Captina Creek

Public Meeting Announcement

2011-10-24T17:04:00.000-04:00

Captina Creek Watershed will be hosting a public meeting Oct. 27th, 2011 at the OOYO Powhatan store located at 162 First St, Powhatan Point, Ohio from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. The agenda will focus on the future conservation needs for Captina Creek Watershed, public concerns, issues and ideas for the future of Captina Creek Watershed and stakeholder and public involvement in the writing and project implementation side to the watershed management plan.

It is a potluck so bring some goodies ! Hope to see you there !!

Anderson Run

2011-10-14T10:19:00.001-04:00

Anderson Run is located in the central portion of Captina Watershed and is 5.4 miles in length. This beautiful little tributary is ephemeral meaning in drier years it has pools of water and in many cases completely dries up. Problems exist with heavy ATV traffic yet the tributary remains very beautiful with a complete forest canopy which is important to reduce large fluctuations of temperature in the stream.
Aquatic insects found in the tributary include stoneflies, mayflies and many other important aquatic insects. Just pick up a rock in the stream, turn it over and look for these wonderful critters !!
Look for the next tributary Bend Fork in a couple of weeks !!!

Getting to Know Your Watershed

2011-09-30T09:32:00.000-04:00

Hello to all faithful followers of the gem of the state....Captina Creek Watershed.

The blog is back and ready to inform the masses with Stephen Ferrante and his boy steering the Captina ship.

Stephen Ferrante : Watershed Coordinator

Ruari Ferrante : Co - Captain

A few things...

Captina Creek is the hidden gem in the state of Ohio. A few reasons why :
1. Highest IBI in the state 55.1 out of 60
2. Several tributaries are designated cold water habitats due to the salamander and aquatic insects found in the creek

Every two weeks I will present a different tributary of Captina Creek. There are 27 named tributaries so get ready to learn, explore and enjoy one of the last remnant stream systems in Ohio.

The week of October 3rd I will post factual info and pics of Anderson Creek tributary # 1 !

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

2011-05-17T08:39:00.000-04:00

A common wildflower oddity of the eastern deciduous forest, the jack-in-the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) grows in a variety of wooded habitats provided that some topsoil is present. Best growth occurs along rich, moist lowland slopes although smaller individuals frequent drier upland slopes. The "pulpit" part of the plant is called the spathe and houses a stalk of tiny flowers called a spadix ("jack"). Most jacks have one to two leaves with up to three leaflets each. Average height is between 12-15" although in favorable growing conditions it is not uncommon to see an individual approach 30". Once fertilized, the flowers on the spadix will develop into a bright red cluster of seeds by late summer.

Spring Flowers Part IV

2011-05-12T08:42:00.000-04:00

Spring wildflowers are beginning to peak in eastern Ohio and will gradually wane over the next couple of weeks as average daily temperatures conitnue to increase and the amount of light available on the forest floor continues to decrease. Usually a lull in flowering plants occurs between late May and mid-June signifying a transition between spring and summer flowering foliage.

Blue-Eyed Marys. These colorful wildflowers are usually
widespread across moist wooded floodplains and gently
sloping, north facing upland wooded slopes. Colonies
can be several hundred square feet in coverage on the
forest floor.

Fire Pink. Occurs mainly on dry upland south-facing wooded
slopes commonly under stands of oak and hickory. Bright
red flowers with notches on the ends of the petals make
this plant easily identifiable in the field.

Golden Ragwort. A generalist in terms of habitat, golden
ragwort can be found from roadsides to deep within wooded
areas. The plant somewhat resembles hawkweed, but has
a purplish stalk and larger flowers. Commonly encountered.

Cut-Leaf Toothwort. Though not as small as the spring beauty,
cut-leaf toothwort could be easily overlooked if it weren't
for its tendency to be widespread across the forest floor.
Is somewhat of a generalist in terms of habitat. It seems to
grow well as long as there is tree cover with not too much
moisture in the soil. A plant of folklore, early settlers believed
it to be useful for curing toothaches.

Wood Poppy. This colorful flower is one of the larger species
in terms of petal diameter in the watershed measuring up to
2 inches. An easily recognizable plant when flowering
as no other large yellow flowers occur in early spring in this area.
The relatively large fleshy leaves are sometimes highlighted with
a silvery mottling. Prefers moist low-land wooded slopes with
rich deep soils, but will occasionally be found on upland slopes
provided soils aren't too dry. Occurs in large colonies covering
several dozen square feet where growing conditions are favorable.

Good Year for Morels

2011-05-09T12:07:00.000-04:00

One of the most identifiable organisms of the eastern deciduous forest, the morel is reaching its peak season in eastern Ohio. This has apparently been a good growing season for morels as I have encountered more than in year past. White morels are commonly found under dead elm and apple trees where their mycelium take up residence in decaying roots. I have found them under decaying tulip poplar and maple as well. This individual was approximately 4-5 inches in height and about 1.5 inches in width. In a week or so the ascus (dimpled cap) will begin to darken and wither releasing spores. One way morels differ from the traditional "toad stool" mushroom is by lack of a protective cap called a basidium which protects spores and allows for a more aerodynamic release.

Jack Hanna Visits Captina Creek

2011-05-05T10:52:00.000-04:00

Last night a crowd of between five and seven hundred people gathered at Ohio University Eastern to show support for the Captina Creek watershed. Attendees enjoyed a 45 minute presentation by "Jungle" Jack Hanna which included video segments and several unique animals from around the globe. Thirty exhibitors from various state and local entities were also on hand to provide educational information from different watersheds statewide. The event was intended to raise awareness about Captina Creek's unique ecosystems and exceptional water quality which is comparable to the best streams in the state. Here are some photos from last night:

EJ and Kim from OUE make last minute adjustments to the audio.

Monday Creek's booth attended by Nathan Schlater.

Raccoon Creek Partnership's booth attended by Amy Mackey.

Maggie Corder, watershed coordinator for Yellow Creek in
Jefferson County.

Oglebay Good Zoo's Vicki Markey-Tekely (holding lizard).

Impressive aerial map of the Captina Creek watershed
constructed by students from Olney Friends School.

Jack Hanna addressing the importance of Captina Creek.

One of Jack's animal friends from Africa.

A crowd favorite, especially with the kids.

Jack mingles with fans following the program.

Following the program, Jack was invited to speak to a group
of land owners from the Captina Creek watershed at a dinner
organized by the Captina Conservancy. The Conservancy
used the dinner as a formal launching for their organization
which promotes the establishment of a private land trust
for residents of the watershed. Approximately 50 people
attended the meeting which was organized by Kraig McPeek
of USFWS (standing behind Jack).

Spring Flowers Part III

2011-04-29T11:10:00.000-04:00

Continuing with Part III of common spring wildflowers inhabiting the Captina Creek watershed. Cool damp conditions are slowing progression of herbaceous plants on the forest floor. The overstory canopy is beginning to fill in, but is being slowed as well by the weather conditions.

Blue phlox favors roadsides cutting through forests and
exposed sunny banks. Color ranges from deep purple
to bluish white. Often found growing with trilliums,
wild geraniums and larkspur.

Dutchmens breeches. Favors deep rich soils on shady
wooded hillsides. Can sometimes carpet an entire slope
if conditions are favorable.

A mix of wild geraniums (light purple) and larkspur (dark purple).
Unlike dutchmens breeches, these wildflowers prefer sunny
south-facing wooded slopes with sometimes shallow soils.
Of the two, wild geraniums seem to be more prevalent
around the watershed - possibly a testament to their
adaptability.

Wild mint prior to flowering. Prefers shady wooded slopes
with rich moist soils. Leaves have a very aromatic scent.
Flowers are small and white and clustered near the base of
leaves.

Virginia bluebells, another inhabitant of rich moist wooded
slopes. Tends to grow in clusters of several dozen plants
per patch. Also, has large fleshy leaves for an early spring
flower with smooth margins

Common wood sorrel. A small flowering plant that is easily
overlooked. Grows on wooded banks above streams and in
other moist areas.

Spring Flowers Part II

2011-04-22T11:27:00.001-04:00

The second installment of common spring wildflowers currently flowering in eastern Ohio. It's been a cool damp spring so far which has delayed the development of certain species.

Bloodroot, named for bright red pigments stored in
underground rhizomes which nourish the plant as it flowers. The
flower of bloodroot precedes leaf development which
can be seen at the base of the stalk. Energy made in the
leaf throughout the growing season will be stored in the
rhizome and used to fuel next year's flowering.

A species of saxifrage. No more than two inches tall these tiny
plants favor soils around shale and siltstone outcrops on
steep wooded hillsides.

A cluster of trout lillies. Note the shiny, mottled appearance
of the leaves.

The flower of twinleaf somewhat resembles that of bloodroot
but there are distinct differences in the leaves. Twinleaf
leaves have two adjacent lobes per stalk with smooth margins.
Also I have found that twinleaf seams to prefer cooler shady
wooded slopes while bloodroot prefers sunny well exposed
slopes.

Vernal Pool Restoration Update

2011-04-21T14:54:00.000-04:00

You may recall that last November, four vernal pools were restored and a field choked with invasive autumn olive and multiflora rosebush was cleared on a section of private property in Goshen Township. This morning I had a chance to check on the progress of the reclaimed site and have to say things are looking good.

Vernal pool 4 in November 2010.

The same pool now viewed from the opposite end. Of all the
restored pools this one most closely resembles a permanent
pond and is two to three feet in depth.

Pool 1 before.

Pool one now. It will be interesting to see how much water is
retained once the heavy rainfall of late decreases. There is
a strong current moving through all of the pools right now.

To everyone's surprise clusters of what appear to be spotted
salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) eggs appearing already.
These eggs were probably deposited in late March.

Pool 3 - Perfect amphibian habitat, this pool is only a foot
deep at most and very broad with good access to afternoon
sun.

Evidence of recent heavy rainfall. The dam head of this pool
has been washed out. I think this is an improvement because
the pool was too deep to begin with. If a pool becomes too deep
the water will have trouble heating thus slowing growth
of amphibian and macroinvertebrate larvae. A silt bar formed from
erosion behind the main dam head now retains the pool at a
shallower depth.

Spring Flowers Part I

2011-04-18T14:27:00.000-04:00

Recent rains have brought the forest floor to life in the Captina Creek watershed bolstering plant growth which has blanketed the ground in a carpet of green. Early herbaceous plants are trying to quickly cycle before the forest canopy closes later in May blocking the majority of sunlight from reaching the ground. Below is Part I of a who's who list of the early spring bloomers I have witnessed so far. The nice thing about these species is that they are widely occuring so anyone with access to a small woodlot can enjoy, but act fast because these plants don't flower for long.

Small but colorful, bluets occur in clusters of 10-20 stems per
bunch. Prefers open pastures and meadows.

Rue anemone poking out of the leaf litter. Stalks are
usually 4-5" in height.

The tiny but common spring beauty. Flowers range from white
to shades of pink and purple. The root or corm of the plant
is edible but given its tiny size, probably not worth the time
to collect and process.

Another common inhabitant - the trout lily. Favors wooded
slopes with rich soils and has a mottled green leaf with a shiny
smooth appearance. Leaves tend to lay close to the ground
with only the flowering stalk raising above the forest floor.

Pickerel Frogs

2011-04-13T09:50:00.000-04:00

Pickerel frogs (Rana palustris) are early season inhabitants of cool bottomland ponds, long-cycle vernal pools and quiet pools along slow moving streams often emerging after wood frog activity ceases in late March. Though their ranges overlap in eastern Ohio competition rarely occurs due to preference for differing habitat, with wood frogs favoring warmer upland mid-cycle vernal pools. One of the more colorful anurans in eastern Ohio, pickerel frogs sport a copper base with chocolate parallel squares dorsally and a bright yellow wash on the underside of each leg. Male vocalizations are likened to rubbing a wet hand over a balloon and have little carrying power. Pickerel frogs are known for their tendency to stray large distances from water in the summer months often appearing in backyards, upland wooded slopes and damp fields.

Adult pickerel frog. In some cases the dorsal chocolate blotches
blend together appearing as parallel lines. Northern leopard
frogs (Rana pipiens) somewhat resemble pickerel frogs except
they have less dorsal blotching that is more circular than
rectangular and more green integrated into the base color.
Leopard frgs are rarely encountered in the watershed area.

A pickerel frog egg mass. The mass structure closely resembles
that of the wood frog however I have noted individual cells in
wood frog masses appear overall larger in diameter than pickerel
frog. Another characterstic to consider is habitat when
distinguishing between the two as discusssed above.

American Toads

2011-04-12T10:08:00.000-04:00

There may not be a more familiar amphibian by sight than the homely American toad (Bufo americanus). Easily identified by its stout body, warty skin with large parotoid glands on the rear of the head and speckled underside the American toad is a staple of vernal and ephemeral pools statewide. So adaptable is this amphibian that extensive surveying would probably reveal specimens from the majority of sections of each township in the watershed area.

The American toad has an advantage over other amphibians in its ability to adapt to a variety of environmental conditions such as increased pollution, development and agriculture. Adults often wander into suburbia and may breed in backyard birdbaths and ornamental watergardens as long as vehicle traffic (a major threat to migrating adults) is not too extensive. Adults usually emerge with the first 70+ degree weather of early April and chorus into mid-May. Male vocalizations are in the form of a high-pitched trill lasting 10-20 seconds and a shorter territorial chirping emitted between competing individuals in a pool. Large evening choruses are one of the most pleasant signs of spring in eastern Ohio. Eighty degree temperatures this past Sunday followed by a mild rainy Monday night brought out toads in large numbers. Look for chorusing males or strings of eggs in local vernal pools and roadside ditches. American toads seem to prefer (but are not limited to) similar habitat to mountain chorus frogs and wood frogs.

American toads in amplexus. Fertilization of eggs occurs
externally. Males are generally smaller in size than females
and have enlarged thumbs on their forelimbs during the spring
for easier grasping. Eggs are deposited by females in long
strings and can number in the thousands in larger pools.

Males will aggressively compete for anything that resembles a
female in a pool, even a piece of carpet! The forelimb grip of
a male is surpisingly strong considering their size. As in wood
frogs coloration varies widely ranging from tan to olive to maroon.

Scarlet Elf Caps

2011-03-28T09:59:00.000-04:00

Scarlet elf caps (Sarcoscypha coccinea) are mushrooms associated with the division Ascomycota collectively known as the cup fungi. Members of this division are characterized by the presence of an ascus or cup-shaped reproductive structure that produces spores which can be spread by wind. They are brightly colored ranging from orange to yellow to red and have short, stout bodies. Elf caps reproduce in early spring and can be found growing in leaf litter on rich wooded hillsides soils. This individual has a reddish-orange ascus and is the diameter of a quarter. It was growing on a hillside under sugar maple, american elm and basswood trees and appears to be an older specimen.

Spotted Salamanders

2011-03-25T16:35:00.000-04:00

Unlike the majority of salamander species native to the Captina Creek watershed the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) does not reside in stream habitat, but instead prefers upland vernal pools. Spotted salamanders are members of the mole salamander family along with Jefferson salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) and the marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) which also occur in eastern Ohio. Few people ever see mole salamander adults due to their fossorial lifestyles. Adult spotted salamanders may spend 50 weeks out of a year in an underground burrow emerging breifly only to migrate to pools to breed. More commonly encountered are the eggs and larvae inhabiting wooded vernal pools located on undisturbed hillsides. Adults emerge with the first warm rains of early spring an migrate en masse to home pools where they will stay for 2-3 weeks. After breeding the adults will exit pools and return underground in mammal burrows or under large rocks and logs. Though the spotted salamander probably resides throughout the entire watershed region populations seem most prevelant in western areas. More sampling needs to be done in eastern tributaries to try to fill in the void.

A cluster of spotted salamander eggs recently deposited in a
small pond in Wayne township. Females will attach the masses
to underwater vegetation often in large "rafts" similar to those
of the wood frog.

A spotted salamander adult. Adults range from 6-9" in length
A characteristic shared by the mole salamanders is a thick,
stocky body with pronounced costal grooves on each side.

A closeup view of a spotted egg mass. The mass consists of
individual eggs clustered inside of a gelatinous protective
covering. The mass is spherical in shape as well.

Not the greatest picture due to glare but the white clumps on
the pool bottom may be spermatophores deposited by males
which are then picked up by females using their cloacas. Once
fertilized internally the eggs are deposited by females on
submerged vegetation.

Mountain Chorus Frogs Emerge

2011-03-23T09:34:00.000-04:00

The first mountain chorus frogs (Pseudacris brachyphona) of the season were heard chorusing yesterday in a small ephemeral pool in Wayne township. Mountian chorus frogs are cousins to the more widely distributed spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) and western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata) in Ohio and represent a branch of the treefrog community. Generally speaking their range is restricted to upland slopes of the unglaciated hill country of southeastern Ohio. Local populations seem to prefer shallow upland pools in ditches, tire ruts and depressions that are not influenced by heavy flows of spring water and are south facing. Their vocalizations are often compared to the sound made by running a finger down the edge of a fine-toothed comb and have considerable carrying power under the right conditions. Mountain chorus frogs often use the same breeding pools as wood frogs and american toads. Thanks to Ted for the opportunity to observe a new population.

Great habitat for mountain chrous frogs congregations in spring.
Runoff has been dammed by a waterbar placed on this hillside
to control erosion. Shallow pools are preferred as long as they
don't dry out too quickly later in the spring. Wood frog egg masses
were also observed at this site.

An adult male mountain chorus frog. Note the reverse
parenthesis on the back and dark triangle between the eyes.
Their small size cryptic color pattern make them nearly
impossible to locate in pools, even when chorusing.

Side profile of the same male. Note the light line on the upper
lip. Believe it or not this guy has a booming voice for his size.

Can you find the chorus frog against this background?
Most predators can't either - a testament to the
frog's cryptic color pattern and small size.

Eastern Red Spotted Newt

2011-03-22T09:34:00.000-04:00

The Eastern Red Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) has one of the most complex life cycles of any organism in the eastern deciduous forest. The newt begins life as a larval resident of long-cycle vernal pools and semi-permanent ponds then, after one to two years of growth, takes to land as an immature "eft" for a period of up to several years. The eft stage is then followed by a return to the organism's native pool as an aquatic adult where it will spend the rest of its life. Adult newts have dark brown to olive dorsal base color with bright red spots and a tan to cream ventral color. Efts are smaller in length than adults with bright to dull orange base color and red dorsal spots. They are most commonly encountered on upland forested slopes following heavy rain events in summer months and can travel considerable distances from home pools. Time wise, breeding activity of newts aligns with spotted salamanders and wood frogs so now would be a good time to observe.

A pair of adult newts doing the "hula dance". Males (on top)
will grasp females and present a wiggling motion. If the female
is impressed, the male will then deposit a spermatophore in front
of her on the pool floor which she can then decide to pick up
thus completing fertilization internally. This female looks
like a recent metamorph due to her orangish base color
which will darken with age.

Long-cycle pools and ponds can have large populations
of newts. Seven adults occupy roughly two square feet
of pool bottom in this photo.

An older eft found under a rock ledge. Note the orangish base
color and red spots. Recently metamorphosed efts often appear
much brighter orange. A good time to find efts is during heavy
rains that follow dry spans in summer months.

Wood Frog Activity Peaks

2011-03-18T09:41:00.001-04:00

Amazingly, wood frog (Rana sylvatica) activity in vernal pools is nearly finished in southeastern Belmont County for this season. Breeding populations have vanished almost as quickly as they appeared a little over a week ago. Wood frogs are notorious for arriving poolside in large numbers on short notice, then disappearing shortly thereafter into upland forests to forage for the remainder of the growing season. With such a short window of pool time, witnessing a peaking chorus requires observation of key environmental conditions and a little experience. Next up in local vernal pools is the more familiar spring peeper (Psuedacris crucifer) which was heard chorusing throughout the southern end of the county last night.

A chorusing male wood frog in a vernal pool. Males will float
in a section of pool as they call females. This pool contained
five chorusing males but the presence of several egg masses
suggests peak breeding occurred last weekend. Vocalizations
sound like ducks and have little carrying power. Note the
"robber's mask" passing through the eye and paired dorso-
lateral folds on the back.

These guys are hard to sneak up on in broad daylight! Another
male in the same pool. Note the bars on the hind legs. This
guy is getting ready to head for cover.

Wood frogs exhibit much variability in color which is not a good
characterisitic for identification. This is the tan phase which
blends in well with clay soils. In pools with little vegetative
cover, individuals will try to burrow into the muddy bottom
face-first to escape detection. Not sure how well this works
to fool snakes and other predators.

More wood frog egg masses. Amplexed pairs will lay masses
communally which conserves heat thereby accelerating
development. These guys are in a race against time to complete
metamorphasis into froglets before the pool dries out in early July.
Rate of development is largely dependent on water temperature.

Spring Unofficially Begins

2011-03-15T09:44:00.001-04:00

The first wood frog (Rana sylvatica) activity of the season was observed this past Saturday at a small wooded pool in Mead Township as temperatures climbed into the low 60's. The arrival of wood frogs is usually a good indication of winter's demise along with bluebirds, coltsfoot and red-winged blackbirds. The next 60 degree day could bring out the first chorus frogs (peepers). Wood frogs can be tricky to locate due to their weak vocalizations which are barely audible 100 ft from pools in quietest conditions. Breezy conditions like those of this past Saturday can easily drown out a chorus at short distances. Wood frogs are notorious for being the first frogs to breed in late winter in eastern Ohio often arriving poolside by the dozens then disappearing into the surrounding woods before most other species begin chorusing. A large pool with a good population can yield 20-30 clutches of eggs per season with 300-500 eggs per clutch.

A globular mass of wood frog eggs deposited
in the shallow end of a wooded pool. The mass
is approximately fist-sized and appears to be a
few days old due to its swollen appearance.

Another mass from the same pool that was deposited more
recently. As the eggs enter the water they begin to swell
from about the size of a quarter to fist size in a couple of days.
Larvae will hatch in 1-2 weeks depending on water temperature.
Amplexed pairs will choose the warmest areas of the pool to
deposit eggs which is usually in a shallow area exposed to the
sun.

A photo from a previous post of an adult wood frog for reference.
Wood frogs appear in a variety of earth tone colors from
dark brown to tan to grayish but all have a dark band passing
through each eye (robber's mask), parallel dorsal folds and
distinct banding on each leg. Adults range from 2-2.5 inches
from snout to vent in length.

River Flood Recap

2011-03-14T10:43:00.002-04:00

Following a week of two heavy rain events on saturated grounds the Ohio River crested Saturday evening at Powhatan Point at 38.5 feet, 1.5 ft. above flood stage. Minor flooding was observed in low-lying areas near the mouth of Captina Creek. A calmer weather pattern is forecast for this week with a warming trend towards weeks end. Below are some photos taken Saturday afternoon preceding the crest.

Looking north toward Cove Road from the beginning of SR 148.
The entire floodplain of Captina is submerged. If you weren't
from the area you may mistake this as the Ohio River itself.

Looking downstream from the Steinersville bridge toward
Clair-Mar golf course.

West greens of Clair-Mar.

Clair-Mar golf course

A gauge of water depths. This sycamore tree is on the original
creek bank. It is submerged in at least 8-10' of water.

At 1:00pm Saturday the creek was encroaching on the SR 7
bridge and the edge of SR 148 in the foreground.

Water street along Captina in Powhatan is aptly named!

The Powhatan marina viewed from Water Street.

Next Captina Creek Watershed Stakeholders Group meeting set

2011-03-11T11:11:00.000-05:00

The next public watershed stakeholders meeting is set for Monday March 21st 6:30 pm at the Municipal Building in Shadyside, Ohio. The focus of this meeting will be on identifying solutions for known impairments in the Captina Creek watershed region. Public participation is encouraged. The municipal building is located at 50 E. 39th Street in Shadyside.

River Flood Update

2011-03-11T10:57:00.004-05:00

Two soaking rain events over the past six days have depsosited over three inches of rainfall in the watershed area causing most streams to rise to bank full levels. Prior to this week, melting snowfall in mid-February combined with late February rainfall primed soils in the Ohio Valley for river flooding. River flooding is different from flash flooding in that it develops slowly and only affects floodplain near stream confluences with the Ohio River. Because of its low-lying elevation, Powhatan Point routinely experiences river flooding in areas close to the mouth of Captina Creek. According to the hydrograph issued by the NWS at 8 am this morning the Ohio River is expected to crest at Powhatan Point below major flood stage at 40.9ft (flood stage 37ft.). At a level of 40 ft. the SR 7 bridge crossing Captina Creek begins to submerge disrupting a major travel artery along the Ohio River. *If the current predicted crest holds, this would be the fifth highest river crest in recorded history at Powhatan Point. Monitor updated forecasts on the crest by clicking on the NWS advanced hydrologic prediction link on the right side of the page.

*Edit: After doing a little research on record crests of the Ohio River at Powhatan, I began to realize the NWS top five on the advanced hydrologic prediction page for Powhatan is not accurate. For a better perspective on the matter click Wheeling Hydrograph Data and scroll down on the left side of the page.

The latest predicted crest for the Ohio River at Powhatan Point
is 40.9 ft. just below major flood status but nowhere close
to the all-time record set in the great 1936 flood.
*Interestingly, the next four highest crests after 1936 have
all occurred in the last fifteen years. (See edit above)
Note: kcfs=kilo cubic feet/second!!

Late Winter Flowering Plants

2011-03-04T09:49:00.001-05:00

Warmer days with longer photoperiods are starting to bring about changes to the forest floor, especially on south facing slopes. Perennial wildflowers are beginning to emerge below the leaf litter as tiny leafless shoots. Most persons who frequent the woods of eastern Ohio have witnessed showy herbaceous spring foliage displays consisting of trillium, fire pink, larkspur, bloodroot and numerouos other species. However, there are a few species of wildflower that appear before the main color event of spring. These early bloomers often flower before the first official day of spring and take advantage of abundant sunlight reaching the forest floor that will be greatly reduced when the majority of mid-spring foliage emerges.

Hepatica (Hepatica americana) is a resident of deciduous forests that goes largely unnoticed due to its size and early flowering period. In most cases flowering stalks of this plant only reach 2-3" barely enough to poke out of dense leaf litter on the forest floor. The tiny flowers can range in color from purple to blue to white and consist of six petals and a yellowish pistil surrounded by numerous yellow stamens. Leaf margins can be either pointed or rounded.

Another early bloomer in eastern Ohio is the non-native Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara). A native to northern Europe, this small wildflower was brought to America by European settlers and over time has naturally integrated into the landscape. Coltsfoot is abundant along roadsides, in waste areas and on south facing rocky slopes and resembles a dandelion with a thick stalk. The flower is the first part of the plant to emerge with leaves following after blooming. Coltsfoot can spread quickly by way of creeping underground rhizomes and by seeds that are dispersed by wind.

Coltsfoot on a well exposed south facing slope. Note the lack
of any leaves which will emerge after the flowers mature. Seems
to prefer dry, rocky soils.

Hepatica blooming in the final week of winter, 2004.
Look for this perennial on sunny slopes that are
moist with a good layer of topsoil

Spring Not Far Off

2011-03-01T14:34:00.000-05:00

Sunday's unexpected 60 degree warmth hinted that spring is not that far off. Male bluedirds were observed singing on the margins of two fields and shoots of the usual early spring flowers are begining to emerge from the soil. No wood frogs or chorus frogs were observed at a reliable vernal pool suggesting that wintry weather may not be done just yet. Seasonal temperatures are forecast for this week with a gradual warmup toward the weekend. The next sixty degree day could signal the mass emergence of early season frogs and Ambystoma salamanders, especially if the warmth is accompanied by heavy rains as was the case Sunday night. Some species to keep an eye out for over the next couple of weeks:
eastern bluebird
wood frog
spring peeper
spotted salamander
jefferson salamander
round-lobed hepatica
rue anemone
cut leaf toothwort
skunk cabbage

Bald Eagle Sighting

2011-02-24T13:52:00.000-05:00

Earlier this morning an adult bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was sighted along a fence row in a farm field near St. Clairsville, approximately 10 miles north of the Captina watershed basin. Once a member of the endangered species list due to pesticide poisoning, the bald eagle has made a strong comeback in Ohio with 150 breeding pairs documented statewide in 2008. Bald eagles prefer nesting sites near large bodies of water where plentiful sources of fish can be found. Whats more impressive than the size and coloration of bald eagles is their nests which can exceed six feet in diameter, three feet in depth and weigh over a ton! As you can probably imagine it takes a hefty tree to support one of these nests. The same nests are often used to rear several generations. No eagle nesting sites have been documented in the Captina watershed, but adults are occasionally spotted in trees along the Ohio River. Thanks to Brian Porterfield for the photo.

The bald eagle has one of the most recognizable color patterns
of any bird and is unmistakable even at long distances.

Vernal Pool Update

2011-02-17T15:19:00.000-05:00

Near record high temperatures prompted me to visit a few vernal pools in the watershed to check for Ambystoma salamander activity. Based on today's observations it seems a little too early for any activity. All three pools visited were 95%+ covered with ice. Though Jefferson salamander and the wood frog have been noted for their early season activity in the presence of some ice, the edges of these pools were mostly frozen. Wintery weather is scheduled to return over the weekend and the first half of next week so the rest of February looks like it is going to be inactive for any amphibious vernal pool inhabitants.

Logging Best Management Practices

2011-02-08T15:23:00.000-05:00

Logging began last week along a section of Pipe Creek between Schroder Road and Warren Hill. Pipe Creek is not a direct tributary of Captina Creek but is covered under Captina Creek's watershed action plan as an Ohio River direct drainage. Most of the creek's drainage area is heavily forested and logging practices are somewhat common along its length. Water quality in Pipe Creek has been gradually improving over the past two decades due to the natural abatement of acid mine drainage from abandoned subsurface coal mines. Though some view logging as a destructive practice, if done properly and responsibly it can be a great asset to the long-term health and maintenance of large forest tracts. An example of good forest management practice is shown below. Logging bridges keep equipment out of streams limiting excessive sedimentation and and overall environmental impact.


A portable folding bridge keeps equipment out of the streambed.

Another view of the bridge.

Captina Icejam

2011-02-04T08:48:00.000-05:00

The icejam that formed early Wednesday morning downstream of Cat Run remains intact as of Thursday evening though the flooding threat to areas upstream of the jam has subsided. Temperatures have dipped to near single digits the past two nights reinforcing the integrity of the icepack. The ice is likely to persist as another arctic air mass is forecast to move into the area next week with no warmup in sight. Thanks to Nathan Taylor for the updated photos.

A view of the ice pack looking downstream of the SR 148 bridge.

A closer shot of the ice. Downstream of the pack in Powhatan
a solid sheet still covers the creek keeping the pack in place
and restricting flow. Runoff from future heavy rains could pool
behind the jam if it persists.

Icejam Update

2011-02-03T13:37:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you add an inch of heavy rainfall to a frozen creekbed? Check below for the answer. Icejams are fairly common in mid to late winter along Captina Creek, especially in downstream areas west of Powhatan Point. Icejams happen when heavy rains raise water levels in frozen streams causing the ice to fracture into blocks of different size which are then pushed downstream by the current. As chronicled in recent posts, Captina Creek has experienced at least a month of sub-freezing temperatures that sometimes dipped near 0F. Successive nights with single digit temperatures will result in formation of ice sheets over the creek which then thicken in some cases to 12 inches or greater.

Ice jams can be hazardous to property along the creek especially when flow rates are above average. As the blocks move downstream they will begin to accumulate and pile atop each other on bends and obstructions in the creek like bridge crossings. If the jam becomes large enough, it will begin to back water upstream creating a flood hazard above the jam. Additionally if a jam suddenly gives way, areas downstream can be flash flooded with little notice. For this reason a flood warning was issued by the National Weather Service for Captina Creek yesterday primarily for areas east of Town Hill Rd and SR148.

A view of the floodplain along SR 148 entering Steinersville.
An ice jam beginning under the bridge near the Clair-Mar golf
course caused water to slowly back upstream into the mouth
of Cat Run.

Ice blocks piled by creek waters on the bank
just upstream from the confluence with Cat Run
next to CR 56.

A closeup view of the jam beginning under the SR148 bridge
near Clair-Mar.

Looking downstream along the golf course. The entire flood-
plain is packed in ice causing the creek to spill onto some of the
greens.

Looking upstream from the same location. The actual blockage
was further downstream along Cove Rd. where the ice sheet
had remained unbroken over the creek not allowing the
blocks to move downstream.

Cold Rains Bring Brief January Thaw

2011-02-01T09:44:00.000-05:00

In an average January eastern Ohio experiences a brief thaw around the third week of the month that in some cases can result in temperatures rising into the 50's and 60's for a few days. This year the thaw has taken its time arriving as temperatures have been below freezing for the most part since late December. Cold overnight rains have fragmented the snowpack and, with slightly longer daylight, give a sense that warmer weather is not that far away. Amphibians are also taking note of these seasonal changes. Longer photoperiods and warmer rains are cues that trigger mass migrations to seasonal breeding pools for frogs, toads and salamanders. Those with access to vernal pools should be observant especially if temperatures in the next couple of weeks rise significantly with heavy rains.

Although not as common in Belmont and Monroe Counties, Jefferson (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) and the four-toed salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) are the first to migrate in late winter followed by the more common wood frog (pictured below) and spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) in early March. In some years migrations will even occur while ice still covers the pools.

A male wood frog perched on the edge of a small vernal pool
at dusk in mid-March. Wood frogs are the first frogs to arrive
at vernal pools in late winter, sometimes by the hundreds. They
have a very short breeding window of only a week or two
before disappearing into the forest to forage for the rest of the
growing season. Often they gounnoticed due to weak
vocalizations and brief poolsideappearance. Look for
them in pools after a couple of 50+degree days with some
warm rain at the end of February.

Following the wood frog's early March appearance in the
Captina watershed region will be the smaller, more vocal
mountain chorus frog (Pseudacris brachyphona). The
mountain chorus frog takes residence in small semi-
permanent pools usually no deeper than an inch or two that
are southward facing. A good place to spot them is in small
pools that form in ruts along logging trails which is where I
caught up with this chorusing male last March. Hearing
the ear-splitting, raspy call of this frog makes it hard to believe
it is only an inch in length from snout to vent.

Joy Fork Bridge Survey Postponed

2011-01-21T09:18:00.000-05:00

Plans to replace a submarine bridge crossing Joy Fork on GoshenTWP road 197 have been delayed due to winter weather. The Captina watershed region recorded its largest single accumulation so far this season overnight as 5-6" of light powdery snow blanketed the area. Submarine bridges are concrete structures that span across larger streams just above normal pool elevation to allow traffic to pass. They have built-in culverts on their undersides that, depending on the change of elevation across the span of the bridge, can serve as a barrier in the stream. An advantage to this design is that in times of mild to moderate flooding the bridge can be completely submerged without damage.

The Joy Fork bridge was scheduled to be surveyed by a private contractor and is being replaced by recommendation of the OEPA with assistance from US Fish and Wildlife service. Joy Fork is a pristine side tributary to larger Bend Fork which drains areas south and east of Belmont and Bethesda, west of Centerville and Armstrongs Mills and east of Hunter and the OVCC facility. Specifically, Joy Fork runs just west of the Dysart Woods preserve along TWP road 197 southward to the confluence with Bend Fork in what is known locally as the "Seven Creeks" area. It meets exceptional warmwater habitat (EWH) for macroinvertebrate diversity, but not for fish diversity. EPA biologists have observed the bridge acting as a fish barrier to species seeking occupation of habitat further upstream and believe removing the barrier will elevate the ranking of Joy Fork to EWH for fish diversity. Project officials hope to have the bridge replaced by this summer. Watch for updates and photos in the near future.

Winter Slowly Progressing

2011-01-18T10:10:00.000-05:00

The beginning of this winter season has been defined by persistent stretches of below average temperatures and snowfall. Although it has been colder than normal, temperatures have not approached record lows and only have been in the single digits a couple of nights. After a brief warmup today temperatures are going back below normal for the remainder of the week. Wood frog (Rana sylvatica) emergence is only a little over a month away with Ambystoma salamanders arriving at pools with the first warmer rains of February.

Casey Run Logging

2011-01-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

Those of you who drive SR 148 between Armstrongs Mills and Barnesville have probably noticed the recent timber harvest occurring at the mouth of Casey Run in extreme west-central Washington Township. Officials from Murray Energy have commented the trees are being removed to install a utility right-of-way for the mine. Though the right-of-way was clear-cut next to the stream, timber harvesting equipment appeared to stay out of the streambed. A thin strip of riparian cover was also left intact on the west side of the streambank which is important to stream health because it will help regulate water temperatures in warmer months and reduce sedimentation by stabilizing the streambank.

Striped Pipsissewa

2011-01-04T09:32:00.000-05:00

Striped Pipsissewa (Chimaphila maculata), commonly known as striped or spotted wintergreen, is one of the less frequently encountered wildflowers in the Captina watershed region but is easy to spot this time of year as long as snow depths aren't too great. Although both share the same common name, striped wintergreen is not the same as true wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) found further south in the Carolinas. Striped wintergreen is an evergreen perennial that prefers shady well-drained acidic, upland soils. The most likely habitat in the Captina region to find striped wintergreen is near stands of white pine or eastern hemlock that are mixed with oak and growing on upland rocky slopes. In the spring the plant will develop white flowers atop a 4-6" stalk.

This bunch of spotted wintergreen was found growing under a
dense stand of oak and hemlock in Sunsbury TWP, Monroe
County - note the lack of ambient light as the camera's flash had to be
used. The plants are 4-6" in height having thicker, waxy leaves with
serrated margins. A stem from the previous season's flowering
is still present in part on the left-most stalk. These plants
really stand out against a snow-covered background.

Cold Trend Continues

2010-12-28T09:44:00.000-05:00

Today marks the 16th day in a row that temperatures have failed to reach the freezing mark in eastern Ohio. Though temperatures have been below average for much of the month, snowfall has been on the light side with the greatest twenty-four hour accumulation being less than 2 inches. A warm-up is forecast for later this week that should break the freezing streak. Those wishing for big snowstorms should not give up hope as most heavy snows on record in Belmont County historically have occurred January through March with the exception being the thanksgiving storm of 1950. Posted below are some interesting pictures of ice crystals taken after last February's heavy snow event.

Ice needles collect on top of a frozen vernal pool.

Rime ice attached to tree branches. Rime ice forms
when super cooled water droplets (usually from fog)
collect on frozen surfaces. The resulting crystals
take on a jagged appearance.

A closer view of the rime ice crystals.

Surviving the Freeze

2010-12-27T10:59:00.000-05:00

Extended stretches of subfreezing temperatures can be challenging for animals who live in temperate climate zones. For some animals avoiding this problem is simple - migrate to a warmer location (birds), burrow beneath the freeze line (some snakes, mole salamanders), take up residence in a deep body of water that won't freeze completely (fish, turtles, some salamanders) or hibernate in a secluded den like a rock cavern or hollow log (bear, small mammals, terrestrial arthopods). What about animals in which none of the above choices are possible? Are they cruelly left to fend for themselves in the icy depths of winter with nowhere to go? Well, yes.

Certain species of frogs and caterpillars have a unique way of dealing with winter's frigid conditions - they simply freeze, or so it may seem. Gray treefrogs, wood frogs and chorus frogs have highly elevated levels of glucose in their bloodstreams that acts as a cryoprotectant in subfreezing temperatures. These frogs will take up residence under loose pieces of bark, rocks and leaf litter where they remain the entire winter - sometimes frozen solid. Higher concentrations of blood glucose enables them to survive by limiting ice formation in their tissues, as long as the duration and severity of cold conditions are not too extensive. Amazingly these organisms are able to respire anaerobically in a frozen state allowing them to make limited amounts of energy in the absence of bodily function. To see a picture of a frozen wood frog and gray treefrog click here.

Cryoprotectants not only allow these frogs to survive winter conditions, but also give them an advantage when it comes to breeding strategy. It's not surprising that the first frogs to breed in late winter and early spring are those with highest amounts of cryoprotectant in their bodies - wood frogs followed by spring peepers followed by the rest of the chorus frogs. Depending on the weather, wood frogs will breed in vernal pools with ice still on their edge at a time where few predators are prowling about. By being able to tolerate colder temperatures, wood frogs and chorus frogs have the advantage of arriving at vernal pools in large numbers without having to worry about mass predation from snakes and other warm-weather pool inhabitants.

*Side Note: Though we just passed the winter solstice and are in the midst of a multi-week cold snap, amphibian breeding season is not far away. I've seen wood frogs in pools as early as February 22nd in one of the warm winters of the early 1990's.

Backyard Birding

2010-12-17T11:47:00.002-05:00

Ok so maybe resurrecting the embattled American Chestnut isn't your thing. Here's another way you can become involved with nature through your own backyard. The Ornithology Lab at Cornell University sponsors a backyard bird monitoring program designed to track migratory numbers of bird species across North America. Anyone can participate and contribute data to their records. Click on the link below to read more.

Project Feeder Watch

Cornell also has an amazingly detailed online bird ID website as well.

All About Birds

I spent some time trying to decide if this Bluejay was
serving as a feast for a Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperi)
or sharp shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus). Based on this
perspective I'm going with Cooper's. If anyone feels I'm in
error, feel free to comment and correct me. Thanks to Len
Smith for the photo.

The American Chestnut

2010-12-16T11:38:00.002-05:00

Until the 1920's the Amercian Chestnut (Castanea dentata) was a dominant tree species of southern Appalachian forests preferring well-drained upland slope habitat with acidic soils. It was commonly found growing among a variety of oak species and tulip poplar that preferred the same soil conditions and occupied up to 25% of climax forest canopies. In 1904 a fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica) introduced at the Bronx Zoo in New York City from an infected blight-resistant Chinese Chestnut tree began a domino effect of destruction that would reduce one of the most important hardwood trees of the Appalacian forests to a cherished memory in alomst the blink of an eye. In a matter of a couple of decades an estimated 3.5 billion chestnut trees were destroyed in the forests of southern Appalachia changing the forest ecosystem in a way never before seen.

Except for a handfull of blight resistant indivuduals, most American Chestnut trees now exist as small shoots protruding from ancient rotting stumps. Most of the shoots will only grow a few feet before succumbing to the fungus, but a few exceptions sometimes make it to reporductive age and produce nuts before expiring. The fungus enters the tissue of the tree through cracks that occur in the bark forming lesions that begin expanding until they disrupt the flow of water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves. Interestingly, the fungus can only survive above ground which is why stumps of old trees remain active years after the trunks and canopies perish.

A little over a century after the blight's introduction scientists' hopes of resurrecting a genetically pure, blight resistant American Chestnut are becoming more of a reality. Using the resistance of the Chinese Chestnut's genome, botanists graft scions (green twigs) from chinese trees with those of native trees which gives the natives resistance. If the grafted tree lives to reproductive age, nuts can be collected and germinated in the hopes that the resistance will be inherited in some with all of the American genomic characteristics. It's a slow and tedious process but you can help provided you have the time and space to grow your own chestnut seedlings. Virgina Tech's Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science is sponsoring a program to reintroduce genetically pure American Chestnuts into the wild through the American Chestnut Cooperator's Foundation.

Click on the link below to view VaTech's site and guidelines for ordering chestnut seeds. There is alot of great information:

Virginia Tech American Chestnut Reintroduction Program

*Sidenote - Chestnuts traditionally prefer well-drained acidic soils. Since much of the Captina watershed area is composed of alkaline Pennsylvanian limestone bedrock, traditional chestnut habitat may have been restricted to higher, ridgetops with sandstone outcrops. Pre-blight chestnut coverage in the watershed is not known but I have yet to see a remnant stump with young shoots which leads me to believe that maybe their distrubution here was not as widespread as in southern Ohio and West Virginia. Slopes containing pure stands of oak or tulip poplar may be good places to look for these stumps.

Anyone with records of Chestnut growth or knowledge of native American Chestnut trees growing in the Captina watershed should contact the Belmont Soil and Water Conservation office at (740) 526-0027.

Winter Settles In

2010-12-10T11:00:00.001-05:00

As winter solstice approaches, forests within the Captina watershed are in the midst of a deep slumber. Reptile and amphibian activity is minimal, neotropical migrant birds are gone for the season, wildflowers and grasses have withered and insects are no longer a part of the background noise. Dismal as things sound this time of year, there are some forest inhabitants that remain active and rought it out in the cold snowy conditions.

The only green spots left in the eastern deciduous forest are mats
of mosses blanketing rocks and spotty patches of lichens attached
to tree bark.

A gray squirrel takes advantage of sunflower
seeds intended for overwintering birds. Gray
squirrels are master acrobats and are also pretty
good at pillaging winter bird feeders. One of the
most common mammals in Ohio. Thanks to Len Smith
for the photo.

A red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) feasting
on the same bounty of sunflower seeds. Red squirrels
are smaller than gray squirrels and are unmistakeable
in the field.

Club mosses (Lycopodium sp.) surrounded by leaf litter. One of the
few evergreens of the deciduous forest, these seedless plants
are related to ferns and grow in dense mats on the forest floor.
The Lycophytes were the dominant plants of the coal swamps of the
Pennsylvanian Period growing to medium-tree size. Today's
lycopodiums are much smaller ground dwellers. This particular species
prefers rich well drained upland soils. I frequently see them
growing under stands of tulip poplar.

NOAA Climate Prediction Forecasts for Winter

2010-12-07T08:57:00.000-05:00

The recent touch of winter weather may have you wondering what's in store for the upcoming season in eastern Ohio. Lucky for you NOAA's seasonal outlook for the US was recently released. Climatologists have observed persistent La Nina conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean so far this year. What does that mean for us? Click on this link to find out.

For those of you who prefer a visual of the precipitation and temperature forecasts click here.

Click this link for NOAA predictions further into the 2011 growing season. Remember, these are just generalized long-term forecasts that may change with time.

Flooding Update

2010-12-02T09:05:00.000-05:00

Yesterday officials from the National Weather Service were concerned that the Ohio river may exceed flood stage at Powhatan Point (37') due to excessive rainfall. Early this morning the river flood warning was cancelled as officials revised their forecast and predicted the river to crest at 36' at Powhatan Point Thursday afternoon (advanced hydrologic prediction center). The official crest won't be known until later today. Check out the five record river crests for Powhatan Point. This event may threaten fifth place but is nowhere near the top four floods of all time.

Date                                Crest (feet)

March 19th, 1936               53.30

September 19th, 2004        45.60

January 21st, 1996             44.70

January 7th, 2005               42.65

January 6th, 2004               36.80

More on Hunter Prairie

2010-12-01T12:10:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I posted photos from one of Captina's most unique habitats - the Hunter cedar glade or limestone prairie. Here are some additional photos from Monday's trip.

Sections of the ground were matted with birds nest lichens
(Cladonia sp.) also known as reindeer lichens. They
are small fruiticoselichens that grow in clumps on poor
soils and are easily overlooked.

Several stalks of greenbrier were observed with this being the
smallest.

A stand of small eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis)with seedpods
still attached. These will have brilliant red flower in the spring and
are indicator species of limestone-based soils.

Shingle oak (Quercus imbricaria) growing amidst the cedars.
The only oak in eastern Ohio without a lobed leaf.

Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) is similar to the more
common staghorn sumac but lacks velvet fuzziness on
the seed clusters and twigs.

Weather Update

2010-12-01T11:22:00.001-05:00

After receiving nearly 1.5 inches of rain Thanksgiving day, southern Belmont County was doused with an additional 1.5-2 inches of rain yesterday saturating the ground and recharging groundwater tables depleted from abnormally dry conditions over the summer and first half of fall. Check out the river gauge and hydrologic prediction links in the righthand column. Although no flooding was reported in the watershed area streams are bankfull (see below). The recent rains will also help the creek continue to recover from October's slurry spill.

Looking upstream at the CR 5 bridge.

A look downstream from the same location.

Additionally, cold air sweeping into the area early this morning caused the rain to switch to snow leading to the first light acculmulation of the season.

Hunter Prairie

2010-11-30T09:49:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit a unique habitat in the Captina watershed with biologist Ron Preston. Hunter prairie is one of only two documented limestone prairies or "cedar glades" that occur in eastern Ohio. Other limestone prairies exist in Ohio but most are in the Edge of Appalachia region of Adams county, far to the southwest of Captina Creek. Limestone prairies develop on south facing slopes where limestone bedrock is exposed at the surface making soils shallow, well-drained and alkaline. These poor soil conditions allow for the growth of herbaceous and woody plant species not normally found in the eastern deciduous forest habitat.

Hunter prairie. Note the grassland merged with evergreen growth.
Eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana), located in the foreground, are
one of the dominant woody plants of this community hence the name
cedar glade. A few white pines (Pinus strobus) have also taken
residence on this slope. Note also the dominance of the grass Little
Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) which is similar to Broomsage but has
a thinner, darker stalk and does not grow in clumps. **See last week's post
on broomsage for a pictorial comparison of the two grasses.

Further up the ridge the grasses become more sparse and
deciduous trees mix with the evergreens. More on the diversity of
deciduous trees found here later.

A rocky limestone outcrop. This limestone is Pennsylvanian in age
and is part of the Conemaugh formation. Note the lack of deep top-
soil and herbaceous growth.

A white pine sapling rooted in limestone gravel substrate. Again,
the lack of any topsoil is rare for the watershed area.

A medium-sized eastern red cedar about 25 feet
in height. Pleasantly aromatic in the autumn breeze.

An understory growth of Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)
with distinctive purple berries. These shrubs were numerous
throughout the prairie.

More to come on Hunter Prairie tomorrow...

Watershed Geology

2010-11-24T09:19:00.000-05:00

Captina Creek cuts through a section of the state known as the Little Switzerland plateau. The plateau is part of the larger Western Allegheny plateau and occupies the extreme eastern end of the state, particularly Jefferson, Belmont and Monroe counties. The upland ridgetops of these counties have horizontally deposited bedrock layers composed of lower Permian Period (~290 myo) sandstones, mudstones and siltstones. The deeper valleys are composed of limestone rock layers that are slightly older from the upper Pennsylvanian Period (~310 myo). When bedrock is exposed at the surface it can play a role in determining what types of vegetation become established on a land parcel.

Horizontal layering of shales, mudstones and siltstones. The
underlying shale layer is much less resistant to weathering and
erodes quicker than the overlying layers of siltstone and mudstone.
The result is a rocky outcrop or overhang that adds diversity to an
ecosystem. Rock formations like this can support unique plant
communities and provides habitat for reptiles, small mammals and
a diversity of invertebrates. Siltstones and mudstones are similar
to sandstone but have a smaller grain size making them more brittle
and easier to fracture in some cases.

Correction - Broomsage (Bunchgrass)

2010-11-22T09:27:00.001-05:00

Broomsage (Lepidospartum sp.) is a native perennial monocot that grows in aggregate clumps within hayfields and pastures of the watershed. Although it first appears in summer months as tiny bluish or purplish sprouts, it doesn't become noticeable until mid-autumn as brilliant golden-red stalks. The grassy clumps range from 2 to 3 feet in height and disperse white, feathery seeds in early autumn. Little Bluestem seems to be less prevalent in overgrown or secondary growth fields and prefers full sun.

Update - Intially I posted a misidentification of this grass as little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). Little bluestem is similar to broomsage in appearance but is not as bright golden, as tall and does not grow in aggregate clumps. Also, little bluestem prefers poor limestone soils whereas broomsage prefers open pasture and farm fields. For comparison with little bluestem look at the photos in the Hunter Prairie post. Bear with me while I learn my grasses!!

Broomsage grows in dense clumps of 50-100 individual stalks.

Large populations are easily recognizable in open hilltop pastures.
This is one of the few grasses that whitetail deer seem to not bother.

Late Fall Sunsets

2010-11-19T09:59:00.000-05:00

The sun is now setting before 5:30 in eastern Ohio with approximately 1 minute of daylight being lost per day unitl the winter solstice. Winter is a great time of year for sunset pictures due to colder temperatures in the atmosphere that cause tiny ice crystals to form. These crystals refract sunlight making the sky picturesque under the right conditions. In other cases, cold dry polar air can clear the sky of haze and clouds allowing for crisp landscape shots and crystalline skies.

Lichen Diversity - British Soldiers

2010-11-19T09:15:00.000-05:00

Hi all. Sorry for the lack of posting this week but we are entering one of the slowest, least active times of the year for the eastern deciduous forest. Not to say there is no activity in the forest - I've seen plenty of whitetail deer and the normal over-wintering backyard birds, but the majority of forests' notable residents from the spring and summer have either migrated, entered hibernation or torpor, or gone dormant for the year. One type of organism that doesn't seemed bothered by the colder temperatures and decreased photoperiod is the lichen.

Easily overlooked because of their small size, lichens are among the most fascinating of forest inhabitants and are often used as examples of symbiotic relationships in nature. The lichen is actually two organisms in one - a fungal body that houses an algal resident giving the organism a greenish coloration. The fungus provides the algae a home while the algae photosynthesizes energy using sunlight to nourish the fungus. Lichens commonly occur in three vartieties - crustose (flat, encrusting), foliose (leafy) and fruticose (club-like). Look for them attached to tree bark or rocks in damp forested areas. Lichens are good indicators of air pollution and are extremely drought tolerant with some species able to lose up to 90% of water content and still survive!

British soldiers (Cladonia cristatella) cover an old fence post. Named
after British soldiers of the Revolutionary war (red caps), these lichens
grow on rotting wood. The red cap is actually a spore producing
reproductive structure (about 1/4" in height) that grows out of the leafy body
that anchors the organism to the wood. British soldiers don't seem to mind
the cold of winter and will reproduce year-round.

Witch Hazel

2010-11-12T09:25:00.000-05:00

One of the more interesting shrubs of the Captina watershed is witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). The name witch hazel is somewhat of a misnomer because the plant is not a hazel, nor is it associated with witches in folklore. Its fruit and leaves are very similar to the American hazelnut in appearance and the "witch" is derived from an old English word for pliable branches. In colonial times dowsers would use witch hazel branches to search out hidden sources of water, hence their nickname "water witch". There are several chemical extracts in the bark having medicinal qualities leading to its widespread use among native Americans and European colonists to treat ailments such as diarrhea, inflammation and bleeding. Witch hazel is noted as the only shrub in the watershed that blooms in late autumn after the growing season has ended for most plants.

Witch hazels are understory resdients of the tree
canopy growing to heights of 20 feet or less. This
shrub has taken root under a large red oak canopy.
The most common place to find witch hazel is under-
neath large dark oak tree stands in upland wooded
ravines with rich soils. Note the tiny yellow flowers
on the banches.

The bark of the witch hazel trunk, about 4 inches in diameter.

Witch hazel branches. Note the crooked forks - similar
to spicebush but a much larger shrub and more flexible branches.

The witch hazel flower. Only measuring an inch or so across these
flowers are the only ones in this forest tract meaning they will get the
full attention of pollenating insects. Two honeybees were visiting
nearby flowers when this photo was taken.

The witch hazel fruit. Tiny black seeds are contained inside a
a brownish capsule. These seeds have matured from last year's
flowers. Witch hazel is the only shrub that has both seeds and
flowers intact at the same time. The seeds are dispersed mech-
anically. When the capsule dries it bursts open with a
popping sound propelling them several feet in the air.

Captina Coal Slurry Spill Update - 11/9/10

2010-11-09T09:25:00.000-05:00

Nearly five weeks have passed since a pressurized transfer pipe containing coal slurry burst in a hayfield next to Captina Creek in extreme eastern Wayne Township spilling the waste into the mainstem of the creek. Although the intensive cleanup process ceased over two weeks ago, remnants of the spill can still be observed as far as a mile downstream of the burst. The last earthen dike has been removed from the spill zone allowing water to freely move downstream. Hindering the natural cleanup of the spill is the slurry sediment itself. It is relatively dense and sticky in texture making it difficult to remove from substrate in the creekbed. As mentioned previously several more heavy precipitation events are needed to dilute the slurry in this section of streambed.

The slurry's texture makes it difficult to remove from sediment in
the creekbed. This location is approximately 3/4 of a mile down-
stream from the burst pipe.

Since the spill there has only been one precipitation event totaling
over 1/2 inch in the watershed. Though the rocks aren't
black from the slurry anymore, they still retain a grayish
coating.

A haybale dam occupied this space a couple of weeks ago. The
water itself is clear but slurry remains on the rocks.

Invasive Species Bulletin - Part 1

2010-11-08T10:55:00.001-05:00

Hi all. This week I'm debuting a new series that focuses on invasive species and their impacts on the Captina Creek watershed. An invasive species is one that has been transplanted to a non-native habitat from other areas of the world usually unintentionally.  One of the most famous invasive species in the eastern US is the lake Erie zebra mussel transplanted from Eurasia by ballast water in shipping vessels.  If the transplanted species is able to survive and reproduce in its new habitat it will begin to occupy space and compete with native species for resources often with few limiting factors (predators, disease, etc.). Invasives can take on a variety of forms ranging from fungal, to plant, to animal with one commonality - they are extremely disruptive and crippling to the balance of native ecosystems. To date, the majority of the invasives identified in the watershed have been plant variants but animal invasives do exist.

Part 1 of this series features an invasive in Captina that has become more widespread over the last five years and poses a threat to trees and shrubs - especially those in forest margins and edge areas. Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.) is a perennial species of vine that has invaded the eastern US from the far east (China, Japan, Korea).  It was introduced as an ornamental plant in the 1860's and easily escaped from gardens and old home sites into the surrounding landscape. Once established at the base of a tree or shrub the vine will quickly overtake the native vegetation by encircling and climbing into the canopies. In some cases, the vine wraps so tightly around the tree it ends up girdling the tree leading to death. The vines can be heavy as well weighing down and collapsing branches, and can cover over tree leaves outcompeting the native vegetation for sunlight.

What makes oriental bittersweet so threatening is its ability to aggressively reproduce and spread via seeds and a shallow underground network of roots called rhizomes. Simply cutting the vine at its base stimulates the production of plant growth hormones that trigger the rhizomes to send up new stolons (shoots) by the dozen!  Having this reproductive capacity enables the vine to dominate forest margins along fields and utility right-of-ways in short time.  Currently there are no known consumers of oriental bittersweet in the eastern US making it that much more of a threat.  Eradicating the vine is time consuming and often involves repeated application of woody herbicides to the stolons.

Oriental bittersweet leaves are some of the last foliage
to fall making the vines easy to identify across a
landscape. The leaves are serrated on their edges and
are arranged alternately on the vine.

Green leaves turn a bright yellow in autumn making for
easy identification. The red circles higlight the girdling
effect of the vine on this tree. If left unaltered the vine
will essentially strangle the tree. This vine didn't exist two
years ago.

A closeup of the vine's seeds which are readily
consumed and distributed by birds making control
that much more difficult. A single vine can produce
hundreds of seeds per growing season.

Habitat Restoration

2010-11-04T09:02:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week I was able to observe a habitat restoration project implementation on a property in west-central Goshen Township. The project was sponsored by U.S. Fish and Wildlife and centered on two goals for improving the existing forest and wetland ecosystem on the property. First, a field and small plot of forest were selectively cleared to remove invasive vegetative growth, particulary autumn olive and multiflora rose. Second, several vernal pool habitats were created in a moist field bottom below the woodland area with the goal of increasing amphibian and reptile population diversity in the habitat.

A restored field habitat. Invasive growth was mechanically removed
leaving native hardwood saplings (a mix of oak species with white ash,
black gum and tulip poplar). This makes great habitat for certain
neo-tropical migrant birds like the yellow breasted chat and common
yellow throat warblers.

A view from the top of the same field. Spring seeps in the field
were identified and left undisturbed (note the cattail growth in the
background).

The property owner informaed me that many years ago this was
a thriving small pond that filled in with sediment over time.
The habitat was excavated with hopes that it will fill over the winter.

A smaller vernal pool was constructed behind the pond above.
The shallower habitat will support different species than the
deeper pond shown above.

In the lower portion of the field a second pool was constructed
that was a bit shallower than the reconstructed pond at the edge of
the woods. The hope is to attract migrant amphibians like spotted
and jeffersons salamanders as well as numerous frog and toad
populations.

The skid-steer attachment used to clear invasive brush from the
field. Repeated clearings will have to be implemented over the next
few years to be effective in allowing native foliage to take back the
field.

Bobcats in Eastern Ohio

2010-11-02T09:10:00.002-04:00

Good morning. I want to focus today on a species that is becoming more prevalent throughout the watershed but is still listed as state endangered. You're probably assuming I am venturing into a piece about the eastern hellbender - but not this time. I am referring to the bobcat (Felis rufus) which is also state endangered. Traditionally bobcats occupied the forested hills of the Western Allegheny Plateau in the eastern part of Ohio but were driven to near extinction in the late 1800's by trappers and farmers who removed their habitat. Throughout the 1900's the bobcat population quietly rebounded as habitat in eastern Ohio converted from farmland back to forest. According to ODNR, bobcat population densities in Ohio have been highest over the last few decades in Noble County which is located immediately west of the headwaters of Captina Creek. Over the last decade bobcat sightings in Belmont and Monroe Counties have steadily increased with isolated roadkill reports in the watershed and sightings by hunters using trail cameras. The bobcat is a shy, stealthy animal that prefers forested habitat near secondary growth fields where birds and small mammals thrive. It is not likely to be encountered in broad daylight which is why this picture is unique. Thanks to Laura Hughes for the photo! Any viewers with bobcat photos from eastern Ohio are encouraged to send them to me in either digital or hard copy.

A bobcat was observed feeding on a deer carcass next to a rural road
in Lee Township, Monroe County. This is about twenty miles south
of the Captina watershed. Note the short, stubby tail and tufts of fur
on the sides of the face. The bobcat is perfectly camouflaged for its
habitat - nearly cryptic with the leaf litter on the forest floor which may
make spotting them in daylight difficult.

HHEI Sampling from Captina - Salamanders

2010-11-01T09:54:00.000-04:00

As a followup to last Friday's post, here are some additional pics from HHEI sampling in Captina. I'm going to focus on salamanders this time because of their importance as a barometer species for stream quality. Salamander skin is permeable to an extent giving them the ability to absorb substances from water directly into their bodies. Finding numerous salamanders in a stream is a good indication of the quality of water although other supporting tests need to be conducted for confimation. Here is a sampling of some of the native salamanders of the Captina headwaters.

A closeup of a larval southern two-line salamander (Eurycea cirrigera).
Note the external gills still present behind the head. Two-lines
are probably the most commonly encountered salamander in the
cold headwater stream habitats of Belmont and Monroe Counties.

An adult ravine salamander (Plethodon electromorphus). Another
commonly encountered resident of the Captina watershed. Ravine's
are more commonly found under rocks and debris upwards on hillsides
surrounding headwater streams as opposed to actually in the stream.
Note the long tail and slender body.

A juvenile ravine found under a rock next to the stream.
Approximately one inch in length. The smallest one I've ever seen.

The second of two adult spring salamanders (Gyrinophilus
porphyriticus) found in this stream. Measuring about
5 inches in length this individual was under a stream
side rock.

HHEI Sampling in Captina Tributaries

2010-10-29T10:37:00.001-04:00

HHEI (Headwater Habitat Evaluation Index) is a metric the EPA uses to assess the quality of headwater streams in a watershed. A headwater stream is defined as one whose drainage area is 1 square mile or less. The assessment factors in characteristics like macroinvertebrate and small vertebrate (salamanders, small fish) populations, stream substrate, maximum pool depths, and bank widths. The EPA is in the process of compiling data for all of the headwater streams in the Captina watershed but it is a very time-consuming process because there are so many (17 in the Cat Run subwatershed alone!). I have posted a few pictures from our trip Wednesday to an unnamed trib in the South Fork subwatershed near the SR 26 bridge.

OEPA biologist Ed Moore samples the substrate in the stream
bottom.

OEPA macroinvertebrate specialist Mike Bolton surveys leaf litter
collected from the stream for macroinvertebrates like stone, may
and caddisflies. Mike certainly knows his bugs. Laura Hughes (left)
and Leah Graham (rear) assist in the collection process.

A great find! Two adult spring salamanders (Gyrinophilus
porphyriticus) were discovered at this site. The spring salamander
is a resident of cold, shallow streams particularly around spring
seeps on the creek bank. Check under rocks and leaf litter piled
against shaley outcrops at the stream's edge as well. Adults can
reach upwards of 6 inches in length and are usually a dull reddish-
orange color.

Kelly records conductivity and dissolved oxygen levels within
the stream. Conductivity values give an idea of how much dissolved
solids like metals are in the water.

Chris Skalski is a salamander (salamander whisperer) specialist from
OEPA. Chris and I were able to trade some good information about
local salamander populations and habitat within the watershed. We
are hoping to do some vernal pool work later this spring.

A sampling of the biotic fauna of this tributary to the South Fork.
Check out the two-lined salamander larvae (Eurycea cirregea) and
the stone fly nymphs. Needless to say this stream grades
outstanding habitat.

More to come soon.....

Slurry Spill Update Continued

2010-10-26T08:58:00.000-04:00

More pics from the AEC slurry spill area along Captina Creek.

The lone remaining earthen dike approximately 1/8th of a mile east
of the SR 148 bridge in western Washington Township. The
dikes were bulldozed from substrate in the creekbed to slow the
progression of slurry-contaminated water downstream. They
are a vital component of the cleanup process but their construction
is environmentally disruptive to creek habitat

The main entrance to the spill cleanup area. This creekside field
is over a thousand feet in length and has been graded and reseeded
following two weeks of heavy traffic from machinery. Hopefully
some of the seed germinates before winter to reduce erosion and
sedimentation into the creek.

AEC Coal Slurry Spill Update

2010-10-25T10:23:00.000-04:00

Three weeks have now passed since a transfer pipe containing pressurized coal slurry burst in a hay field next to Captina Creek in Wayne Township allowing the substance to flow directly into the watershed for a brief period of time. According to AEC environmental compliance officials, spill cleanup efforts finished early last week though monitoring continues in the affected area of the creek. Over the last two weeks EPA scientists have also conducted assessments in the spill zone to determine impact on the biotic fauna, particularly fish and macroinvertebrates (crayfish, caddis flies, snails, etc.). Although the results of the impact study have yet to be released, preliminary findings indicate the diversity in the spill zone remains intact but populations of organisms are lower than expected. This is true for both fish and macros. Although a diversity of fish still exist in the spill zone (variegate and greenside darters, madtoms and hogsuckers were found!), few of the larger species of fish were encountered (small and large mouth bass, sunfish, etc.). I was able to visit the spill zone Saturday morning and these are a few of the sights I encountered.

A haybale dam used to sit in this section of the creek to absorb
slurry and slow the current. It has been removed and the creek
is starting to return to normal although some gray sediment
remains on the rocks in the pools.

A riffle about 50 feet upstream from the previous image. Most
of the rocks in this section are fairly clean although some dark
sediment remains. It seems the riffles have recovered faster
than the deeper pools just by looks

It wasn't just the spill that impacted the environment, it was also
the cleanup process. Makeshift roads had to be cut into the creek's
riparian corridor to allow vacuum trucks access to the spill zone.
Although these roads have been reclaimed to some extent it will be
years before they regrow to pre-spill condition. Also, the soil
has undergone a major amount of compaction making the restablishment
of trees that much more difficult.

Heavy Frost this Morning

2010-10-22T08:45:00.001-04:00

Those who didn't receive a touch of frost Wednesday definitely got their share last night as temperatures fell into the low 30's with clear skies and no wind to mix the atmosphere. Any leaves left of the deciduous trees of the watershed should fall by the end of the month except for the oaks and beeches which can retain leaves through the majority of winter.

Watch for an update on the AEC slurry spill coming soon.

Also, I added a template for an easy to use cut-and-paste moon phase finder in the educational materials section.

First Frost of Season

2010-10-21T10:35:00.000-04:00

The past week has been pretty chilly in the Captina watershed with highs in the upper 50's and lows in the 30's. The morning of October 20th marked the first official frost for the watershed as temperatures dipped into the mid and low 30's under clear skies and light winds. The first frost usually signals an end to the growing season and is a prelude for the next several months to come. The deeper valleys closer to the Ohio River may not have experienced the frost due to the heating capability of the river which tends to keep nightly temps slightly warmer than those on the ridgetops of the watershed at this time of the year.

The average first frost in Moundsville, West Virginia (located about 8 miles north of the mouth of Captina) is October 19th and the last frost date is April 30th. A pretty good correlation so far this year.

**Make sure you check out the new page I constructed on climatology statistics in the watershed. It is located in the "Pages" section of the right-hand margin. The only data I could find for the watershed (that was free) was for Barnesville located at the headwaters. Great information!

More Buckeyes

2010-10-18T10:24:00.001-04:00

While we are on the subject of buckeyes I thought I would introduce you to one of a different sort. The Common Buckeye Junonia coenia is not a tree but a colorful butterfly found in the Captina watershed. It's getting late in the growing season to encounter live adult butterflies and those that are found are usually a bit tattered. The common buckeye is a member of the brushfoot family of butterflies including the viceroy, red admiral and mourning cloak among others. Adults will visit asters and chicory while the caterpillars prefer plaintains as host plants. Look for buckeyes along utility and transportation right-of-ways and in clearings within wooded stands.

This individual was found along a railway next to the creek. It still
has decent color despite the damage to its left wing. Note the distinctive
circular markings on the wings that give the butterfly its name. The
butterfly sits next to an elm leaf for size comparison. Much aster was
observed growing nearby.

The Yellow Buckeye

2010-10-15T09:27:00.001-04:00

Along with the sycamore and green ash, the yellow buckeye Aeseulus octandra is one of the most commonly encountered trees in the bottomlands and riparian corridors of the Captina watershed. Extreme eastern Ohio and the northern panhandle of West Virginia represent the northern-most extent of this species range. Not to be confused with the more popular Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra of central and western Ohio, the yellow buckeye has a larger nut, a smooth outer husk and in general is taller canopy tree. Yellow buckeyes are usually the first trees to sprout leaves in early spring and the first to lose them in fall.
*Note: Buckeye nuts have been known to be slightly poisonous becuse of elevated levels of tannic acid and should not be consumed by humans so keep them out of your mouth and around your neck on gameday ; )

Despite the late summer drought conditions have been great for
a bumper crop of yellow buckeyes. Certain areas can have several
dozen nuts under one tree. The nuts can be as large as 2 inches
in diameter but tend to shrink as they dry when broken out of their
husks

Yellow buckeye trees next to Captina Creek. Note the branches
that are bent toward the ground and the fact these trees
have no leaves left even when others in the forest have yet to
change color.

Yellow buckeye husks are smooth on the outside and can contain
up to five nuts. The entire structure can be as large as an orange
while ripening in the tree before falling to the ground.

Fall arrives at Captina Creek

2010-10-14T10:50:00.000-04:00

The overall dry weather of the past couple of months combined with decreasing photoperiod and nightly temperature has brought about a colorful change in the watershed's deciduous forests. Temperatures the past couple of nights have dipped into the low 40's and upper 30's and the sun is now setting at 6:45 pm. These abiotic environmental factors signal the trees to stop chlorophyll (green in color) production so eventually the pigment breaks down allowing lesser concentrated pigments in the leaf (anthocyanins and carotenoids) to become visible that were originally hidden by chlorophyll over the past growing season. With chlorophyll production halted leaves are shed by trees to conserve water over the cold winter months. Leaf colors are peaking along the watershed this week. The best way to enjoy the colors is to take a drive along S.R. 148 from Barnesville to Powhatan Point.

A section of forest along S.R. 148 west of Alledonia. Orange and
yellow colors are caused by carotentoid pigments while reds are
caused by anthocyanins. Maples, tulip poplars and ashes are usually
the first trees to turn followed by oaks and hickories. In this photo most
of the oaks still have green foliage.

One of the best lookouts to observe the forests of the watershed.
Looking northward from the intersection of twp. roads 101 and 121 in
Washington Township just south of Armstrongs Mills. Enjoy the colors
while you can - they don't last long!

More Info on Shadyside Biomass Plant

2010-10-13T09:02:00.000-04:00

Good morning. I thought I would pass along a link providing some additional information regarding the conversion of the Burger power plant from coal consumption to biomass. The information is from a Pittsburgh, PA perspective which is only 80 miles northeast of the watershed.Click here for more details.

First Energy Biomass Plant Planned for Production

2010-10-11T10:51:00.000-04:00

First Energy Corp., who owns the Burger power plant at Dilles Bottom south of Shadyside Ohio, is planning to convert from a coal burning facility to biomass burning facility within two years. Biomass fuel consists of plant material like trees and grasses which can be harvested on a mass scale then burned to produce electricity. Sounds like a good alternative to coal until you dig a little deeper and work some simple math to figure out just how much biomass is needed on a daily basis to sustain normal energy outputs - in Burger's case 3,000 tons of trees!!!  With nearly 70% of the Captina Creek watershed secondary forest growth coverage and right downstream from the facility, it's understanding why people would be a bit on edge toward this proposal. Below is a news release from Cheryl Johncox regarding biomass burning for energy production:

  Some Ohio Power Companies Seeking “Green” Credits For Burning Trees

       Several of Ohio’s coal-fired power plants have announced plans to burn chipped and pelleted trees as a means of generating electricity. The utility companies behind the plans hope to receive renewable energy credits or “RECs” for burning wood fuel as “renewable biomass.” If certified by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio or “PUCO,” companies can use biomass RECs to meet the renewable energy requirements mandated under Ohio law – requirements that could otherwise be met through truly “clean” and “green” renewable options such as wind and solar. The PUCO has already granted renewable energy certification to 7 power plants that will use wood as their fuel of choice including First Energy's Burger plant in Shadyside. Three other power plants are currently awaiting PUCO approval.

       Unfortunately, trees would have to be cut on an enormous scale to fuel these power plants, which when combined total as much as 2,100 Mega-Watts or “MW” of potential biomass-to-energy generation. Approximately 25,000,000 green tons of wood would have to be cut and extracted every year if that many MWs were to be powered by woody biomass incineration. This figure is grossly unsustainable: woody biomass energy on such a scale would devour three times Ohio’s annual forest growth if trees for fuel are cut within the state. Put somewhat differently, this much woody biomass incineration could clearcut all Ohio forests in a relatively short period of time.

       Moreover, burning trees for electricity generates more CO2 than coal. Carbon dioxide emissions from biomass are about 1.5 times higher than from coal and three to four times higher than from natural gas. Despite this fact, industry groups are currently asking EPA to designate woody biomass as “carbon neutral” under the faulty logic that carbon released from burning trees will ultimately be stored as forests regrow. The simple truth is that carbon is released instantly when wood is burned, and that it takes several decades for “replacement” trees to regrow. Any carbon stored from forest regrowth would be overwhelmed by the much more rapid burning of trees for energy by utility companies.

       Forests in Ohio provide us with many benefits. They provide places to take our families hiking, biking, and camping, and they provide air and water purification, temperature regulation, soil retention, and habitat for wildlife. Exploiting our forests for biomass energy threatens all of these benefits that forests provide.
        The state of Ohio should be focusing on truly renewable energy like wind and solar, supporting energy efficiency measures and investment in developing technologies for local energy generation and storage to reach our targets. Many Ohioans could benefit from reducing their electric bills by monitoring and conserving home usage. Also, many more jobs will be created if utility companies are not given an easy out that will neither reduce greenhouse gases or reduce air pollution.

Cheryl Johncox is Interim Executive Director of Buckeye Forest Council. To connect on this issue, visit Buckeye Forest Council’s website at www.buckeyeforestcouncil.org. You can also follow BFC on Facebook.

Slurry Spill Update

2010-10-09T13:57:00.001-04:00

It has now been 8 days since a transfer pipe containing pressurized coal slurry burst allowing the mixture to briefly leak into Captina Creek. The intensive cleanup effort from American Energy Corporation continues but has scaled back considerably since last weekend. Rains earlier in the week have helped but much more flow is needed to help dilute the slurry sediment and by spreading it further down stream.

One of the remaining haybale dams left in the creekbed to absorb suspended solids from the water and slow the flow of water downstream. This was located about 50 yards upstream of the SR 148 bridge at the east end of the spill zone.

A close-up view of the sediment in the creekbed below the dam from above. Notice how the water is relatively clear but the gravel is coated with a black slime. Over time this slime will break down and dilute especially in times of flooding, however isolated pockets will remain in the creek well into the future. Large rocks in the creekbed that have partially sealed edges are good places for the slurry to accumulate and persist over time.

Much Needed Rains Help Spill Cleanup

2010-10-07T10:25:00.000-04:00

The coal slurry spill cleanup effort continues along a portion of Captina Creek in Wayne and Washington townships. Thankfully the spill area has received about an inch of rain over the past two days aiding the cleanup by diluting the leftover solutes suspended in the creek. Check out the river gauge monitor at Armstrongs Mills in the side bar links.

The milkiness in the water is due to high amounts of clay in the slurry
mixture. It is not as harmful to wildlife as the darker gray solutes
in the slurry but does travel further downstream. This photo was taken
Friday morning at the confluence of Piney Creek and Captina in
western Washington township.

Captina rebounding after two days of steady rainfall. This photo is from
Tuesday morning and shows the water clearing. Certainly not the
same as prior to the spill but in much better condition compared to
Friday in terms of overall water quality.

Captina Coal Slurry Spill 2010

2010-10-05T09:31:00.000-04:00

On the morning of October 1st a pipe that transfers waste coal called "slurry" from the Century mine to OVCC #6 slurry impoundment pond ruptured allowing the substance to flow directly into the creek for a short period of time. Mine officials were able to quickly contain the leak and efficiently clean the affected section of stream. A map illustrating the contaminated area is shown below.

The effected zone, outlined in red, begins in eastern Wayne twp
and extends into western Washington twp. to the SR 148 bridge
crossing.

Now that the spill has been removed from the creekbed officials from ODNR and EPA can begin to assess the impact of the event on the creek's ecosystem. Fortunately the creek has shown an incredible resilience to such events in the past and has been able to quickly rebound primarily due to the limestone bedrock that buffers the water against sharp changes in pH.

Hummingbird Clearwing

2010-09-29T15:04:00.000-04:00

Convergent evolution at its finest - the hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe) is definitely one of the coolest lepidopterans in the watershed. I had the opportunity to photograph this individual a couple of years ago and it was amazing how much it resembled a hummingbird in its movements even in forward speed! The clearwing is a member of the sphinx family of moths and is a close relative of the pandorus sphinx I highlighted a couple of weeks ago.

The hummingbird clearwing mimics its avian counterpart by
hovering from flower to flower imbibing nectar. Hawthorn, wild
cherry and Japanese honeysuckle are good host plants for
clearwing caterpillar instars but the adults will visit a variety
of wildflowers including beebalm, thistles, lilac and in this case
spring rockets.

The distinct segmentation in the clearwing's thorax ensures it is not
an actual hummingbird. This speicimen spans about 3 inches
from one wingtip to the other. It's interesting how even the dark
green back mimics the ruby throated hummingbird male also native
to the Captina watershed.

This moths wings beat an astounding 30-35 times per second and
it is always on the move making photography tricky. Check out
the extended feeding tube probing the flower. Adults usually
emerge from mid-June to mid-July in our area. The next time you
see a hummingbird browsing through your flower garden take a closer
look and you may be surprised.

Downy Rattlesnake Orchid

2010-09-22T09:51:00.000-04:00

When people think of orchids they often envision a brightly colored, oddly shaped flower in a tropical forest setting. It is true that Orchids reside mostly in tropical ecosystems worldwide but there are 46 species native to Ohio and one in particular to the Captina watershed.

The downy rattlesnake orchid Goodyera pubescens is easy to walk
past in the woods because of its small size. Most rattlesnake orchids
only measure 2-3 inches across and lay nearly flat on the forest floor.
The orchid prefers rich wooded upland slopes usually under an oak/
hickory canopy although I have observed them under other hardwoods
as well. Note the lattice work of viens throughout the leaves as a
good identifying characteristic of the plant.

After learning a little bit about the orchid's habitat it becomes easier
to spot them on the forest floor. Rattlesnake orchids do not flower
every growing season like other native perennials with some individuals
going as long as five years between flowerings. Factors that
determine flowering events are not clearly understood although they
could be weather or nutrient related. So, you could imagine my
excitement when stumbling across this plant in the Pipe Creek
subwatershed since it is the only flowering rattlesnake orchid I have seen
in person. The stalk is less than 18" tall so even at this time the plant is
small in comparison to other perennials on the forest floor. Note how
dark the setting is even during a July afternoon indicating the thickness
of the over-lying canopy.

USGS Topographic Maps

2010-09-21T11:41:00.000-04:00

Good morning! I am a huge fan of mapping so I get excited about any new technology that arises in this field. The USGS has recently released a series of 7.5 minute quadrangles from it's online website that cover much of the US free of charge. The downloads are in pdf format but are spotty for the upper Ohio Valley. Most of the western half of the Captina Watershed area is covered though. The only missing quadrangle is from the watershed is Businessburg which should be online soon.

Click on the link below to go to the USGS store then select the Map Locator tab. Next click on Show US Topo and Digital Maps, zoom in on the area of interest and follow the directions in the righthand box to download. Enjoy!

USGS Topo Maps

Note: The files are somewhat large so download times may vary.

Caterpillars Continued...

2010-09-17T09:34:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week I highlighted two of the more colorfully patterned caterpillars of the watershed. The use of brightly colored patterns as a defense warning mechanism is widely documented in many animal species outside of caterpillars, however some species aren't as colorfully gifted and have to resort to other defenses to ward off predators. The viceroy is one caterpillar that has taken camouflage to a whole new level.....

Why am I photographing bird poop you might ask? Because
if you watch this pile of excrement long enough it will begin to move.
Mutant bird droppings? No, just an ingenious venture into defensive
camouflage by the viceroy caterpillar. The viceroy Limenitis archippus is
a member of the Brush-foot family of butterflies whose larvae are
known for their uncanny resemblance of bird droppings. Why would
a caterpillar evolve to look like poop? It is the least likely thing for a
passing bird to investigate as potential food. Brilliant!

This viceroy was spotted munching on willow leaves, a preferred
host plant, on the creek bank. Note the spiny antenna and the
large yellow dorsal knobs as key identifying features. Interestingly
the adult viceroy butterfly is also a mimic of the monarch butterfly
which is poisonous to birds and the viceroy eggs mimic a gall
that invades willow trees. Sometimes I guess it is good to be
something else!

Fall Webworm Outbreak

2010-09-16T16:31:00.001-04:00

Many of you have probably noticed trees covered with the silk tent homes of the fall webworm Hyphantria cunea this summer. The webworm caterpillar favors foliage from walnut, hickory, black cherry, elm and fruit trees. Adult wedworm moths lay eggs on leaves then upon hatching the larvae rapidly consume the soft tissue of the leaf while covering it with a silk surface. Entire branches of trees can be consumed by the silk tents and in some cases whole trees can be defoliated. Luckily, most trees are healthy enough to withstand the webworm invasion even in complete defoliation.

Webworms infest a black cherry Prunus serotina branch. The
caterpillars are small (less than an inch) in size and are easily
concealed by the silk structure which can contain dozens of
individuals. A tree with several tent colonies can easily be
defoliated in a matter of days.

Webworm tents in the top of a black walnut tree. Interestingly
I've read that stinkbugs are efficient predators of webworm
caterpillars as well as parasitic wasps. However, in a year with an
extreme outbreak, natural predators are overwhelmed and quickly
become engorged with the worms reducing their effectiveness.

2010 Drought Continues...

2010-09-15T16:36:00.000-04:00

The drought that began in mid-July in eastern Ohio continues to persist and is starting to take its toll on the local foliage. Most of the vegetation is beginning to go dormant or die off completely except those closest to the mainstem tributaries of the watershed.

An up-close view of the drought's toll. This black cherry tree
along SR 26 has dropped nearly all of its leaves. Some
defoliation can be attributed to the fall webworm though.
The surrounding trees are about to follow the same route and
are unusually brown.

From the intersection of SR's 148 and 26 - The normally green
hillsides have taken on a yellowish brown tint as trees begin to
drop leaves to conserve water. There hasn't been a rainfall
greater than .5 inches in the watershed since early August.

Some Interesting Caterpillars

2010-09-15T09:52:00.000-04:00

If you've read previous posts on this blog you know that Captina is home to a rich diversity of both woody and herbacious plant life. Since plants occupy the base of a food chain in an ecosystem we would expect an area with diverse plant life to attract diverse consumers as well. One of the most fascinating primary consumer groups in the watershed are the caterpillar instars or larval forms of moths and butterflies. Instars (caterpillars) hatch from eggs laid by adult moths and butterflies on host plants then sustain by consuming leaf tissue. A single species may transform through several larval instar stages prior to becoming a winged adult which may take over a year's worth of time. Thus overwintering in leaf litter on the forest floor is common among the caterpillars of this area.

Here are some of the more attractive caterpillars of the Captina Watershed.

A medium-sized caterpillar of the eastern deciduous forest the
pandorus sphinx Eumorpha pandorus is from the hornworm
family and exhibits an interesting arrangement of spots laterally
down its sides. Note the black spot on its rear topside.
Pandorus have a liking for poison ivy as a host plant which is
where this individual was found. They are particularly fond
of new foliage and are about the size of an adult index finger.
Pandorus come in a range of color variants but most center
around a brown or tannish base.

The aptly named saddleback Sibine stimulea. This individual
was found on a host black locust and yes those are some pretty
intimidating spines. Some caterpillar species have evolved
amazing camouflage patterns to hide from predatory birds and
insects but the spines are a good backup plan if the trickery fails.
Fully grown saddlebacks measure up to an inch in length
and can pack a punch with those venomous stingers.
(Caution! Saddleback stings have been likened to those of
bees. It is not reccomended that you handle one if found)

Have you seen one of these?

2010-09-09T16:35:00.000-04:00

Hi again! The postings have been sparse the last couple of weeks due to preparations for the Belmont County Fair. I thought I would share a couple of interesting pics of a reptile that is native to eastern Ohio but has become rare due to habitat destruction and fear. Special thanks to Glen Crippen for providing the photos.

The northern copperhead strikes fear in many persons for being
the only poisonous snake found in eastern Ohio. They are
rarely encountered due to their secretive nature and habitat preference.
Many persons think they see copperheads which end up being
either milksnakes or watersnakes upon further inspection. The most
telling characteristic of the copperhead is its well-defined triangular-
shaped head and its pupils which are slits as opposed to circles.

As mentioned above copperheads are often confused with
northern watersnakes and milksnakes which have somewhat
similar patterns on their backs. When compared side by side
the copperhead is clearly distinct due to its dullish color and
width of dorsal bands. Also the copperhead's body is very
stout and triangular as opposed to the cylinder shaped bodies
of non-venomous snakes. More later....

A beautiful afternoon on the creek!

2010-09-02T15:37:00.000-04:00

What a great afternoon for enjoying the watershed.

One of the special characteristics of Captina is the lush forested
slopes that rise off of its banks for almost the entire length
of the creek. This formation is Dover ridge which is five miles
or so from the mouth of the creek. Great birding habitat, especially
in the spring.

Looking downstream from a popular local fishing site called "the axle"
west of Dover ridge.

Dysart Woods

2010-09-02T15:20:00.001-04:00

Dysart Woods is an undisturbed, 55-acre tract of forest located in Smith township outside of Centerville. It is owned and managed by Ohio University as a field research facility and contains some of the largest diameter trees left in the Captina watershed.

It is not uncommon in the Dysart preserve to see old growth trees
like this white oak. It is easily 8 feet dbh and 80-100 feet tall. County
forester Nathan Taylor is impressed - tree hugger : )

A rareity for the watershed - a native persimmon.
Persimmons produce edible fruit but Belmont County
is on the far northern reaches if its native range.
Note the squarish segments of bark that distinguishes
it from a black gum. There are two mature persimmons
next to the blue trail of the preserve.

Dysart Woods is home to native black gum as well which is
identifiable by its thich, furrowed bark and deep red fall foliage.

The thick forest canopy traps moisture and creates ideal growing
conditions for a variety of mushrooms. These are growing at the
base of a dogwood tree.

Status update

2010-08-27T09:59:00.000-04:00

Heading to the creek this morning to check out a logging tract in the Pea Vine subwatershed. Here is a cool pic to tide you over until I get back....

At first glance this looks like some kind of coral skeleton placed
at the base of a tree - hence the name coral fungus. Coral Fungi
are an interesting group of saprophytes (living off the dead) from
the division Ascomycota. Look for them under dense oak-hickory
stands in rich moist soils. They extract energy from rotting oak roots.
The part of the fungus you see is the reproductive structure of the
organism called an ascus which will release spores as it dries out. The
best time of the year to find these is early summer after a period of heavy
rains but they do grow throughout the late spring and summer months.

Hellbender Video

2010-08-23T08:48:00.000-04:00

As promised, here is a link to view a video clip of the micro-explorer camera in action. In this clip we were able to observe an adult male underneath a large rock. Note the rocking motion of the head, a behavior rarely witnessed in the wild or captivity. Thanks Greg, I defintiely need to get my hands on one of these cameras!

For those who are not familiar with what a hellbender looks like, here is a dorsal view of an adult that measures about 16 inches from head to tail. Note: Look for the flat, rounded head in the video if you are having trouble recognizing any of the shapes.

On the South Fork with Greg

2010-08-20T11:30:00.000-04:00

Another damselfly resident of the watershed - the american

rubyspot (Hetaerina americana). The red patches on the base of its

wing identifies it as a male. He was checking us out from the

water willow lining the bank.

Wednesday morning I had an opportunity to join Greg

Lipps on the South Fork to test a newpiece of equipment.

I have had the pleasure of assisting Greg with research

projects in the watershed over thepast five years focusing

on everything from spotted salamanders to hellbenders.

Along with Ralph Pfingsten, Greg is the foremost expert on

salamanders in Ohio and is an encyclopedia of information

on amphibian habitat and conservation. In this shot Greg

is testing a new underwater video camera designed to fit

into tight places like underneath large rocks in the creek.

Can't wait to get my hands on one of these! Although

it was difficult to see on the camera's smallscreen, we did

capture some interesting critters hinding under the rocks -

video coming soon! Thanks to Barbara Rogers for allowing us

access the creek via her property.

A bonus - two posts in one day! More from the Warfield Walk.....

2010-08-19T16:17:00.000-04:00

Liverworts are simple plant colonies that prefer cool, damp rocks on
which to grow. The rocks here are covered with this variety. They
are also indicators of air quality. This colony is about a foot across
in size.

Along the banks in this section of creek are towering
white oaks, sugar maples and pignut hickories. These trees
rise about 100 feet off of the creekbank and play a key
role in the ecosystem by shading the water and preventing
it from becoming excessivley warm. The dense tree cover
along the creek is just one more factor that contributes to its
exceptional status.

Look what Amelia & Co. found! Unfortunately Captina is home to
the invasive Asiatic Carp as are most tributaries of the Ohio River.
You can imagine the impact an invasive fish of this size can have on
a watershed's native inhabitants. The fish are accidentally introduced
into large rivers then evetually settle into the deeper pools of the small
tribs in the watershed. As with most invasives it is difficult to control their
numbers with no natural predators.

Nature Walk on the Warfield Property

2010-08-19T11:07:00.000-04:00

Hi all, I'm back with more advetures from Captina Creek. On Tuesday
we were lucky enough to be invited to tour the property of Mr. Dan
Warfield in Wayne TWP at the confluence of cranenest creek and
the south fork. Dan is the one in the cowboy hat to the extreme left.
He had many great stories to share with us about the creek given that his
family has owned this property for 188 years!

Check out this guy! He's not the most attractive creature in the
creek but has an interesting feature. The mudpuppy Necturus maculosus
retains its gills throughout its life whereas most other amphibians lose them
as adults. The gills are hard to see when the animal is lifted out of the water
but they are located on the rear sides of the head. Mudpuppies eat crayfish
and like to hide under rocks in deeper pools where the bottom is well, muddy.

As if finding poppa wasn't cool enough! These larval mudpuppies
were under the care of the dad shown above. They are easily
distinguishable by the black and yellow bands that run parallel down
the lengths of their bodies. Some will even have a bluish tint to their
undersides. In mudpuppies the male will stay behind and care for the
young after the female lays eggs. He will protect them from predators
like crayfish until they are able to fend for themselves. This is a good
time of the year to find larval mudpuppies.

What a great find! A variegate darter Etheostoma variatum
netted from one of the swiftly flowing riffles in the creek.
This is one of the larger darter species in the watershed
ranging 3-4 inches as adults and also one of the most
colorful. Males, when breeding, will have bright blue and red
bands on their bodies as well as a blue-green anal fin. Females are
not as showy with four small red bands on their posterior sides.
Variegates are indicators of excellent water quality.

Notice how the creek bottom is solid limestone bedrock that stretches
for hundreds of feet.

Dan Warfield, on left in blue discusses the range of his property
while Greg Lipps, Kelly Capuzzi and Ron Preston discuss the best
pools to shock fish from.
More posts from the nature walk tomorrow.

Belmont SWCD Legislator's Tour 2010

2010-08-10T16:14:00.000-04:00

A special thanks to all who attended this morning's tour which
included a stop on the North Fork to observe some of the watershed's
diverse fish and macroinvertebrate populations. Local politicians were
informed about the importance of maintaining high water quality standards
within the watershed as well as the factors that separate Captina Creek
from other local watersheds.

An easy way to fish! Electroshocking is a quick and somewhat
non-invasive way of sampling a large pool. A small bullhead was
found here along with several small bluegill and sunfish.

Some interesting macroinverts found in the creek. Macro-
invertebrate specialist Chad Kenny fished these out then
presented their importance as indicators of water quality. My
favorite is the large helgramite.

OEPA biologist Kelly Capuzzi lectures politicians on the significance
of the watershed and the impact of increased sedimentation on the creek.
Kelly is a wealth of knowledge on water quality standards for streams
of the Flushing Escarpment.

Commissioners Coffland and Favede inspect a small crayfish from
the nearby shallows. Ginny is enjoying Matt's story about catching
these as a kid.

Ebony Jewelwing

2010-08-09T14:31:00.000-04:00

Damselflies are an interesting type of insect related to the
dragonflies through the order Odonata. They have the same basic
body design as dragonflies but have wings that fold backward
over a slender body as opposed to outstretched wings and
a stouter body in dragonflies. Their habiats include shady
riparian corridors along larger streams which is where I found
this Ebony Jewelwing (Calopterxy maculata). Unlike other flies
their flight motion is sluggish and fluttery like a large moth or butterfly.

Streambank Erosion

2010-08-06T12:02:00.000-04:00

A great example of what happens when a stream bank is not properly
maintained. Vegetation such as trees and shrubs hold streambanks in
place with a network of roots thereby stabilizing the soil. When vegetation
is removed, in this case by excessive ATV traffic next to the creek, the soil
cannot be retained in heavy rainfall and easy flows downstream choking the
watershed. This sediment deposit is at least 30 inches thick.  Fortunately
this degree of erosion is not common throughout the entire watershed or else
it would significantly impact the diversity of life in Captina Creek.  ATV traffic
should stay away from streambanks and try to avoid stream crossing unless
absolutely necessary to preserve the unique habitat the creek has to offer.
Stay tuned!

More From Anderson Run

2010-08-04T15:36:00.000-04:00

The creekbed here is solid rock of Pennsylvanian
age that stretches for about 150 feet. The run is surrounded by a dense
stand of Black Walnut, Sugar Maple and and Honey Locust. Special
thanks to Christine and Rodney Schneider for allowing me to cross their
property to access the run.

A vernal pool inhabitant that is about to undergo a major life

change! In a couple of days instead of swimming in the pool, this
individual will be taking up residence on land in the surrounding
vegetation. The long tail will be absorbed by the froglet's body and
will nourish it until it can effectively capture prey. Larval frogs
can be difficult to identify but I think this one is a Cope's Gray Treefrog
(Hyla chrysoscelis). Help me out here Greg!

More juvenile amphibians - this time a Green Frog (Rana clamitans).
This individual was hanging out in a small vernal pool next to the run.
Periodic rains have made it a good year for vernal pools in the watershed.
Juvenile green frogs are abundant in streamside pools of this size though the
mature individuals prefer larger permanant bodies of water .

American Toadlet

2010-08-03T13:53:00.000-04:00

Here is an interesting amphibian I spotted last week while hiking through
the lower end of Anderson Run. This tributary is a part of the Pea
Vine subwatershed and empties into Captina near Armstrong Mills. I'm
always on the lookout for frogs, toads and slalmanders and today I was
rewarded with a juvenile American Toad (Bufo americanus) I'm guessing this
individual metamorphosed earlier in June and is now a resident of the
wetlands next to the run. Note the single warts surrounded by black circles.
Barely measuring a half inch, this individual should be fully grown and
ready to reproduce in two years. More amphib pics later....

A View From Creekside

2010-08-02T14:24:00.000-04:00

Hi all! I would like to welcome everyone to the official blog of the

Captina Creek Watershed. I hope that by checking in on this site

regularly you will gain an appreciation for the creek and its natural

resources. Feedback on the posts is encouraged.

This picture was taken in July of 2008 near Armstrong Mills. I usually

post recent photos but this oldie is one of my faves. I enjoy this

segment of the creek for its diverse tree composition and songbird

population. The banks are lined with Black Walnut (Juglans nigra),

Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus octandra), Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

and even Butternut (Juglans cinerea). The trees on the south bank

shelter the nearly verticle rise in elevation off the creek floor.

More to come...