Chris Coat, assistant professor of biology at UPT, and Gina Ellis, director of NAP, test water samples in UPT lab.	Coat collects water samples from Oil Creek.	Coat checks flow rate in French Creek.

UPT AND NAP COLLABORATE

ON WATERSHED CONSERVATION INITIATIVE

TITUSVILLE, Aug. 23 -- The University of Pittsburgh at Titusville (UPT) and the Northwest Allegheny Project (NAP) began a cooperative effort this spring to study the northern Allegheny watershed.

The NAP is the year-old child and the latest initiative of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, which has been in existence for 30 years.

NAP director Gina Ellis says, “The Project fosters broad-based public participation and works with other organizations to initiate programs and projects related to education, stream conservation, science and research, water quality, species protection, and recreation.

Initially, Ellis approached Christopher Coat, assistant professor of Biology at UPT to discuss the watershed research.  Together with Dr. Margaret Peaslee, Vice President for Academic Affairs and professor of Biology, they developed a collaborative proposal that was approved.

The UPT/NAP collaboration provides, according to Coat, a place for NAP “to set up shop,” and for UPT, research and internship opportunities for its students.

The Project covers an area of approximately 1600 square miles.  It includes the watersheds of Oil Creek, Brokenstraw Creek, Conewango Creek, and Tionesta, plus the main stem of the Allegheny River that falls between these watersheds.

“One goal is to raise public awareness of the ecological value of the watershed and provide useful information to various initiatives, including local planners,” says Ellis.

While the City of Titusville will learn what kind of impact the city has on water quality as it passes through the area, UPT students will learn how to collect data and catalog information on species found in the water.

Ellis will share the information with local planners for their consideration in planning, developing and zoning.

Students will present watershed information sessions to public schools, interested community groups and landowners.  

Through internship opportunities, UPT students also will develop their interpersonal, organizational, writing, research, public speaking and technical skills.  The internships will provide experiential learning opportunities in every academic area, not just environmental science.

Ellis says, “I will ensure that the student does something relative to their coursework, something very meaningful.”

During late spring and early summer, Coat and Ellis collected water samples and tested the levels of coliform bacteria, ammonium nitrogen, total suspended solids, and measured the dissolved oxygen content, biological oxygen demand, temperature, pH, and flow rate.

After Ellis and Coat collected their samples, they brought them back to UPT’s lab for testing.  Coat plans to use some of the collected data in future classes with his students.

“Based on these findings and others, the NAP may offer educational programs to enlighten and advise the people of the northern Allegheny watershed in the best ways to utilize this resource,” says Coat.

The motto of the NAP is, “Conservation through cooperation.”

In this case, the cooperative effort between the NAP and UPT serves to benefit the community, the students and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.  Which pleases Ellis, who states, “This is the first community-based event in which NAP has engaged.”

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