Event information: Johnston’s Run Follow-up Meeting, April 13, Mercersburg Academy, Mercersburg, PA
On April 13th, ALLARM had another wonderful meeting with the group of Johnston’s Run volunteer monitors at the beautiful Mercersburg Academy. We enjoyed discussing the volunteer process and potential future steps moving forward to make a difference in their watershed. The volunteers’ enthusiasm was never faltering in gaining a deeper understanding of their surroundings. They also graciously sent us home with some treats for the road!
It is interesting how the volunteer monitors were very eager to draw conclusions from their 14 months of results and learn how different natural forces such as temperature, stormwater runoff, and geology affect Johnston’s Run. One volunteer even told a story of a loved one getting cut while playing in the stream and almost immediately getting an infection.
Throughout our discussion, the main question was understanding how Johnston’s Run handles any chemicals/nutrients that wash into it. One volunteer broke out his shale and limestone samples to demonstrate how limestone erodes much faster than shale, especially under acidic conditions, and can create cavities in the rock.
We also restocked all the necessary supplies for the volunteers to continue their monthly monitoring, including 5% alconox soap, 10% hydrochloric acid, nitrate reagents, replacing broken viewing tubes, QC bottles, and conductivity standards.
Thanks to our volunteers for another exceptional meeting!
A volunteer monitor demonstrates the effects of acid on limestone