Three Rivers Waterkeeper

Swim Guide results are in! This week's rotating site was Lake Elizabeth in Allegheny Commons Park on the North Side. We sampled toward the end of the 48-hour Combined Sewer Overflow, and it looks like we’ll get some rain this weekend, so our numbers may not accurately reflect current E. coli levels in our waterways. Big Sewickley Creek Watershed Association also joined us again and collected additional samples within their watershed.

Want to get Swim Guide results sent to your inbox? Sign up at 3rwk.org/swim

Last week, we had so much fun with RiverWise, their Summer Sustainability Institute students, and Allegheny CleanWays. We spent the morning on the Ohio River and Raccoon Creek discussing plastics and raising awareness of the different environmental issues they contribute to in our region. The students also participated in a Nurdle Patrol and a small litter cleanup. Thanks for spending the day on the water with us!

Last weekend we paddled on the Ohio River during our 3 Rivers Watch program while we shared information about different types of water pollution. It's great to have partners like Venture Outdoors who can bring their traveling fleet of kayaks to places like Kilbuck Township. We saw many different native wetland plants along the banks of the river-- a good sign of a healthy ecosystem!

We have a few more 3 Rivers Watch programs to round out the warm season and we hope you'll join us at one! Space is limited so register at 3RWK.org/3RWatch today!

During the summer, Three Rivers Waterkeeper samples popular recreation sites along our rivers for E. coli. Baseline sampling like this helps us understand what our waterways typically look like, allowing us to hone in on hot spots of high E. coli levels. This sampling helped us identify a broken sewer line in Pine Creek, which was contributing to recurring high E. coli colony levels downstream.

Our most recent Colors of the River was in Plum Creek, a tributary to the Allegheny River! There, we shared perspectives about different forms of data collection, found new and exciting colors and ecologies, and got to splash in the clear water all evening. The next Colors of the River is in Frick Park on 8/27— space is limited so register today by visiting 3RWK.org/colors 🖌️🪨

This week's swim guide results are in! This week, we sampled within the 48 hour window of CSO overflows. Eleven of our thirteen sites failed recreational standards, and only Sharpsburg Boat Ramp and Sycamore Run (our rotating site) met recreational standards this week.

Over the last two weeks, we have seen a great reduction in the number of E.coli colonies at Pine Creek, which is a great sign! Two weeks ago, we reached out to ALCOSAN about the elevated levels of E.coli and what we believe to be the source of the issue in Pine Creek. Since reporting, ALCOSAN crews were seen along Pine Creek. They have identified a break in a sewer line, so they have begun bypass pumping to stop sewage from entering the stream. They are working on repairing the issue and we will keep you updated when we know more.

Want to get more detailed swim guide information sent to your inbox? Sign up at 3rwk.org/swim.

Our staff made paper by hand! Sierra led us in a workshop using plant and mushroom materials from a floodplain on the Ohio River that we have been stewarding. Knotweed, mugwort, pokeweed, and other natural materials were transformed into sheets of paper that tell a story about the health of our water. Keep an eye out for future papermaking workshops and other events on our website 3RWK.org/events 👀

The other week community members paddled on the Monongahela River during our 3 Rivers Watch training. We talked about different types of pollution in our waterways and how to spot and report it. Shoutout to Venture Outdoors for their traveling fleet that allows us to get kayaks to different parts of our rivers!

Join us on Saturday for another 3 Rivers Watch on the Ohio River. It's free and kayaks are provided. Registration is limited so don't wait-- 3RWK.org/3rwatch

Join Three Rivers Waterkeeper on October 16th at Pittsburgh Brewing Company for our 5th Annual Fundraiser for clean water! Celebrate with food, drinks, and good company!

🎟️ Tickets at 3RWK.org/water
🐦‍⬛ Use code EARLYBIRD between now and 9/1 to get 10% off