Blue Hole Creek found with high lead levels

[ChuckofWagon]

https://triblive.com/local/regional...e-drinking-level-found-in-laurel-ridge-creek/

Apparently the source of the very high lead levels has been determined, but not publicly disclosed. Blue Hole feeds into Laurel Hill Creek and ultimately into the Yough.

 

[riverwhy]

I have wondered what
Kind of lead contamination gun ranges are causing.

 

[jifigz]

I have wondered what
Kind of lead contamination gun ranges are causing.

I'm sure a lot..I can think of some sporting clays courses that have all trees and vegetation dead and dying. High shot shell areas like that should require non-toxic shot in my opinion.

 

[Broodstock]

I read this when the MWA posted about it. It’s unbelievable that the EPA or DCNR knew about it for so long before it was disclosed. Anecdotally I’ve had way less success on that creek in the last couple years compared to 10-15 years ago. I stopped going. Wonder if this is why. Photo from a while back on blue hole.

 

[riverwhy]

I know of one cabin on a tributary of fishing creek where most of the vegetation is dead from shooting clays off the deck. I am sure there are many others like it. It would be difficult to enforce on private property. I wonder if sportsman's clubs have any rules on their own properties or if they promote education about these issues among their members?

 

[Forestfishin]

I read this when the MWA posted about it. It’s unbelievable that the EPA or DCNR knew about it for so long before it was disclosed. Anecdotally I’ve had way less success on that creek in the last couple years compared to 10-15 years ago. I stopped going. Wonder if this is why. Photo from a while back on blue hole.

I’ve noticed the same. Was there a few weeks back with my son and commented how dead the stream seems now. It has been that way for a few years.

 

[JGR]

I've fished Blue Hole Creek a few times a year since 1996. It's been a favorite of mine and I've had many good days there. However, its brook trout population has declined significantly over the last 5-6 years as others mentioned. I had attributed the poor fishing to consistent early season flooding followed by summer drought in the Laurel Highlands during the same period.

I have no idea if it's the source of the lead but, the sporting clays facility is on the east slope of Laurel Mountain 1 mile from the stream per Goggle Maps.

Losing Blue Hole Creek to pollution is more than troubling.

From October 2024--three fish in 4 hours of careful fishing:

 

[hockeyref]

Just bumping this to see if anyone has heard anything more about this. Couple shooters mentioned that one of the sporting clays facilities had gone steel shot only. Have not heard anything else.

 

[turkey]

Thanks for bumping this. I missed it originally, and I even subscribe to MWA newsletter. I had heard that the big clays course down off of 40 went non-toxic but I'm not too sure about the one near Blue Hole.

 

[hockeyref]

Yeah that was Nemacolin

 

[JGR]

A KDKA News report on the source of the lead pollution:

MSN

 

[riverwhy]

It was a little unclear who has complained about steel shot. Was it “Sportsman” in general or Highlands? After seeing this disaster, how could anyone want to just go about business as usual at these ranges.

 

[sixfootfenwick]

I've fished Blue Hole Creek a few times a year since 1996. It's been a favorite of mine and I've had many good days there. However, its brook trout population has declined significantly over the last 5-6 years as others mentioned. I had attributed the poor fishing to consistent early season flooding followed by summer drought in the Laurel Highlands during the same period.

I have no idea if it's the source of the lead but, the sporting clays facility is on the east slope of Laurel Mountain 1 mile from the stream per Goggle Maps.

Losing Blue Hole Creek to pollution is more than troubling.

From October 2024--three fish in 4 hours of careful fishing:

Beautiful fish!

 

[hockeyref]

It was a little unclear who has complained about steel shot. Was it “Sportsman” in general or Highlands? After seeing this disaster, how could anyone want to just go about business as usual at these ranges.

Likely the ones complaining (about steel shot) are the guys shooting some of the older classic over under shotguns that have fixed chokes that are not rated to safely to shoot steel shot due to bot potential barrel damage and higher chamber pressures.

Is steel shot safer? I dunno… i did see a report on bismuth poisoning of fowl at a game farm. I haven’t seen any research papers on the effects of rusting steel on the environment.

 

[ChuckofWagon]

Rusting steel in the environment? Reminds me of my '66 Chevy Bel Air...3 on the tree with a 283. That thing shed rust all through college.

 

[troutbert]

Is steel shot safer? I dunno… i did see a report on bismuth poisoning of fowl at a game farm. I haven’t seen any research papers on the effects of rusting steel on the environment.

The most likely reason for that is that rusting steel doesn't have any significant effect on the environment.

 

[Kms]

The most likely reason for that is that rusting steel doesn't have any significant effect on the environment.

Exactly

 

[nymphingmaniac]

I read it is owned by Bob Nutting.
signed,
a disgruntled Pirates "fan"

 

[moorestowngreg]

I belong to a trap club in south Jersey where I live. It is very large(1.5-2M targets per year) and in the Pine Barrens and has no water near it. They have a company come in and mine the lead every couple of years. They will take 400,000 lbs. out this year and will get .80 cents/lb that goes back to the club. It is the only way to mitigate this problem, but a smaller facility that doesn't have open ground where the shot falls will have trouble doing it profitably. Bad situation. I used to drive way south in Delaware to visit customers I had and there was(or maybe still is) a trap facility right off US 13 next to tidal marsh. I was always amazed that this place was where it is, because the effects of lead on waterfowl has been known since the 1930's, but it was the 1990's before non-toxic shot was mandated for waterfowl hunting. I hope this situation can be cleaned up in PA. As for someone that shoots trap off of their deck and is killing their own flora and fauna and visibly so, I don't know what to say, they are poisoning themselves. Reminds me of Romans that drank lead water for the flavor.