Oil Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Coming soon to a section of the East Branch of Sugar Creek (some of which can be seen above) -- more stream improvement! The chapter applied in mid-December to national Trout Unlimited for a $7,500 Embrace-A-Stream grant to help fund a series of stream habitat improvement and bank stabilization structures along the stocked trout stream in Oakland Township, near Dempseytown.

The Oil Creek Chapter is planning to partner with the Venango Conservation District, Oakland Township, and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to improve fish habitat and stabilize an eroding stream bank on the East Branch of Sugar Creek. This section of the trout stream is on Pennsylvania Game Commission land.

The reach of stream is endangering the condition of the township road. A draft plan to improve the fish habitat and stabilize the eroding stream bank, which will also help to minimize maintenance on the roadway. was prepared by David Keller and the staff of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s Habitat Management Section.

The proposed plan includes the construction of deflectors that will help to move the main channel toward the middle of the stream and reduce velocities on the banks. The deflectors will also provide cover for trout and other aquatic life in the East Branch of Sugar Creek. The deflectors should discourage further stream widening and bank erosion, while encouraging the stream banks to grow and stabilize themselves with natural vegetation. All of the structures will be constructed of green logs and local sandstone. This will help them blend in for a natural look.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will do a final assessment. The design will be completed in the spring of 2006, when water levels are at a lower flow.

The Oil Creek Chapter did a smaller bank stabilization project upstream of this site, for which local equipment and materials were available. We expect to use the same resources and suppliers for the new work. Due to the success of that smaller project, in shoring up and revegetating the bank and producing trout habitat and better stream flow conditions, the Oil Creek Chapter wants to continue work on the stream.

Total cost of the project is expected to be $19,550. Some would come from the Dirt and Gravel Roads Program, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, volunteer labor and material/equipment donations, and (hopefully) from Trout Unlimited’s Embrace-A-Stream program.

If OCTU is awarded the grant, the $7,500 would fund material purchases and equipment rental (excavator work). The chapter felt that TU’s Embrace-A-Stream grant program would be particularly appropriate as the project addresses Trout Unlimited’s core mission.

TROUT IN THE CLASSROOM

The saga of Trout in the Classroom is one of successes, disappointments and successes.

On November 8, a field trip was held to the classrooms participating in the project, led by Lance Bowes of the Venango Conservation District. Attending were Linda Steiner, Scott Wilson and Joe Lehosky of the chapter, and Ken Undercoffer, President of the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited.

Ken was there to view working Trout in the Classroom projects. Other schools and TU chapters throughout the state are becoming interested in the educational project and are considering becoming involved.

The group visited Pete Lindey’s classroom at the Venango Technology Center; Mike Crocker’s classroom at Oil City High School; and Eric Mowrey’s classroom at Titusville Middle School. At that time, all had experienced a loss of fish, from overfeeding and resulting fungus growth and from a power outage caused by a severe storm.

The teachers said they like the equipment and the program and the way the curriculum fits with their science course. They said the students showed a lot of interest in the project. They also said they will definitely do it again next year, no matter how many fish (if any) they raise to stockable fingerling size this year.

Because so many of the original rainbow trout had been lost, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission was contacted for replacement. The commission had brown trout eggs available at the Bellefonte hatchery. Bob Steiner stopped on his way back from bear hunting in eastern Pennsylvania before Thanksgiving and delivered them to Pete Lindey and Lance Bowes, so the schools that wanted to could start again with the program, while there was still time.

The most recent news is that Eric Mowrey (Titusville) says his fish made it through the holidays OK and he began feeding them. Mike Crocker (Oil City) has 15 of the original rainbow trout left, but hasn’t lost one in six weeks. He did not get any eggs from the second batch; all of his are from the original eggs. That’s the good news. The bad: Pete Lindey (Venango Technology Center) says that all of his trout "have gone to the great raceway in the sky."

We’ll continue to follow the saga and this learning experience. Thanks again to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for resupplying two of the classrooms.

FOR MORE CHAPER PROJECT UPDATES, SEE THE "GUSHER" CHAPTER NEWSLETTER ON THIS WEB SITE. OPEN WITH ADOBE ACROBAT