The first weekend in May each year, the Swatara Creek Watershed Association cleans up the Swatara Creek, a source of our drinking water. 2008 will be our 20th year, and we'd be honored if you'd help us clean up, Mike. Your participation and coverage will help to educate multitudes. What do you say ?
Men and women, scouts and seniors, people of all ages come together for a common purpose—to enjoy the outdoors, for recreation, exercise, and to cleanup the Swatara Creek. Broken down into two segments, approximately thirty miles are cleaned up each year. Traversing Schuylkill, Lebanon, and Dauphin Counties, imaginary lines between municipalities and counties are erased, and rather than just hearing the phrase, “we all live downstream,” participants experience the reality of the Swatara we share for clean water and recreation. It’s a dirty job, but volunteers tackle the challenge with gusto. Again, 2008 will be our 20th year of organizing a canoe and cleanup of the Swatara Creek.
As a drinking water source for the Lebanon Water Authority, American Water Company, and United Water Company we all benefit from clean water. Clean water for homes and businesses also enhances the economic vitality of the Swatara Watershed. • In 2007, SCWA disposed of 9 cubic yards of trash pulled from the Swatara Creek, recycled a trailer load of metal, signs, toys, and 192 tires. Over the twenty years of this project, we have recycled in excess of 2000 tires.
Removing tires helps to reduce breeding ground for mosquitoes that are responsible for West Nile Virus.
We simply guarantee lusty tails of adventure. Check out our website Swatara Creek . The results happen due to the commitment of volunteers who believe that they are contributing to a greater common good. By getting people on the water, involved in cleaning up the source of their drinking water, the hands-on experience creates lifetime stewards who help to protect the Swatara Creek. Participants come to know the force of water. They realize that storing barrels, tires, and other debris along the bank of the Swatara is harmful to the environment. These items are lifted and pulled into the water during storms and floods. Participants also observe the benefits of riparian buffers for shading and cooling the Swatara, reducing evaporation during droughts. Further, participants see the dangers of low-head dams. The Swatara enters the Susquehanna River around TMI. If not removed, in heavy storms or flood conditions, the debris would continue to move downstream, filling the York Haven, Safe Harbor, Holtwood and Conowingo Dams and some of the debris would continue into the Chesapeake Bay. It is hard for SCWA to calculate the cost of damage to intakes at power generating facilities.
As a landowner along the Swatara Creek, I can confirm the hard work and dedication of these volunteers. Whadayasay Mike, mud, water, fish, trash, tires (even a dead bear this year!), cold water, canoe tip-overs, even a kitchen sink or two. Where else could you possibly go and have all this fun? Unless it's too much for you!!!!
I think I'll third this idea. Although I've never heard of this operation, it is a very important job, and by all means it seems as though it's dirty, which we all know Mike loves.
Okay, Mike - let's get down & dirty. The Swattie is such an important waterway in this region providing drinking water, wonderful fishing and peaceful canoeing. It's a nice place to just sit and be awed by the nature around you. Remnants of the dozens of mills that worked along this waterway from the 1700's can be found on her banks; in spots it is a short walk to some ruins of the Union Canal. What we have is a true treasure in the rough and because of that rough, many do not appreciate this waterway and abuse it by depositing everything and anything (including the kitchen sink) alongside or in the water. This great group of volunteers yearly cleans the Swatara and its banks of this rubbish. And they get wet and wrinkled and muddy and just downright DIRTY. You need to come join us for our 20th Anniversary!
Yeah, it's really really dirty. Muddy. Gooey. AND, it's all volunteer, these crazy DIRTY folks don't even get paid to drag tires, appliances, trash, flood debris out of miles of the Swatara creek.
Originally posted by onorose: Yeah, it's really really dirty. Muddy. Gooey. AND, it's all volunteer, these crazy DIRTY folks don't even get paid to drag tires, appliances, trash, flood debris out of miles of the Swatara creek.
Oh yeah, it's wet and wild. Yes we pull tons of trash out of this beautiful creek and we get dirty and wet but it's also an incredible adventure loaded with fun and really cool and crazy people and lots of wildlife, good food, and entertainment. The 2008 20th year journey will pass through Hershey PA where we will camp overnight and be sure to stop getting dirty long enough to eat some chocolate. We will stop at Indian Echo Caverns where you can take a tour at lunch time. And then on to the Susquehanna River the major tributary to the Chesapeake Bay (our efforts also help toward the ongoing effort to make the bay healthier) As we approach the Harrisburg area we will see the infamous Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. By then we will be ready for a meltdown but will have enjoyed every minute of it.
Mike, I watched a show recently and you were begging for people to send ideas in or you said you may go off the air. Well, here's you're chance at a great show! Not only will you find some pretty unusual and dirty things in the creek, but you'll get up front and personal with "Quitty Mud", which to this day has not come out of my swimming trunks and life vest after tons of washings! Art from Hershey PA
Did you know that the Swatara used to be called the "Black Swattie"?" It's true. In heavy rain, coal fines made their way down the Swattie, and the water not only looked black, if you went swimming, you came out covered in coal dirt. At Blue Rock, their was a coal dreding operation. Now, it's the deepest hole on the Swattie, and a beautiful limestone outcrop hosts colorfulflowers.
Maybe you'd like to see a map of our wonderful Swatara Creek with all of it's history, geology, recreation...:Swatara Map Sure we're proud. We worked with the State of Pennsylvania and National Parks Service to create a Water Trail. We're part of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network. Not quite Columbus or Captain John Smith, but Mike Rowe can explore the Swatara--and help to clean up this natural resource, which was a navigable river on maps dating back to the 1700s.
Traveling down the Swatara Creek in a canoe or kayak you feel a little bit like Lewis and Clark. It's a shame that our waterways are not as pristine as the ones they traveled. People have caused this problem but people can also help solve it. When I see the tons of trash that we pull out of the creek I always wonder what the person who threw it there thought was going to happen to it. Did they think it would just go away. No! It doesn't. Maybe if you come along and show the world's slobs what it takes for other people to clean up after them it will help.
Looking at all of the trash pulled from the Swattie, I think we could both build a house and set up house keeping. Let's see, there were the front steps, the toilet and seat, siding, a table, chairs, an aluminum pot and frying pan, television, and a street light for outside. There was a culvert pipe that took two canoes to bring in, a wheel barrow to do the yard work, a new side panel for the bed of a pickup truck, and a boat for the driveway. Really.
Would it help if I told you we'll camp near the Sweetest Place on Earth? That would be Hershey where they make the chocolate. Bob, one of our board members, always makes sure that we have some Hershey chocolate to eat. Sometimes we make smoores over a camp fire.
If you want to stay in the area for a visit, HersheyPark is nearby too. So is the Giant Center where they hold concerts and sports events.
One of the lunch stops is usually at Indian Echo Caverns. All kinds of formations are ready for you to explore. Do I need to tell you more?
The registration form for the Swatara SojournSwatara Sojourn is now posted at [URL=http://www.mbcomp.com/swatara/canoe/18thcanoe.htm ]Swatara Sojourn Registration[/URL] . Over the years, so many participants are surprised when they join us. They say, "You call the Swatara a Creek? Where we come from, this is a River." Recently, we filed an application with the USGS to have the Swatara Creek name changed to Swatara River. Details are found at [URL=http://www.mbcomp.com/swatara/Minutes/2008_minutes.htm ]Swatara River[/URL]
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?" It's true. In heavy rain, coal fines made their way down the Swattie, and the water not only looked black, if you went swimming, you came out covered in coal dirt. At Blue Rock, their was a coal dreding operation. Now, it's the deepest hole on the Swattie, and a beautiful limestone outcrop hosts 
Recently, we filed an application with the USGS to have the Swatara Creek name changed to Swatara River. Details are found at [URL=http://www.mbcomp.com/swatara/Minutes/2008_minutes.htm ]Swatara River[/URL]
