The application deadline for the annual Schuylkill Acts & Impacts watershed education and exploration program has been extended! Applications are now due by Friday, May 14, 2021.

All program information can be found within the application packet. This is a great opportunity for high school students who are interested in biology, geography, and natural resource conservation!

The 7th annual Schuylkill Acts & Impacts watershed program will be held from July 25-August 1, 2020. Click on the link below to download the official 2020 application.

Complete applications must be submitted by FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020.

Schuylkill Acts & Impacts is a weeklong watershed expedition that is offered to a team of 12 high school students from the 5 counties (Schuylkill, Berks, Montgomery, Chester, Philadelphia) in the Schuylkill River watershed. Students will spend the week learning about different water quality impacts in the watershed, do hands-on testing, learn from and interact with environmental professionals throughout the watershed, and will camp, kayak, and have tons of fun!!

Schuylkill Headwaters Association, Fairmount Water Works, Stroud Water Research Center and Take It Outdoors Adventures have again partnered to make this year’s program a success!

Please contact Alexa Smith at 570-391-3336 or outreach@schuylkillheadwaters.org if you have questions.

The 6th annual Schuylkill Acts & Impacts watershed program will be held from June 15-22, 2019. Click on the link below to download the official 2019 application.

Schuylkill Acts & Impacts Application 2019

Complete applications must be submitted by FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2019.

As a reminder, Schuylkill Acts & Impacts is a weeklong watershed expedition that is offered to a team of 12 high school students from the 5 counties (Schuylkill, Berks, Montgomery, Chester, Philadelphia) in the Schuylkill River watershed. Students will spend the week learning about different water quality impacts in the watershed, do hands-on testing, learn from and interact with environmental professionals throughout the watershed, and will camp, kayak, and have tons of fun!!

Schuylkill Headwaters Association, Fairmount Water Works, and Stroud Water Research Center have again partnered to make this year’s program a success!

By Dionne Watts-Williams and Gary Paprocki, courtesy of Fairmount Water Works; photos by Hanah Bates

A total of 10 students participated in Schuylkill Acts & Impacts 2018 the week of June 16-23, representing all of the counties along the Schuylkill River. Additionally, two students from previous years accompanied the group to assist staff with activities and share their experiences and insights with the new students.

Schuylkill Acts & Impacts is an experiential environmental education journey along the 120-mile Schuylkill River from its headwaters in the coal lands of Schuylkill County to its confluence with the Delaware River in Philadelphia.

Highlighting Issues, Exploring Solutions

Team leaders from Schuylkill Headwaters, Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, and Take It Outdoors Adventures guided students down the river, and presenters offered guided tours and programming designed to highlight issues in the Schuylkill River Watershed and explore hands-on solutions to these problems.

Fortunately, the weather was mostly cooperative. Hotter days seemed to align with water activities, like kayaking, or times when the group was near a river, creek, or shady area for breaks. When it rained, it didn’t last long. Either way, being out in the elements didn’t slow down these students! They got through it without complaint.

Ready to take on the Schuylkill River!

Stroud Water Research Center educators trained the students on water-quality monitoring.

One student commented, “It was interesting to see all of the different factors of a stream or river that have to be monitored in order for it to be healthy. Learning about how the temperature of the water affected its oxygen diffusion rate was really interesting and something I had never thought about.”

Students take water quality samples from the Schuylkill River in Schuylkill County.

Water Quality Tells a River’s Story

Each night around a campfire, students shared what they learned and enjoyed about the day. Students expressed their excitement about many activities that varied depending on their background and interests. All of the students expressed interest in the water-quality testing and the story it told as they traveled down the river from the mines, through the farms, and into Philadelphia. The final analysis of their data confirmed their predictions and validated their outcomes. Some students were interested in the chemistry of the acid mine drainage treatment systems, while others expressed interest in the design of agricultural best management practices and conservancy projects to protect the local watershed.

By the end of the trip, all of the students were interested in preparing questions for and participating in the conversation with Kelly Anderson, from Philadelphia Water Department Source Water Protection. They thought it was a helpful way to review what they learned and connect the different strategies for protecting the watershed. The students loved kayaking and camping, looking for crayfish, and learning about animals they encountered along the way, including the amazing mussels that clean the watershed, llamas and farm animals, turtles, large wild birds, and beavers.

Students taking part in a service project looking for and removing invasive rusty crayfish from Valley Creek

Some students had never been camping or kayaking before, so they had to learn quickly. “My arms felt really tired, but I felt proud of my new-found confidence and my ability to kayak 13.6 miles. This experience pushed me beyond what I thought I was mentally and physically prepared for,” a student said.

After traveling the length of the river, students became aware of how easy it is to impact the quality of the river and how much communities and cities like Philadelphia depend on people upstream to keep the water safe and clean.

One student said, “It has been so fun to be on this trip. I hope I have the amazing opportunity to do this again. It made me realize how much of an impact we (humans) make on the watershed. I want to help with this any way I can. It is so amazing!!!”

Schuylkill Acts & Impacts 2018 participants and leaders

When: Saturday, March 24, 2018 starting at 10:00am and ending around 12:00pm

Where: meet at Little League ball field along Route 209 in New Philadelphia

What: Schuylkill County Trout Unlimited will conduct a river beautification event along the Schuylkill River. Volunteers will meet at the little league ball field along RT 209 in New Philadelphia (40.716942, -76.124992). The project will involve litter and debris removal, brush cutting and removal, posting notices along several sections of the Schuylkill River. Advance registration is necessary. Please contact Ann McCole at 570-277-6249 to register. Volunteers are asked to dress accordingly – wear boots or waders and bring tools to cut brush. SCTU will provide a free lunch to those who register and participate. This work detail is open to anyone wishing to help beautify the Schuylkill River.

We thank you in advance for your help!

The 5th annual Schuylkill Acts & Impacts watershed expedition will be held from June 16-23, 2018. Click on the link below to download the official 2018 application.

Schuylkill Acts & Impacts Application 2018

Complete applications must be submitted by FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018.

As a reminder, Schuylkill Acts & Impacts is a weeklong watershed expedition that is offered to a team of 12 high school students from the 5 counties (Schuylkill, Berks, Montgomery, Chester, Philadelphia) in the Schuylkill River watershed. Students will spend the week learning about different water quality impacts in the watershed, do hands-on testing, learn from and interact with environmental professionals throughout the watershed, and will camp, kayak, and have tons of fun!!

Schuylkill Headwaters Association, Fairmount Water Works, and Stroud Water Research Center have again partnered to make this year’s program a success!

The Schuylkill River Trail is one of this region’s most valued recreational amenities. On Saturday, September 30 the Schuylkill River Heritage Area will host a bike ride that gets cyclists pedaling on the trail, while also benefiting the trail.

Ride for the River, now in its second year, will take an estimated 250 cyclists along the Pottstown to Reading section of the Schuylkill River Trail. The ride begins and ends at Sly Fox Brewery’s Can Jam Festival, at Circle of Progress Drive in Pottstown where, after the ride, participants can enjoy eight hours of free, live music, as well as festival food and beer.

Cyclists will pedal 40-or 16-mile routes that take them either to Reading Riverfront Park or Union Township Recreation Area and back to Sly Fox Brewery.

The ride serves as a fundraiser for the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, which works with partners to build, improve and promote the Schuylkill River Trail. When complete, the trail will run 130 miles from Philadelphia to Pottsville. Today, about half of the trail is complete in sections. One of the largest finished sections is the Pottstown to Reading stretch, which totals about 20 miles. Ride for the River will take place along that part of the trail, with some on-road riding to and from the festival.

That section is owned and maintained by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area. Money raised through Ride for the River will support ongoing maintenance of the trail.

Sly Fox Brewery has partnered with the Schuylkill River Heritage Area for the past two years by producing SRT Ale, a seasonal “ale for the trail” that benefits the Schuylkill River Trail. During the Can Jam Festival, Sly Fox representatives will present Heritage Area officials with a check from the sales of this year’s SRT Ale.

To learn more visit www.ridefortheriver2017.com

The Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, managed by the non-profit Schuylkill River Greenway Association, uses conservation, education, recreation, historic preservation and tourism as tools for community revitalization and economic development.

There are just over two weeks left to submit an application! Click image below to download official 2017 application.

The 4th annual Schuylkill Acts & Impacts watershed expedition will be held from June 17-24, 2017. Click on the link below to download the official 2017 application.

Schuylkill Acts & Impacts Application 2017

Complete applications must be submitted by FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017.

As a reminder, Schuylkill Acts & Impacts is a weeklong watershed expedition that is offered to a team of 12 high school students from the 5 counties (Schuylkill, Berks, Montgomery, Chester, Philadelphia) in the Schuylkill River watershed. Students will spend the week learning about different water quality impacts in the watershed, do hands-on testing, learn from and interact with environmental professionals throughout the watershed, and will camp, kayak, and have tons of fun!!

Schuylkill Headwaters Association, Fairmount Water Works, and Stroud Water Research Center have partnered to make this year’s program a success!

To see pictures from previous expeditions, please visit SHA’s Facebook page.