Originally published on Waterkeepers Chesapeake Journal The Conowingo Dam, on the Susquehanna River, has held back sediment and other pollutants for decades, but recent research shows that the Dam reservoir has filled up with sediment and associated nutrients much faster than expected. This enormous artificial repository can be scoured by high flow events, re-mobilized, and delivered downstream by one catastrophic-level…
Originally ran in Bay Journal The Lower Susquehanna River is getting a new watchdog. Michael Helfrich, the first Riverkeeper for the bottom half of the Chesapeake Bay’s largest tributary, is leaving after 12 years, to pursue a career in politics. Already a part-time York, PA, city councilman and president of the five-member municipal governing body, Helfrich is vacating his full-time Riverkeeper post on…
Originally run on YDR: Say goodbye to fishing at Brunner Island. Talen Energy, which owns and operates the power plant that burns coal and natural gas on the island in the Susquehanna River, has barred fishing, boating and hiking on its land. According to Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Ted Evgeniadis, Talen closed a boat launch off Wago Road, the wetlands area surrounding the plant and a fishing access…
Originally published on York Dispatch Twice a week, for the past six months, Ted Evgeniadis worked his way up and down the banks of the Codorus Creek, chopping away at vegetation growing there. Since being named Lower Susquehanna River Keeper, Evgeniadis put out a weekly plea for volunteers to help control the multitude of plants that grow inside the flood-control…