water quality monitoring in the northwest pennsylvania shale play

I R O N F U R N A C E T UMONITORING HISTORY

• ANF Satellite/Logger Network 2011 - 2014

• Three Rivers Quest Project Northern Allegheny Basin

2013

• Three Rivers Quest Mini-Grant Project

2013 - 2014

ANF Satellite/Logger Network

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• Sampling January – December 2013

• 3RQ Partners• Duquesne University• Iron Furnace Trout Unlimited• Wheeling Jesuit University

• 56 sample locations• Bi-weekly sampling• Field measurements and grab samples• Displayed via 3RiversQuest.org

Three Rivers Quest Project 2013

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Field• Temperature (C)• Specific Conductance• pH

Laboratory • Alkalinity• Acidity• Bromide• Chloride• Sulfate• Dissolved Aluminum• Dissolved Manganese• Dissolved Sodium• Dissolved Iron• Total Suspended Solids• Total Dissolved Solids

French CreekBrokenstraw Creek

Oil CreekTionesta CreekClarion River

Allegheny River

Three Rivers Quest– Northern Allegheny Basin 2013

Iron Furnace TU Mini-Grant Project 2013 - 2014

• CRAWFORD COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT• ELK COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT• McKEAN COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT• WARREN COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT• NATIONAL TROUT UNLIMITED

Caldwell Creek Gods Country Oil Creek Jim Zwald Allegheny Mountain Cornplanter

Glacial Influenced Streams 200+ μS/cm

Allegheny Plateau Streams 15 - 40 μS/cm(1st/2nd/3rd Order)

Oil & Gas Influenced Streams 50 + μS/cm(Chronic Condition/Temporary Spikes)

Regional Specific Conductivity

Regional Specific Conductivity (μS/cm)53 Sites

Interpreting Specific Conductivity

Oswayo Creek 2013

0

50

100

150

SC

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S/c

m)

Median

Outliers

Outlier

Minimum

Maximum75th Percentile

25th Percentile

Median = 95.2n = 33,881


McCaferdy Run Fall 2011

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100

200

300

SC

(µ

S/c

m)

Salmon Creek Trib 55118 Winter 2012

20

25

30

35

SC

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m)

IFTU Sites @ USGS Stations 2013(Northern Allegheny Basin)

Northern Allegheny Basin3RQ Network 2013

3 Bromide Detects

Low Sulfate except 2 Clarion River Sites

Alkalinity Levels Exceed Expectations

Chloride and Sodium Pervasive Throughout Northern Allegheny River and Tributaries

Alkalinity (mg/l as CaCO3)(January – December 2013)

0 45 90 135ALKALINITY

Allegheny- EldredAllegheny- Port AlleganyAllegheny- West Hickory

Brokenstraw Creek- YoungClarion- Cooksburg

Clarion- RidgwayClarion- Wilcox

French Creek-UticaOil Creek- Rouseville

Tionesta Creek- LynchTionesta Creek- Tionesta

Alkalinity (mg/l as CaCO3)(January – December 2013)

Allegheny Plateau Streams

Glacial Influenced Streams

Sulfate (mg/l)(January – December 2013)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Sulfate (mg/l)






AMD Influence

Specific Conductivity (μS/cm)(January – December 2013)

0 100 200 300 400Specific Conductivity (μS/cm)






Chloride(mg/l)(January – December 2013)

0 10 20 30Chloride (mg/l)


Brokenstraw Creek- YoungClarion- Wilcox



Sodium (mg/l)(January – December 2013)

0 5 10 15 20Sodium (mg/l)


Brokenstraw Creek- YoungClarion- Wilcox



Oil and Gas Production 2004-2013

Warren

2,942\5

Elk

869\69

Forest

2,095\22

McKean

4,773\74

(Conventional\Unconventional)

10,679\170

Chappel Fork Active Well SitesDecember 31, 2013

2,030 active wells/17,704 acres

1 well/9 acres

Contact Info:

Bruce C. DicksonChief ScientistApplied Geology and Environmental Science2402 Hookstown Grade Road, Suite 200Clinton, PA 15026814.806.6073 (mobile)[email protected]

Our PartnersColcom Foundation

Three Rivers Quest (3RQ)United States Forest ServiceUS Army Corps of Engineers

Elk County Conservation DistrictMcKean County Conservation DistrictWarren County Conservation District

Crawford County Conservation DistrictApplied Geology and Environmental Science

Analytical Testing ServicesTrout Unlimited - National

Trout Unlimited Pennsylvania ChaptersCaldwell Creek Gods CountryAllegheny Mountain Jim ZwaldOil Creek Cornplanter

water quality monitoring in the northwest pennsylvania shale play

Education