I. Background on the Lackawanna River
A.Freshwater temperate river that originates from glacial ponds and wetlands to
form two branches that come together at Stillwater Dam to create the Lackawanna River as it is generally known.The Lackawanna River then flows throughout the Lackawanna Valley and into the Susquehanna River.
B.Major Source of Pollution
1.In 1959 coal miners dug under the river bed of the Susquehanna River.
2.The Susquehanna River bed collapsed and flooded all of the mines in the lower Lackawanna Valley.
3.The backflow of water from the Susquehanna River into the Lackawanna Valley mines ended mining in the area.
4.Water flowing through these mines picks up iron salts from the iron ore that is in the high concentrations in the area and becomes more acidic.
5.The water flows out at openings from the mines, these are known as outfalls for the drainage, which is known as acid mine drainage.
a.The biggest outfall is a borehole in Old Forge, which was created to relieve the pressure from the back flow of water into the mines.
b.This outfall dumps approximately 130,000,000 gallons of
acid mine drainage into the Lackawanna River per day.
C.The addition of acid mine drainage into the river, particularly after Old Forge,
alters both the iron content and the pH, a measure of acidity, of the river
water.
1.The iron salts mix with the dissolved oxygen in the freshwater and chemically reacts to oxidize the iron and allow it to settle out of the water as particles of yellow boy, which is basically rust.
2.The water and acid mine drainage when mixed together alos results in a lower pH of the river water.
II.Thesis
A.The amount of benthic algae in the Lackawanna River should exist in larger
concentrations when the pH is higher and closer to neutral than when the pH
is more acidic.
B.Consequently, there should be more benthic algae in the northern part of the Lackawanna River before all of the acid mine drainage outfalls than there should be after the acid mine drainage outfalls, particularly the Old Forge borehole in the southern branch of the Lackawanna River.
III.Preparation for my Project
A.Summer of 2000
1.Tested protocols and procedures for river water sampling and analysis in Roaring Brook, a tributary of the Lackawanna River.
2.Researched history of the Lackawanna River and acid mine drainage.
B.Fall of 2000
1.Researched potential protocols for tile placement and analysis.
C.Intersession of 2001
1.Researched current papers and theories on the subject of benthic algal growth patterns and temperate rivers.
2.Settled on thesis for project.
IV.My Project
A.Spring 2001
1.Scouted and choose locations for tile placement
a.Mayfield ---13 miles North of Scranton
b.Duryea--------7 miles South of Scranton
2.Settled on protocols for the tile placement and analysis
a.Tile color and size –black 4inch by 4 inch tiles
b.Time period for tiles to remain in the river—2 weeks
c.Chlorophyll-A analysis protocols
d.Ash Free Dry Mass analysis protocols
3.Settled on protocols for water sampling and analysis
a.Air temperature
b.Water temperature
c.On site water pH testing
d.In lab water pH testing
e.Conductivity
f.Total Dissolved Solids
g.Dissolved Oxygen content
h.Microscopic analysis for categorizing ( Fr. Tim Cadigan’s Research)
4.Acquired needed equipment and supplies
B.Summer 2001
1.Began field work
a.Placed tiles into river at selected sites and perform water analysis from water samples
b.Two weeks later, return to river sites and retrieve tiles, plant new tiles, collect water samples, and perform water analysis.
2.Filter tile residues
3.Perform Ash Free Dry Mass analysis and Chlorophyll-A analysis
C.Fall 2001
1.Begin preliminary analysis of collected data, while still conducting field work
a.Data indicates that at times there is more algal growth in Duryea, where the river is more acidic and has a higher amount of iron content.
2.Added Iron Content analysis for water samples
3.November 1, 2001 ----Ended field work
D.Intersession 2002
1.Analyze data using statistical analysis strategies
a.T-test
b.Probabilities
c.Data correlation
d.Other statistical test more than likely to be used
2.Write draft of research note
E.Spring 2002
1.Edit and finalize research note paper
2.Submit research note to the Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science
3.Poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science
V.Why
A.Rounds out my education as a biology major
B.Cutting edge of water and ecology research
C.No one else has ever done this type of research in the Lackawanna river before
D.Opportunity to learn about a major background fixture in the life of the Lackawanna Valley where I grew up
VI.Thanks to the help that I have had
A.Research Assistants
1.Sarah Kenehan
2.Laura Swarts
3.Sara Stein
B.Mentor
1.Father Timothy J. Cadigan, S.J., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology
C.Consultants
1.Arthur Popp, Lackawanna River Corridor Association Program Manager and Aquatic Biologist
2.Michael Hardisky, Ph.D., Chair of the Biology Department
3.Daniel Townsend, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
4.Christopher Baumann, Ph. D., Professor of Chemistry