of April. In collaboration with Stroud Water Research Center, we hosted the first chloride blitz.
This first of its' kind effort to create a snapshot of chloride levels throughout the watershed at a given time, outside of the typical winter weather season. Looking at chloride levels on this scale and time will give us a better idea of conditions throughout the year in our streams.
Chloride in the water during this time of the year is often chloride stored in the soil or in the groundwater feeding our creeks. Chloride levels can be more harmful at lower levels when water temperatures are higher during the spring and summer.
We undertook this pilot project with the hope that organizations in the Delaware River watershed would host similar initiatives. Data collected will be utilized to better inform us on chloride levels across our watershed, improving watershed-wide communication on this issue and enabling us to better pinpoint areas or tributaries with the highest and most problematic levels.
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Five Streamkeepers visited two sites each across the watershed to gather water samples following proper procedures. They brought the samples back to Ethel Jordan Park.
Samples were gathered at baseflow water conditions. Sites on tributary creeks as close to the confluence to the Tookany with easy access to sample were chosen. Additionally, a pair of sites were selected along the mainstem of the Tookany. From there, low range chloride test strips as well as a Hanna DiST 3 conductivity meter (calibrated prior to readings) were used to gather readings in milligrams per liter and conductivity in microsiemens.
A map of all of the sub watersheds sampled can be seen here.
Results from the sampling can be seen here.
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This year our annual Spring Bioblitz ran from April 23 through May 2. TTF also participated in the City Nature Challenge as part of Philadelphia’s effort, from April 29 through May 2.
Over 250 species were recorded by 67 people who logged over 500 observations. Observations ranged from plants and bugs to birds like the yellow-rumped warbler at left seen along Tookany Creek Parkway.
Perhaps one of the most exciting observations was the common loon flying over Awbury Arboretum! Additionally, Philadelphia recorded over 19,000 observations of over 2,200 species from over 850 people in the City Nature Challenge.
See the species in our watershed anytime of the year here!
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Creek Care Days are back! |
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In 2022 so far, we have hosted 3 Creek Care days at Ethel Jordan Park and Abington Friends School. Volunteers have worked primarily to remove invasive shrubs such as wineberry and multiflora rose and invasive vines such as porcelain berry. Twenty volunteers have donated over 50 hours to maintain our projects so far this year!
Next Creek Care Day
Saturday, June 18 from 10am to 12pm
Abington Friends School (575 Washington Ln, Jenkintown, PA 19046)
Want to help, but can't make a regular program?
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Streamkeepers: Live Staking |
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In March, Streamkeepers learned about live staking. Live staking is the process of taking cuttings from native species of trees and shrubs that grow along creekbanks during dormancy at the end of winter. The stakes are then inserted into a creekbank to grow roots, holding the bank in place and forming a new shrub. |
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The first of two sessions was a virtual presentation on the challenges that our watershed faces, how live staking works, what plants to use, harvesting, installing, and live stake maintenance.
The second session was at Elkins Park Terrace. Elkins Park Terrace is the located right above the Conklin Pool restoration site. In 2019, the tributary there was removed from a concrete lined channel for 235 linear feet and a natural stream meander and wetland was created. This project manages 42 acres of stormwater from both Abington and Cheltenham; the site has been evolving since it's construction.
At Elkins Park Terrace, erosion has begun to occur on these newly restored streambanks. This made it a perfect site for an in person live stake training! A number of volunteers met on site and learned a little bit more about the process of installing live stakes, practicing a little bit of what they had just learned. In total, 165 stakes were installed along this section of creekbank to help reduce erosion!
Another exciting training feature was the opportunity to work with Abington Friends School students to harvest the live stakes. Students learned about the process, and why live staking helps restore creek banks. They then harvested stakes from silky and red-osier dogwood, and buttonbush that were planted in 2014, as part of the buffer restoration work at this site.
You can watch the recording of the virtual session here.
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Streamkeepers: Beets, Brine, and Salt Hearing |
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In March, the Philadelphia Committee on Streets and Services held a hearing on road salt use in Philadelphia. This hearing included members of the Streets Department and PennDOT as well as researchers and concerned parties from a number of organizations.
Among those who testified was our very own Streamkeeper Geoffrey Selling. Geoffrey discussed his involvement in the winter salt watch, his findings along Rock Creek, personal testimony about the negative impacts of over salting, and ways to reduce salt use.
Way to go, Geoffrey! We're so proud of the active participation of our Streamkeepers in initiatives that share the challenges and solutions faced by our waterways...all on top of monthly monitoring.
Want to learn more about this hearing?
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Nature Series in Cheltenham is Back! |
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After an exciting year partnering with Cheltenham Township on free nature program along Tookany Creek Parkway, we're excited to announce that we will continue the series this year.
Most months, programs will be on the third Saturday of the month at a different section of Tookany Creek Parkway trail. Environmental Educator Judith Gratz will focus on a different nature related topic each month.
Next Nature Series: The Underworld
Saturday, June 18 from 1pm - 2:30pm.
Kleinheinz Pond, 35 Tookany Creek Parkway, Cheltenham 19012 (walk towards Jenkintown Road)
Class size is limited to 15. No walk-ins, please. Please fill out one form for each person in your party attending.
Under rocks, logs, leaves, live an impressive variety of tiny creatures on which we depend. Look for and examine them closely with magnifiers and microscopes. Use handouts and field guides to identify them. In honor of Father’s Day, you will find out if some of the organisms are fathers.
Class size limited to 15. No walk-ins. Please complete one form for each person in your party attending.
You can register for this event and future events here.
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We're excited to highlight a new Streamkeeper site!
Streamkeepers: thank you for continuing to monitor your sites!
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TTF 2500
TTF2500 is a new Streamkeeper site, just added in March. This site is located along an unnamed tributary to the Tookany Creek at Hallowell Park in Glenside This small tributary does not even show up on most maps, and is only daylit in the park!
The tributary then joins the Tookany Creek underground just downstream of the park. It's characterized by a shallow baseflow, with eroded stream banks and little riparian cover. There's also a large amount of trash in and around the creek in the park.
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