valley creek

geebee

geebee

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we walked from Yellow Spring road to the Schuykill and back today.

saw a few small browns rising, but the creek from just above the small rock dam down to the big dam was completely turbid. not the clear water i'm used to seeing at all.

im guessing this is due to the excess phosphorus and nitrogen from the sewage still ?

signs are still up saying have no contact with the water down there. i'd agree, don't even wet wade it.

in fact i dont think i'd handle fish even above the park - the water maybe clean but the fish could be carrying all sorts of bacteria ?


all very sad,
 
Interesting. I've been "handling" fish way upstream since the spill. I'm still here and have no obvious signs of any sort of infection.
 
i meant don't cut yourself, wipe your eyes etc. prof.
 
Prof,

What is your point with that post? The spill was down in the lower park. That would obviously not affect fish upstream.
 
I'm contemplating hitting up valley tomorrow...I love fishing in the rain...of course I'll be starting above the pooo line at the pump station. Last time I was there (end of march) I noticed they had removed the signs by the iron bridge and saw several people fishing from the covered bridge up to the pump station regardless I'll be using g my nippers instead of my teeth to change flies
 
Took these pics March 22,that white stuff on the ground isn't snow.Fished Valley in that stretch 4 times since the spill and the stream seems to be ok.
 

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i think maybe that white stuff is now washed into the river ?

the water was unnaturally murky, and i saw it last July and August and it was crystal clear.

 
Comparing stream clarity in July-August to March-April-May is not a good indicator. I have not fished Valley in some time but I can remember it in the spring not always being crystal clear. Snow melt and rain can color it up quite a bit and I would often see it with a more characteristic limestone green color in the spring.
 
The white stuff on the ground is likely lime - to "disinfect" the soil after the spill.
 
The spill was down in the lower park. That would obviously not affect fish upstream.
I may be incorrect, but my understanding is that while the break was near Rt23, there was also some kind of serious related spill upstream at a pumping station or something - due to actions required to reduce/ divert/ whatever the sewage flow down the main to the break.
 
true, but i've also fished it in January and December.

if it was just turnover or melt it would have been consistently off colour along the whole stretch but there was a definite concentration from above the big dam to a small way above the small rock dam.

it looked wrong or 'off' imho.

the sign down there still says to avoid contact.

 
There probably is/was sediment or ''particulates'' related to to the sewage overflow in the stream bed. The heavy rain today and tonight are the best thing that can happen at this point. A couple of really good flushings is what the stream bed needs.The fish seem to have survived ok but the concern was more about the little critters that the trout eat...how will they be impacted. My .02 cents.
 
"Prof,

What is your point with that post? The spill was down in the lower park. That would obviously not affect fish upstream."


geebee,
prof said he wouldn't handle fish even ABOVE the park.
 
If you look at the roots of the trees the white stuff hanging off them isn't lime.Looks more like toilet paper along with other nasty things.I fished that section 2 days after the first spill and posted a few pics back then.
 
Just bring the Charmin' you'll be fine!
 
The stream is back to normal.
 
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