Winter 2007: Protecting the Allegheny River

Message from the President

This issue of Conserve focuses on one of the most valuable resources that western Pennsylvania has in its charge, the Allegheny River. With its wealth of islands and diverse plant and animal life, some of which has all but vanished from the rest of the planet, the Allegheny River is a national treasure.

The Harmony of the Allegheny:
A River in Three Parts

A 325-mile long waterway, the Allegheny River is best understood in its three distinct parts: the upper, middle and lower sections.

Protecting the Islands on the Allegheny

These islands are a primary reason why the Allegheny River offers a greater diversity of habitats, and better supports aquatic life, than some other rivers in and south of Pennsylvania.

Getting to the Bottom of the Allegheny River

This past May, WPC staff began a project that had never been attempted in the Allegheny River—determining and then mapping in detail the waterway’s depth.

Answering the Clarion Call

by Chuck Williams
A key tributary of the Upper Allegheny River both ecologically and historically, the Clarion River is also a striking example of nature’s phenomenal resiliency.

WPC Studies Biodiversity in French Creek’s Ten Major Tributaries

French Creek is perhaps the most ecologically significant waterway in the state, containing more species of fish and freshwater mussels than any other similar-sized stream in the northeast United States.

The Little Mahoning That Could

During the 20th century, Indiana County’s Little Mahoning Creek escaped significant damage from abandoned mine drainage, making it a rarity among Western Pennsylvania watersheds.