The Master Well Owner Network: Volunteers Educating Pennsylvania Well Owners

The Master Well Owner Network (MWON) was created to expand the capacity of Penn State Extension by training volunteers who would provide education to rural residents about private water system management. Eight workshops were conducted throughout Pennsylvania, and 243 volunteers representing 55 of 67 counties in Pennsylvania successfully completed the training. MWON volunteer reports have been very positive, with education provided directly to over 7,000 Pennsylvania residents and another 29,000 educated through the mass media. MWON\u27s successes in Pennsylvania may serve as a model for other states that wish to increase outreach to the private water system education audience

Distance Education of Pennsylvania Pond Owners

Pennsylvania pond owners represent a large audience with a great need for educational programming and assistance. Penn State Extension attempted to reach this audience via a pond management program delivered by satellite. Evaluations by both program attendees and Extension professionals demonstrated that the program was successful. However, attendee respondents indicated that they wanted more in-depth information over a shorter time frame. A relatively small proportion (10%) of attendees did not favor satellite delivery. This level of dissatisfaction is quite low and may be improved by focusing on shorter, more focused satellite programs and by providing videotapes of satellite programs

Water Chemistry and Fish Community Responses to Episodic Stream Acidification in Pennsylvania, USA

Five streams were studied on the Northern Appalachian Plateau of Pennsylvania from October 1988 through June 1989 to determine chemical changes that occur during episodic storm run-off and the responses of fish to these events. These second-order streams flowed through undisturbed, wooded, sandstone bedrock catchments with surface areas ranging from 500 to 1000 hectares. Median pH of precipitations was about 4·2, and among streams it ranged from 5·0 to 6·2. During storm events, pH declined by as much as 1·2 units and peak concentrations of total monomeric Al ranged from less than 0·01 to 0·75 mg litre-1. Organically bound A1 was generally a minor component of total monomeric A1. Wild brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were found in all streams, although only a remnant population existed in the most acidic stream. Sculpins (Cottus bairdi or C. cognatus) were collected only in the two streams with the least severe episodes. Mortality of brook trout and sculpins in in situ bioassays ranged from 0 to about 80% among streams during acidic episodes and was positively related to concentrations of total dissolved Al. Radio-tagged brook trout moved downstream during episodes when Al reached toxic concentrations. Some displaced trout were found near groundwater seeps, where pH was higher and dissolved Al was lower than in the main channel. © 1992