River Currents Summer/Fall 2013 River Currents Winter/Spring

River Currents
Newsletter of the Lackawanna River Corridor Association
Summer/Fall 2013
Volume 20
Number 2
LRCA’s “Rite of Spring”
RiverFest ‘13 was a Success
The Lackawanna River Corridor Association (LRCA)
is reporting that RiverFest 2013 held on Saturday June 1, 2013 was a success! The day was clear
and HOT! The paddlers enjoyed the waters of the
Lackawanna River launching from Archbald and
Blakely at 10AM. The finish line and festival site at
Olive Street in Scranton had volunteers setting up
the essentials for an afternoon of activities, exhibits,
music and great fun. The first paddlers started arriving around 11:30AM continuing to about 1:30PM.
The Roustabouts were kept busy helping the paddlers disembark from their 8 or 12 mile sojourn.
Thanks to all our wonderful volunteers!!! The Canoe-A-Thon winners, in all categories from both
launch points, were announced and awarded medals
for their achievement. Results can be found on our
website www.lrca.org.
There were vendors with different wares to sell,
educational & environmental displays, a wonderful
variety of eats from 4 food trucks, a wonderful Raffle
(new this year) with donations from local business,
fantastic local musical groups organized by Mike
Lambert and a special appearance from “Champ”,
the SWB Yankees mascot.
The River Regatta group entries showed their
creativity, zaniness, and imagination to the observers along the River bank the different ways to celebrate the “River.” We are looking foward to 2014
and many more Regatta participants. Start your
imagination and creative juices flowing!!!!
The LRCA flock of ten “duckies” participating
in the ever popular Duck-A-Thon launched without
a hitch into the waters of the Lackawanna River,
for an exciting race to the finish at the Olive Street
Bridge. These fiercely competitive racers edged each
other out for the pole position for a feathery dash to
the checkered flag! The prizes were awarded to the
sponsors of the first, second, and third place ducks,
respectively. Congratulations to Erica Gilpin, Carl
Goldyn and Victor Milani!!!
Our thanks to all our wonderful volunteers and especially to our
sponsors; Gold Sponsors - Lackawanna Heritage Valley, Lackawanna
County; Silver Sponsors - Pagnotti Enterprises, International Salt,
Linde Corporation; Bronze Sponsors - Advanced Cardiology Specialists, General Dynamics, Lackawanna College Environmental Institute, University of Scranton, Scranton Sewer Authority, Pennsylvania American Water, Tobyhanna Federal Credit Union, Waste Management; Friends of the
Lackawanna River - Joyce Hatala Associates, William & Maureen Bender, Friends of Senator
Blake, RBC Capital Markets, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Ruthann Martin; In-Kind Donors Lamar Advertising, Mike Lambert & Friends, August West, Lighten Up, Topp Copy, Scranton
Toyota, Cedar Bike & Paddle, Kevin Treat “Sawptician”, Wegmans, City Of Scranton / City of
Carbondale, Dunmore Appliance / The Gillette Family, Angie’s Pizza, Price Chopper, Everything Natural, Pehr’s Pizza, United Neighborhood Centers, Dave Burnside, Reeves Rent-A-John,
Creations By Dawn, Norma Moreika, Albright Memorial Library, and WNEP.
Executive Director’s Notes:
Late Summer 2013
dissolved in the mine water. The
iron oxide precipitates out of the
mine water, into the river water
and then onto the bed and banks
of the Lackawanna River. That’s
the equivalent of dumping two
Ford F-150 pick-up trucks into
the river each day, molecule by
molecule.
That’s why the bed of the Lackawanna is a
bright orange color for the next three miles through
Duryea and that’s why the bed and banks of the
Susquehanna River are a bright orange color all the
way down through Pittston. In fact we learned that
the Lackawanna River contributes about 25 % of the
total iron pollution load to the Susquehanna River
and that this iron pollution adversely affects aquatic
habitat downstream in the Susquehanna River for
another 30 miles. Downloadable copies of the LLRWRAP are available at www.lrca.org.
The LRCA is now collaborating through our affiliate the Lackawanna Valley Conservancy (LVC),
EPCAMR and SRBC to secure funding through Act
13, the Pennsylvania Gas Impact Fee Program to
acquire land and develop feasibility assessments
leading to the construction of a mine drainage
treatment plant. We are also open to engaging
private sector partners with this effort. We believe
that it will take a number of organizations working
together to clean up the Lower Lackawanna River
in a manner that meets our goals for a sustainable
and comprehensive solution to the land and water
pollution issues that have negatively affected the
Lower Lackawanna Watershed area going back to
the Twin Shaft Mine Disaster in 1896.
The LVC is a separate 501-c-3 not for profit
land conservancy that works with LRCA to acquire
I attended the 15th annual Pennsylvania Mine
Reclamation Conference held at Penn State in
August. The legacy of Anthracite Coal mining
continues to be a significant factor affecting the
Lackawanna River and its watershed in many ways.
It is part of the mission of the LRCA to promote
the restoration of the Lackawanna River. One very
important way we do that is to help advance the
reclamation of the scars of the Anthracite Industry.
LRCA collaborates with the Eastern Pennsylvania
Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation
(EPCAMR) to promote mining reclamation and
mine drainage treatment in our watershed and in
neighboring watersheds throughout the Anthracite
Region in Northeast Pennsylvania.
I delivered a presentation on the Lower
Lackawanna River Watershed Restoration
Assessment Plan (LLR-WRAP) the report of a two
year study of mine drainage pollution and land
reclamation needs in the Lower Lackawanna watershed area in Old Forge and Duryea. The LLR-WRAP
was conducted by LRCA along with EPCAMR and
the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC).
We looked at the Old Forge Borehole, a 42 inch
diameter by 107 feet deep borehole in the bedrock of the Lackawanna Riverbed in the Connell’s
Patch Neighborhood. It was drilled by contractors
working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in
September 1962 to drain the flooded coal mine voids
under Scranton and the Mid Valley.
Every day for the past 51 years, this borehole
has been discharging an average of 60 million gallons of polluted mine water into the Lackawanna
River. About seven thousand pounds of iron oxide is
Cont. on page 3
LRCA Board of Directors
Anita Lohin, President; Sharon Yanik-Craig, 1st Vice President; Timothy Barrett, 2nd Vice President; Jack Finnerty, 3rd Vice President; Michelene Kennedy,
Treasurer; Douglas Heller, Assistant Treasurer: Patrick O’Dea, Secretary; Patrick Cuff, Assistant Secretary; Bernard McGurl, Executive Director
Paul Bechtel, Dominick DeFazio, John Gable, Joseph Grant, Michael Grant, David Gromelski, Sean Hanley, Deilsie Kulesa, Angela Lambert,
Vincent Marshall, Ruthann Martin, Phil McCarthy, Michael Morin, Kate O’Connor, Kathleen O’Hara, James Williams
Lackawanna River Corridor Association
Post Office Box 368
Scranton, Pennsylvania 18501
570.347.6311
lrca@lrca.org
www.lrca.org
River Currents is published quarterly.
Newsletter layout & edited by: Barb Semian, Program Manager
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LRCA’s mission is to involve citizens of our watershed with
conservation and stewardship of the River, its tributaries and
water resources. Five goals define our mission: clean up the
River environment; aid in the development of the 40-mile
Lackawanna River Heritage Trail; advocate for the conservation of open space and natural habitat throughout the watershed;
create partnerships among government,businesses and community groups promoting conservation and recreation; and develop
partnerships with schools, universities, and the general public
to promote environmental and conservation education to
better understand our relationship with the local environment.
land and work with property owners, developers
and local government agencies to conserve and
reclaim land and water resources throughout the
Lackawanna Watershed. The LVC owns more than
a dozen properties along the Lackawanna River.
Many of these properties are along or adjacent to
the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail (LRHT). The
LVC has conveyed trail management easements to
the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority (LHVA)
to facilitate the development of several sections of
the trail.
Recently the LVC has dedicated a portion of
the Providence
Reach of the
LRHT
at
Market Street
in
North
Scranton
as
the Kosciuska
H e a l i n g
Garden. This
site, developed
by volunteers, is inspired by the life and work of
Thaddeus Kosciusko, a Polish-Lithuanian general
who volunteered with George Washington during
the American Revolution. It mirrors a garden planted by Kosciusko when he was commandant at West
Point, successfully defending it from attack by the
British. The LVC and LRCA were pleased to host a
visit to the Garden by Dean Anthony Bajdek, presi-
dent of the American Friends of Kosciuszko at West
Point. We are looking forward to continuing to work
with Carol Gargan, the founder of the Kosciuska
Healing Garden, and we welcome volunteers to join
us in helping to care for the garden. We invite you
to visit the Kosciuska Garden page at www.lrca.
org for updates on the garden and we invite you to
e-mail lrca@lrca.org or call the LRCA at 570-3476311 to inquire about volunteer opportunities with
the garden and with the stewardship of other LVC
properties along the Lackawanna River.
I note with both sadness and joy the passing and the life of William Scranton, Member of
Congress, Governor of Pennsylvania, Ambassador
to the United Nations and a sustaining member of
the LRCA. That he will be missed by so very many
people across our area, across the Commonwealth
and around our country is but one measure of the
gifts of life that he brought to each day and shared
with everyone he met. He had an abiding interest in
the work and mission of the LRCA and the LHVA.
He was there at the start-up of both organizations
offering sound advice and suggestions that helped
advance the work we’ve been doing along the
Lackawanna River for the past 25 years.
I first met him back in the 1960’s, when the
McGurl and Scranton Families “bumped” into one
another on a day trip to the upper Delaware River.
My father and the then Congressmen Bill Scranton
were chatting and my Dad called me over to meet
Cont. on page 4
Summer 2012 Internship
My experience didn’t fit into a specific class that I have taken; it served as
a classroom of its own. Working with the LRCA, I studied every day in a
classroom without boundaries. I studied Stormwater problems, I learned
(and subsequently taught) about watersheds, I experienced meetings with
various committees, I actively connected with the community, and I met two
Lithuanian diplomats! Once I knew my way around and understood the
goals and mission of the LRCA, I was never bored. After experiencing so
much in one summer I feel greater confidence in my ability to communicate
and work with community members, authority figures, and individually.
Still, my relationship with the organization goes beyond the experience I
have gained. Interning with Bernie McGurl and Barb Semian, I got to know
and work with some of the most hard-working and dynamic people I have
met this far in my life.
Karly Storms
Have some stories, tales, pix about your time on the Lackawanna? Let us hear & see! All welcome!!
3
“Our Congressman”. Many years later, I remember,
at the kick off of our study of abandoned rail road
corridors in 1989, hiking with him along the old
Central of New Jersey from Steamtown down to
South Side. Our mutual good friend and founding
LRCA member, the late Peter Horger of Taylor, was
along on that hike. I was amused and intrigued by
the many stories about local people and places that
those two shared on that hike.
I would continue to hear from the Governor every
few months as the LRCA began its work during the
1990’s. Those conversations continued to provide
good council to our work to get the Lackawanna
cleaned up, and importantly, to involve as many
of our fellow citizens as possible in the effort. He
advised me on his work as Governor in dealing with
the legacy and issues from the coal industry. He
initiated a study of the Old Forge Borehole mine
drainage problem in 1967 that was an important
element in the Lower Lackawanna Assessment that
we just completed.
I lost my own father when I was 19. In later
years as I came to know him, Bill Scranton has been
a mentor to me in important personal and professional ways. I will always remember that scene of
him and my Dad in conversation. He continues to
provide inspiration to me along with memories that
I have of my Dad. With their spirits and memories
as a guide, I find the encouragement to do the work
that we do here along the Lackawanna; a River, a
Valley and a People that both men loved greatly.
Bernie McGurl, Late Summer 2013
New LRCA Community Outreach Activities
This summer, the LRCA initiated Community Outreach activities that are geared towards participation
in various events (i.e., yoga, canoe/kayaking, special dinners and LRCA sponsored fundraisers) by members
and non-members alike. These activities are intended to introduce the residents of the Lackawanna River
Watershed to the work of the LRCA and what the River and areas within the Watershed have to offer. We
are hopeful that the variety of events offered will engage our current membership and attract new members
to help support the mission of the Lackawanna River Corridor Association: “...involve the citizens of our
watershed with conservation and stewardship of the River, its tributaries and water resources”.
In August, Hilary Steinberg of Jaya Yoga Studios, instructed a group at the Scranton Riverwalk located on Olive Street along the Lackawanna River. The day was nothing more than spectacular. Sunshine
and a warm breeze accompanied Hilary’s soothing voice as she guided the participants in the various yoga
movements and positions. The various sounds of the surrounding area were diminished as each person
embraced every subtle flowing motion.
On September 8th approximately 20 novice to experienced paddlers took to the waters of the Susquehanna River under the guidance of Art Coolbaugh from Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe. The 10 mile sojourn
launched from Riverside Park in Tunkhannock and finished at West Falls. The reports have been wonderful along with a few pix of the day.
We are looking forward to scheduling more “Flow” activities next year.
Cont. on page 5
Reflections by Bridgette Robinson
My trip on the Susquehanna Sunday (Sept. 8, 2013) was full of beauty.
The weather ended up perfect, with a breeze at our backs that helped guide us
downstream. Although it drizzled in the morning, the sun peeked through the
clouds throughout the day to make conditions perfect. The water was calm,
which was comforting for a beginner kayaker like myself. Along the way we
spotted quite an array of wildlife. I counted eight blue heron, a beaver, and two
bald eagles (one mature and one immature). Our guide also pointed out an
eagles nest on one of the islands that has been there for years.
This is definitely an outing I would like to participate in again. It was such
a beautiful and relaxing experience. I highly recommend it to both beginners and
seasoned kayakers.
4
Community
Outreach
Activities
Go to
www.facebook.com/LRCAandLVC
Gwen Levy was
among the 20 paddlers
who enjoyed the
natural beauty of the
Susquehanna River on
Sunday September 8th.
Looking for something to do?
Show the world you are supporting the work of the
LRCA to help clean up, conserve and protect the
Lackawanna River and its watershed.
Volunteer with the LRCA or the LVC!!!
Call 570-347-6311 or
email lrca@lrca.org
We
Please
5
are always in need of volunteers!
consider becoming a
LRCA Volunteer!!!!
Great American Cleanup PA
“Bridge to Bridge Cleanup”
held on April 20, 2013
Plot Section in North Scranton
Lackawanna River and the Levee
MS-4
Field Data
Collection
6
Cont. on page 9
RiverFest 2013
Archbald Launch
Blakely Launch
O
l
i
v
e
Navigating the Throop Trap
S
t
r
e
e
t
Regatta
Winners
7
Remember When????? and Now!!!!!
“Brandon and Ralph Caputo’s first RiverFest Canoe-A-Thon was in
2006. Our son was 9 years old when they did their first Canoe-AThon and is 16 at this year’s event. They have done it every year
since 2006 and have placed in the top three every year. Great father
and son bonding experience!”
Lisa Caputo
2
0
1
3
2006
On the River
Hey Bernie,
this is Matt from mockingbird bakery, we met at the Bike fest last month. I just wanted to write and tell
you that the day after the fest my wife and I FINALLY floated down the Lackawanna in our 2 person Old
Town. We started out at the Market street bridge and went to Taylor where the bike trail construction
ends. Dropped our bikes at the south end and used them to shuttle back to the truck. I’ve been thinking
about this and wanted to go for years now, but your enthusiasm and beta helped give me the push I needed to get out and go.
We had a blast! Water truly is the best way to travel, and lots of other critters were travelling with us,
hooded mergansers, mallards, a mangy looking woodchuck, and courageous chipmunk who crossed some
ripples in fast moving water to get to the other side. It was a hair raising swim for that one!
so thank you for all the work you’ve put into the river, the hours,sweat, frustrations and love that’s
helped to bring it slowly back to it’s glory.
Matt Severson - email message (as sent) July 12, 2013
Save the Dates!!!
Nov. 3, 2013
Oct. 22, 2013
See details on
page 9
Pasta Dinner See details on page 10
8
LRCA Staff & Volunteers can be
found along the sidewalks of the
Lackawanna Courthouse on First
Friday of every month demonstrating Downspout Disconnection
and handing out literature about
Stormwater Management.
The Lackawanna River Corridor Association (LRCA) is
participating in Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends day on
Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - 9AM to 11PM. You can purchase a 25% Off Shopping Pass from us for $5.00. This $5
will go directly to the LRCA. Help us by personally purchasing one or request a few and sell them to family, friends and
co-workers. Please contact the LRCA office at 570-347-6311 to request your Shopping Pass.
There will be refreshments, chances to register for a Shopping Spree and door prizes.
The LRCA has lined up some volunteers to be in the Scranton store on Tuesday, October
22. Stop by the office for your Shopping Pass.
Volunteer with the LRCA or the LVC!!!
Call 570-347-6311 or email lrca@lrca.org
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10
Thanks to all Our New and Renewing Members from January 1, 2013 to August 31, 2013
New LRCA Members
Aten, Dwight W.
Balise, Elizabeth
Bechtel, Bill & Clare
Charlesworth, Charles & Rosangela
Dwojewski, Robert B.
Farnham, Shawn
Fiore, James
Goldstein, Alan
Hlinka, Charles
Johnson, Justine
Krindel, Pnina
Lauterwald, Martin
Loftus, Bob
Maffei, Louis & Margo
Maltese, Lisa
Marshall, Vince
McCarthy, Phil
McGurl, Margaret M.
Mendez, Wilfred
Migdall, Joyce
Moroney, Edmond
Preferred Travel Inc.
Roberts, Lyndi
Ross, Cye E.
Satory, Janice
Scott, Gary
Startari & Family, Jason
Stayer, Joseph A.
Steenback, Dorothy
Steinhoff, Mark
Sutherland, Steve A.
Tait, Pamela M.
Zaleski, Jeff
Renewing LRCA Members
Acculto, John & Mari
Addeo, John & Pam
Antognoli, William
Armbrust, Lori D.
Babarsky, Fred & Lorraine
Baldan, Harry
Barrett, Eugene & Sally
Bianchi, Richard
Bird, Derry & Nancy
Bogdanovicz, John
Brophy, Joseph & Christine
Burke, Austin & Marianne
Burke, Terrence & Eileen
Byrne, William & Grace
Cohen, Mitchell S.
Colleran, Mary Judith
Conover, Willis M.
Conroy, Jim & Judy
Crowther, Janet
Cullen, Katherine
Dermody, Margaret
Donahue, Hal & Marg
Dunio, Michael
Earle, T. Shawn & Jacqueline
Elvidge, Robert & Beverly
Emmi, Robert
English, Carolyn
Evanchyk, John & Patricia
Ferguson, Patty
Flanagan, Edward & Nina
Florey, Marilyn G.
Fortuna, Edward J.
Fronduti, Christian & Rachael
Gable, Leonard
Garner, Leonard R.
Gelb, Natalie
Gerrity, Patrick & Ruth
Gibbons, James A.
Gibson, David
Gilboy, Elizabeth
Green, Patricia
Guman, Richard & Sandra
Hall, Art & Barbara
Hanley, Sean
Harper, Suzanne
Herrmann, Walter
Horger, Jean
Hyde, Ellie
Judge, Kathy
Kennedy, Lawrence & Judith
Kerrigan, Michael
Kilcullen, Thomas
Kocis, Ed
Kohl, Arlene F.
Kwiecinski, Gary
Lackawanna Audubon Society
Lackawanna Historical Society
Lawhon, Zim
Ledford-Miller, Linda & Miller, J Llewellyn
Mangan, James & Maryann
Marino, Ralph J.
Marx, Robert
Mazzoni, Robert A.
McCabe, Janet T.
McGrane, Patti
McGuigan, Maureen
McHugh, Robert
Mecca, Rosemarie
Moreiko, Norma
Murphy, Shawn
Neary, Jack
Noone, Jim & Alice
O’Brien, Maggie & Aebli, Anna
O’Malley, Barbara
Oravec, Helen E.
Panusky, Dennis
Philbin, Robert
Piersimoni, Joan
Polansky, Joe
Quinlan, Bob & Judy
Reese, Robert & Mary Ellen
Refice, Ron & Catherine
Reichart, Carl & Smith, Jason
Robbins, Paulette
Robinson, Henry
Ruane, Francis
Ryczak, Ron & Christine
Scheuneman, Joan
Schultz, John H.
Schweitzer, Elsie
Semian, Barbara
Sickles, Willard & Gail
Smith, Peter & Liana
Spangenberg, Brenda
Tell, Thomas & Ann Marie
Totaro, Dominic
Wagner, George
Watkins, Phillip B.
Wilson, Arthur
Wolfe, Megan
Yaggi, Paula K.
Yavorosky, Michael
Young, William J.
A special thank you to everyone who
participated in and volunteered in the
fundraising efforts RiverFest 2013.
THANK YOU!!!
Contact TobyFCU at 1-866-862-9328 or
www.tobyhannafcu.org
or visit the Scranton Branch Staff at
315 Franklin Avenue, Scranton, PA
The LRCA is
now affiliated with
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LRCA Programs
Upcoming Events
Cleanup
South Side Sports Complex
October 5
Lackawanna River Clean
First Friday - October 4 & November 1
South Side Market - October 5
Viewmont Mall - November 2
Boscov’s Friends Helping Friends
Steamtown Mall - October 22
Passes available for purchase pre 22nd
at the LRCA office
Fall Back with the LRCA Pasta Night
November 3
RSVP 570-347-6311 (space is limited)
The LRCA has many opportunities for residents
of our Watershed to perform community service.
Persons interested in performing community service are encouraged to call the LRCA to arrange
an appointment to discuss their community service. Contact us at 570-347-6311.
LRCA staff and volunteers provide educational
outreach programs to local schools and organizations on a fee for service basis. We collaborate
with PADCNR @ Lackawanna St. Park, NEIU
#19, the Lackawanna County Conservation District and other agencies to deliver watershed
based environmental education programming.
LRCA is looking to collaborate with community
groups and organizations to research funding and
provide managerial resources to design, develop
and install demonstrations of best management
practices (BMP) for water resource management
at appropriate locations in the watershed.
Go to www.facebook.com/LRCAandLVC
Have some stories, tales, pix about your time on the Lackawanna? Let us hear & see! All welcome!!
Not a LRCA member yet? JOIN US!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address
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CityStateZip
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Phone HomeMobile
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Choose Your level (Any Amount Gladly Appreciated)
Senior $15 ___
Student $15 ___
Individual $20 ___
Family $30 ___
Sojourner $50 ___
Trail Blazer $100 ___
Riverkeeper $250 ___
Complete & mail this form today!
Make Check or Money Order Payable to LRCA:
Lackawanna River Corridor Association • P.O. Box 368 • Scranton, PA 18501-0368