Stopping a Significant Pollution Source at Little Mahoning Creek
Pollution from runoff is responsible for a surprising
88 percent of all damaged streams in Pennsylvania,
with sediment and dust from dirt and gravel roads
topping the list of major contributors. The sediment
negatively impacts sensitive species like the fish, mussels
and eastern hellbender salamanders that reside in Little
Mahoning Creek, a prized Pennsylvania fishery that
attracts trout anglers from across the nation.
This past summer, WPC and numerous partners
completed their first major project to address this
probem at Little Mahoning Creek. The group initiated a
dirt and gravel road repair project to stop runoff from a
half-mile stretch of Mottarn Road, which runs downhill
directly toward Little Mahoning Creek. The partnership
included the Indiana County Conservation District, the
Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads, North
Mahoning Township, Boyd and Shriver, Inc. and
Falcon Drilling.
“We selected this road for the project because of its
condition and proximity to the creek,” said Anne
Daymut, watershed specialist for the Indiana County
Conservation District.
WPC Senior Director of Freshwater Conservation
Nick Pinizzotto said, “The challenge we face here is to
stop loose soil from getting transported into streams by
erosion caused by poorly drained and stabilized roads.
When it does, the sediment sinks to the bottom of
the stream and pollutes an area that is vital for fish
reproduction and other aquatic life. The result is a loss
of critical habitat for coldwater species and a reduction
in the overall productivity of the stream.”
To fix these problems, the team dug under Mottarn
Road and installed eleven new underground pipes,
then regraded the road and resurfaced it using more
eco-friendly shale and fly ash supplied by the Penn State
Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads. These improvements will
result in long-term benefits, not only in preventing sediment
and dust pollution, but also in saving resources by
extending the life of the road.
The Indiana County Conservation District contributed
$10,000 from the Commonwealth’s Dirt and Gravel Road
Maintenance Program and WPC added $25,000
through a grant from the Colcom Foundation.
Through a grant also secured by WPC, The Indiana
County Conservation District has recently prepared a
Prioritization Plan that identifies the dirt and gravel roads
that present the biggest threats to Little Mahoning Creek.
“The Prioritization Plan lists the top 50 dirt and gravel
roads based on the amount of sediment they are currently
seeping into Little Mahoning Creek,” said Anne Daymut. “It
is our hope that, through the partnership, we’ll be able to
work our way down the list and fix all 50 roads.”
In October, the Indiana County Conservation
District, WPC and Southern Mahoning Township began
working with a private landowner to repair Wise Road,
a gravel road that tops the list as the largest sediment producing
dirt and gravel road along the creek.
There is considerable repair work ahead, but by
successfully shoring up one road and beginning another,
the partnership moves forward in protecting Little
Mahoning Creek for future generations.
Winter 2008 Conserve | Western Pennsylvania Conservancy | Fallingwater