Susquehanna River Tributary Pollution

Susquehanna River tributaries are being inundated with various types of pollution. Over a 9 week period in the Fall of 2010 I observed one such tributary along Pinkerton Road in Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to see what changes were occurring and what may be causing them.

Due to the fact that the tributary runs alongside a pull-over area off Pinkerton Road, many cars leave behind trash and debris at the site. On numerous occasions I found empty bottles, cigarette butts, and candy wrappers littering the bank along the stream. The Department of Environmental Protection in Pennsylvania notes that a cigarette butt alone can last between 1-5 years ( State of Pennsylvania-DEP ). If several cigarette butts are surrounding the stream, it is likely that some toxins from the cigarette will make their way into the tributary. Every week, I also noted the presence of animal feces and dog tracks directly along the stream. This continued throughout my weekly visits.

During my observations, I noted two pronounced natural activities in the tributary. The first was the presence of freshwater clams. I was surprised because I had not thought that there would be freshwater clams this far north of the Chesapeake Bay. However, after doing some research on species located in the Susquehanna River and its tributaries, I continued to stumble upon mention of freshwater clams. According to the Fish & Boat Commission of Pennsylvania (State of Pennsylvania-Fish & Boat) Freshwater Mussels, or clams, are in danger, and are important for the cleansing of waters.

The second observation I made was that leaf matter collected in one area of tributary from the fallen leaves caused by the weather change in autumn. As the leaves fell from September through November of 2010, they collected in the portion of the stream closest to the road. Every week sediment rested on top of the leaves that had gathered near the bank, until nearly half of floor of the stream was covered during my last observation. Most of the leaves were no longer in their original state, but had begun turning into a muck-like substance.

There appears to be a correlation that as more leaves fall, less freshwater mussels (clams) are evident. Initially, I thought this was due to the thickness of the leaves at the bottom of the tributary. After further research, I now believe it is caused in part from the phosphate eutrophication being caused from the leaves decaying in the stream. As leaves decay, they create phosphorus which in turn can lead to a dead zone effect. This is just one of the reasons why people are encouraged to remove leaves from storm drains (Cool Classroom).

I posed the questions to my friends on Facebook, for a general opinion consensus. The question I posed was:

"I would like to pick your brain if you know anything about freshwater clams in the Susquehanna tributaries, or the potential for autumn leaf droppings to contribute to a "dead zone" effect in those same tributaries" One friend claimed a theory of the resurgence of Shad causing an affect in the reproductive processes of freshwater clams. Another friend mentioned that the leaves may be causing a tertagonic effect on the clams. The last friend informed me that Native Americans used leaves in water to tan hides due to the tannic acid released from the leaves. All of these contributions further helped me draw the conclusion that the presence of fallen leaves, built up in one area of the tributary, could very well cause a decline in the ability for freshwater clams to survive. Throughout these weekly observations, I had no idea how I would draw any conclusions from my observations. While there was evidence of litter, and plants slowly dying with the cold, the most evident changes were with the leaves and clams. It was quite difficult to find valid information on the presence of freshwater clams in the Susquehanna River and its tributaries. In my research for information on the clams, I found several articles mentioning a zebra mussel being found in the Conewingo Dam in Maryland (Darragh). It was very interesting to read about this find, as we had learned so much about their infestation in this course. While the fall of leaves during the autumn season is a natural process in this particular area, many trees are treated with pesticides and chemicals to ensure their vitality. When these leaves fall and clog storm drains, the chemicals will travel into main waterways which can in turn cause a dead zone process and "kill off" area. It is very important that we keep storm drains clear to lower the amount of chemicals that may enter our streams. While I often that raking and disposing of leaves was more of a visual cleanup, I realize now how important this is for waterways and natural species as well.