Children's Fishing Derby
The CCWA started an annual children’s fishing derby at Curly Hurd Park in 2006. Trout for the event have been provided by the 3Cs (Carrolltown Rod & Gun Club, Rembrandt Club, Bakerton Rod & Gun Club) and the Susquehanna Valley Rod & Gun Club trout nurseries. The derby continued as an annual event for 6 years, but was reluctantly discontinued after the 2011 event, due to declining membership and increased manpower needed for the event. Fortunately, interest is picking up again and the watershed group will be assisting the SVRGC with a fishing derby again in 2015.
Schools & Trout-in-the-Classroom
Since 2012, the CCWA has supported the Cambria Heights Middle School Trout in the Classroom project with their Chest Creek trout release/outdoor education field day held at Patton Park. The CCWA provides lunch for all students, teachers, and presenters. The CCWA has also donated to the cost of sending the Cambria Heights High School Envirothon team to the competition at Disaster’s Edge Johnstown Flood National Memorial site. In 2013, financial donations were expanded to include the Harmony Area Schools and their Trout-in-the-Classroom project. The CCWA also donates to local cooperative trout nurseries that raise, feed, stock, and support community fishing events.
Educational Signage
In 2013-14, the CCWA partnered with Trout Unlimited to implement a WREN (Water Resources Education Network) grant project. Four educational signs were placed along Chest Creek, in the communities of Mahaffey, LaJose, Westover, and Patton. The signs target anglers and others who live within and/or visit the Chest Creek Watershed and provide information about ways to help protect the stream. Brochure boxes were also placed on the signs and feature a newly re-designed brochure showcasing all that Chest Creek has to offer.
Watershed Cleanup Day
On April 11, 2015, the CCWA hosted a watershed cleanup day. Sixteen volunteers collected approximately 40 bags of trash along two miles of Thompsontown Road, cleaned and beautified Curly Hurd Memorial Park in LaJose, and fixed the educational sign at the park that had been damaged by the winter weather. Thank you to everyone who helped make this inaugural event a success including PennDOT, Trout Unlimited, the Clearfield and Cambria County Conservation Districts, the Clearfield County Solid Waste Authority, and the Susquehanna Valley Rod and Gun Club to name a few. We hope to continue this event each year so let us know if there are other areas in the watershed in need of some sprucing up!
Stream Monitoring
In addition to helping the Cambria County Conservation District with water quality monitoring that was used to develop the 2010 Chest Creek Watershed Assessment and Restoration Plan, the CCWA expanded its stream monitoring efforts in 2015. A 2015 grant from the Dominion/Western Pennsylvania Conservancy's Watershed Mini-Grant Program was used to purchase water testing equipment that will be used to establish a water monitoring network throughout the watershed. In addition, the watershed group completed Trout Unlimited's Coldwater Conservation Corps training and became a part of that monitoring network.
We are always open to new project ideas. If you have a great idea to help improve or protect Chest Creek, please contact us or come to one of our meetings to share your idea.
The CCWA started an annual children’s fishing derby at Curly Hurd Park in 2006. Trout for the event have been provided by the 3Cs (Carrolltown Rod & Gun Club, Rembrandt Club, Bakerton Rod & Gun Club) and the Susquehanna Valley Rod & Gun Club trout nurseries. The derby continued as an annual event for 6 years, but was reluctantly discontinued after the 2011 event, due to declining membership and increased manpower needed for the event. Fortunately, interest is picking up again and the watershed group will be assisting the SVRGC with a fishing derby again in 2015.
Schools & Trout-in-the-Classroom
Since 2012, the CCWA has supported the Cambria Heights Middle School Trout in the Classroom project with their Chest Creek trout release/outdoor education field day held at Patton Park. The CCWA provides lunch for all students, teachers, and presenters. The CCWA has also donated to the cost of sending the Cambria Heights High School Envirothon team to the competition at Disaster’s Edge Johnstown Flood National Memorial site. In 2013, financial donations were expanded to include the Harmony Area Schools and their Trout-in-the-Classroom project. The CCWA also donates to local cooperative trout nurseries that raise, feed, stock, and support community fishing events.
Educational Signage
In 2013-14, the CCWA partnered with Trout Unlimited to implement a WREN (Water Resources Education Network) grant project. Four educational signs were placed along Chest Creek, in the communities of Mahaffey, LaJose, Westover, and Patton. The signs target anglers and others who live within and/or visit the Chest Creek Watershed and provide information about ways to help protect the stream. Brochure boxes were also placed on the signs and feature a newly re-designed brochure showcasing all that Chest Creek has to offer.
Watershed Cleanup Day
On April 11, 2015, the CCWA hosted a watershed cleanup day. Sixteen volunteers collected approximately 40 bags of trash along two miles of Thompsontown Road, cleaned and beautified Curly Hurd Memorial Park in LaJose, and fixed the educational sign at the park that had been damaged by the winter weather. Thank you to everyone who helped make this inaugural event a success including PennDOT, Trout Unlimited, the Clearfield and Cambria County Conservation Districts, the Clearfield County Solid Waste Authority, and the Susquehanna Valley Rod and Gun Club to name a few. We hope to continue this event each year so let us know if there are other areas in the watershed in need of some sprucing up!
Stream Monitoring
In addition to helping the Cambria County Conservation District with water quality monitoring that was used to develop the 2010 Chest Creek Watershed Assessment and Restoration Plan, the CCWA expanded its stream monitoring efforts in 2015. A 2015 grant from the Dominion/Western Pennsylvania Conservancy's Watershed Mini-Grant Program was used to purchase water testing equipment that will be used to establish a water monitoring network throughout the watershed. In addition, the watershed group completed Trout Unlimited's Coldwater Conservation Corps training and became a part of that monitoring network.
We are always open to new project ideas. If you have a great idea to help improve or protect Chest Creek, please contact us or come to one of our meetings to share your idea.