Project Status: Monocacy Creek - Bethlehem, PA

Our sampling site

Monocacy Creek - flows through Colonial, Moravian village and empties into the Lehigh River by the repurposed Bethlehem Steel Mill (entertainment center), then into the Delaware River which joins the Atlantic Ocean.

Background

1. Bridge traverses the creek at South end of village
2. Runoff washes road salts from brine treatment into creek
3. Every Spring the creek is stocked with fish

1. Determine water quality of the creek flowing through the village impacted by the bridge and adjacent road treatment runoffs
2. Determine water quality of the creek at the point of entry into the Lehigh River near the repurposed Bethlehem Steel Mill
3. Seek assistance from local scientists
4. Partner with two other Buxmont (GLOBE) schools and share Delaware River data ¡Relate data to climate change

Revised Scope – Fall, 2012 w/status

(Note:  We have completed sampling and test from November 26th through March 22nd. Originally, the students wanted to monitor the Monocacy Creek as it flows from the Monocacy Creek (near our school) to the Delaware River. Since the other two Buxmont schools have dropped out of the project, we have revised our scope to concentrate on the Monocacy Creek, locally.)

1. Determine local water quality of the creek flowing through the village impacted by Bridge/adjacent road treatment runoff -Current status - Collected data for December and February
2. ­Compare local water quality of the creek after stocking -­Current status – Stocking schedule: March and April
3. Seek assistance from local scientists -­Current status – Partnered with the regional Waterways Conservation Officer to share data and visit school as a speaker on his career and job duties along with environmental concerns
4. Single school involvement -­Current status – Due to personnel changes, only one school remains involved

Original Probing Questions

1. What is the current water quality of the Monocacy Creek: upstream, downstream, and where it flows into the Lehigh River and the Delaware River?
2. Can a trend be identified using historical data and current data?
3. What is the cause of any disparity?
4. Can our results be related to local climate changes?

Revised Probing Questions

1. Can a trend be identified using historical data and current data?
2. What effect does stocking have on water quality?
3. What is the cause of any disparity?
4. How does our data compare to Waterways Conservation Officer’s data?
5. Can our results be related to local climate changes?

Conclusions:

1. To date, based upon our testing data, there is no significant  change in water quality that is caused by the bridge or adjacent runoff -  ¨This is probably due to the swiftness of the creek
2. Comparison with the Waterways Conservation Officer’s data were unremarkable