The completed restoration of Nine Mile Run on the Monongahela River was marked by a dedication ceremony Thursday in Frick Park.
The three-year, $8 million project, a joint effort of federal, state and local governments and the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, included reconfiguring the stream, so it now meanders, "daylighting" two feeder streams that had been piped underground, and planting banks and adjacent wetlands with native trees, grasses and other vegetation.
Improvements to sewer lines also have been made, but the watershed association has indicated more work needs to be done to reduce runoff and pollution in the watershed.
Union City angler wins big
Dave LeFebre of Union City caught a final-round total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 6 ounces to win the $262,125 FLW Stren Series Northeast Division tournament on the Potomac River yesterday.
LeFebre out-fished 39 other pros to win a 519VX Ranger boat and motor, plus electronics and cash for a total of $60,000 in winnings.
"It was a tough bite today," said LeFebre, who fished jigs rigged with double-tail grubs near vegetation. "I had to stay way back and make long, pinpointed casts. The trick was to work the jig through thick cover, then swim it out."
Weedy issues
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission surveys of aquatic plants on three area reservoirs last week show that Somerset Lake is in fairly good shape, but Virgin Run and Donegal lakes have too much vegetation despite winter drawdowns aimed at keeping it in check.
"We keep a special eye on these lakes," said fisheries technician Gary Smith, "and excessive plant growth seems to be a chronic problem."
While 20-30 percent vegetation is considered ideal, Smith said, more than half of Virgin Run is weed covered with species such as Eurasian watermilfoil and coontail, and 33 percent of Donegal is covered, mostly with coontail. Although Somerset has a lot of emergent vegetation, especially cattails and burr, the commission said it isn't a problem that needs to be addressed now.
Train wreck penalties
It will probably be September or October before the Fish and Boat Commission can put a dollar figure on damage from the train wreck that devastated Sinnemahoning Portage Creek, according to John Arnway, the agency's chief of environmental services.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection last week cited Norfolk Southern for the incident, which could carry fines of up to $35,000 a day. In addition, the fish commission could fine the railroad up to $5,000 a day.
Arway said he is still working to complete a damage claim that would take into account lost fish and invertebrates, as well as lost recreational opportunities.
Nursery funding
More than 30 trout clubs and other groups that operate nurseries in cooperation with the Fish and Boat Commission will receive $60,000 from the agency, as part of an on-going effort to enhance the state's stocking program. Last year, 171 cooperative nurseries produced millions of trout, walleye, yellow perch and steelhead, many of them using adolescent fish provided by the state. Co-ops may apply for up to $3,000 annually.
A paddling first
Kayakers looking for a new adventure will find it in the first Lake Erie Sojourn, a 30-mile journey that begins at the Erie Bluffs State Park and ends at Shades Beach in Harbor Creek. The excursion is scheduled for Sept. 7-10.
Only 75 experienced paddlers will be accepted for all three days, although all skill levels can take part on Day 2 where activities will be slated for Presque Isle Bay.
For more, visit www.earthforce.org/lea, or contact: Lake Erie-Allegheny Earth Force, Annette Marshall amarshall@lea.earthforce.com.
Speeding up?
A public meeting whether or not to change the horsepower limit on Sugar Lake in Crawford County from 6 hp to 10 hp is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Our Lady of the Lourdes Catholic Church, 251 South Franklin Street in Cochranton. The purpose of the meeting is to gather public input, which the commission will consider when making a decision on the horsepower change.
First Published: August 20, 2006, 4:00 a.m.
