STREAM OF PRAISE
Officials: Conservation efforts have accomplished much, but more to do
The Schuylkill River has come a long way from the days of state Sen. David Argall’s childhood, when he and his friends knew better than to enter the filthy waterway if they accidentally kicked a ball into it.
Fifty years ago much of the river in Schuylkill County ran black or orange due to the sewage, coal mine drainage and other pollutants that infiltrated it, he said.
Things are much different now with the waterway much cleaner, and sections of it being popular with fishermen, kayakers and other outdoor enthusiasts, Argall explained during a roundtable discussion on the river Tuesday morning in Schuylkill Haven.
“People said enough already,” he said of the pollution. “I’ve marveled at the improvements I’ve witnessed.”
But it’s important for that progress to continue for the betterment of Schuylkill, Berks and other counties downriver, he said.
The meeting with the Schuylkill County delegation of Argall and state representatives Tim Twardzik, Jerry Knowles and Joe Kerwin also included state and local environmental officials who took part in person or remotely, and who agreed that much
has been done to rehabilitate the river in Schuylkill County and downstream.
Also participating was state Rep. Barry Jozwiak of Bern Township, who after the meeting spoke about how it’s important for officials from Schuylkill and Berks to work together since the water quality in Schuylkill has such an impact on what happens south of there.
Argall asked those familiar with the river’s history why some sections are in better shape than others, and Schuylkill Headwaters Association President William Reichert explained that the river north of Tilden Township’s Kernsville Dam was historically in much worse condition due to the mining activities there. More work ahead So while there are northern sections that have been much improved, there is still a lot of work to be done, he said.
In the stretch of the river near Auburn, Schuylkill County, for example, there is still coal sediment piled so high along the banks that it’s visible in Google Earth images, he said. The removal of that debris is costly and takes time, he said.
While it’s a positive development that sections of the river in Schuylkill have been designated as high quality trout waters, that also places more restrictions on coal companies willing to remove that sediment for use in power plants, Argall said.
Having the private sector do that work would save taxpayers, he said.
And the cleaner the river is, Reichert said, the more that people who live along it will take pride in their homes and communities.
Jozwiak spoke about recently seeing kayakers parking along Berks roads and climbing over guide rails as they tried to make their way to the river, and asked how the county could gain more access points. State agencies Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director Tim Schaeffer encouraged officials and communities to develop plans for such projects, which could potentially be funded 50 percent by state grants.
Last year the commission approved four such projects, including two in Berks at Jim Dietrich Park in Muhlenberg Township and Yarnell Park in Perry Township.
A big part of the river’s restoration involves flood control, Argall said, mentioning that after several torrential storms caused major damage to Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, a stormwater control project there has hopefully helped lessen the potential for such destruction.
But other Schuylkill communities including Port Carbon, Gilberton and Tremont are still at risk for such flooding, Reichert said, and it is important that the county work as a whole to determine where it would make the most sense to conduct a similar project and then seek funding for it.
About 2 million people from Schuylkill County to Philadelphia get drinking water from the river, one of many reasons why it’s health is so important, said Tim Fenchel, deputy director of the Schuylkill River Greenways.
And as several state officials spoke of the need for more community and volunteer help ranging from fish stocking to the removal of trash from the watershed, Fenchel said increasing opportunities for people to enjoy the waterway will also lead to more of that support.
“The more that people use the river, the more they’ll value it, and be stewards themselves,” he said.