Reading the Landscape: Water

The appearance of stream water can be a good indicator of what is happening in a watershed. Stream health is revealed through a number of different basic criteria. Although no single component tells the whole story, looking at the color and clarity of stream water is one quick way to make an assessment. Peer down through the water to the stream bed. If possible, fill a transparent container and see how closely the water compares with clear, clean, drinking water. Is there a tint of color to the water, or does it appear hazy? Do you see any suspended particles? If the entire stream appears to be tinted, is the color originating with the water, or the stream bottom, or both? In some cases coloration does not reveal itself in a glass full of water, but can be detected when looking at the much larger volume of water flowing in the stream.

High nutrient enrichment (phosphorus, nitrogen, etc.) and discharges from abandoned coal mines are just two factors that alter the natural appearance of stream water.

Anderson Creek in Clearfield County is portrayed in today's photograph. The Anderson Creek watershed is greatly impacted by drainage from abandoned coal mines. The red/orange appearance of this stream is a telltale sign of acid and iron compounds originating from water entering the coal mine and then discharging to the stream. Staff from WPC's Watershed Assistance Center have hiked many miles in this watershed collecting valuable data to aid in the restoration of the stream and its watershed. Over time, and with proper restoration efforts, the true color of Anderson Creek might one day return.

Photo by: Alysha Trexler, WPC Americorps intern.

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