Former McCoy-Linn Dam Site Restoration
The Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU), the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), and ClearWater Conservancy are currently partnering to complete the habitat restoration at the former McCoy Dam site located between Bellefonte and Milesburg. August restoration plans include construction of the floodplain bench, widening of the stream channel, installation of 4 rock cross vanes, and several additional instream habitat enhancement structures including 2 multi-log vane deflectors, 7 multi-log vane deflectors with root wads, 12 root wad deflectors, 4 modified mud sills, and up to 30 Boulder Placements.
McCoy-Linn Dam was removed in 2007 through a partnership between PA Fish and Boat Commission, American Rivers, and ClearWater Conservancy. The partnership removed the dam because it served no functional purpose and created a public safety hazard, degraded water quality, and impeded fish migration.
Construction Schedule
August 3 – Begin grading stream banks to establish new floodplain bench and widen stream channel
August 10 – Begin rock cross vane installation
August 17 – Begin installation of instream habitat enhancement structures
We anticipate all of the construction to be completed by the end of August, weather permitting.
Future restoration plans include riparian plantings in fall 2009 and public access enhancement including several interpretive panels in spring 2009.
Restoration Updates - from project manager Katie Ombalski
Plans for Fall 2009
We will be planting the riparian buffer this fall, so keep watching our website for new updates.
Thank you to everyone for your continued interest and support of this important project.
August 26, 2009
I stopped by the site early this morning to see the work completed yesterday afternoon. Kenny from Gleim had finished cleaning up the parking area and was heading out of town to their next project in Pittsburgh.
On behalf of Trout Unlimted, PA Fish and Boat Commission, and ClearWater Conservancy, a sincere thank you to Gleim Environmental (I had to twist their arm to take this photo) and WHM Consulting, Inc. (never could corner Josh to pose) for a job well done!
Thanks also to all of the volunteers and PA Fish and Boat Commission staff for all of your hard work installing the habitat improvement structures!
Some before and after photographs will be posted next week.
August 25, 2009
The final rock cross vane was completed today.
Gleim also worked with WHM to reshape the sediment from the former gravel bar and to add a few small structures to the area just upstream from the boat launch.
All instream work is now complete!
August 24, 2009
The third rock cross vane was completed today, and the remaining block stone was delivered from the quarry for the fourth and final rock cross vane that will be installed tomorrow.
Gleim also installed the remaining root balls around some of the new habitat structures.
The rye mix has started to germinate thanks to the rain from last week, and the site is really looking great.
August 23, 2009
The project was featured in Mark Nale’s Woods & Waters column in the Centre Daily Times today. Read it at http://www.centredaily.com/sports/story/1465356.html.
August 18, 2009
Today was a big volunteer day. About 10 Trout Unlimited volunteers are working with PFBC staff and Gleim to install the remaining instream habitat structures. They were able to install three log deflectors before lunch and expect to install several more by the end of the day, weather permitting.
The habitat structures will be completed by noon tomorrow if all goes well. Gleim will then be able to focus on completing the rock cross vanes.
Check out a YouTube video of Gleim setting logs for a log deflector today.
Gleim back filling a log deflector with stone.
Three completed log deflectors.
Check out a YouTube video of PFBC staff and TU volunteers completing the installation of a log deflector.
Mark Nale visited the site today to interview volunteers and staff about the project.
August 17, 2009
Progress today slowed but Gleim was able to complete the second arm of the second rock cross vane. Additional block stone was delivered for the remaining two rock cross vanes.
August 14, 2009
The first rock cross vane was complete today, and volunteers installed two mudsills.
Gleim was also able to incorporate three root wads into one of the arms of the first rock cross vane. Installation was easier than expected with some light excavation and by pushing against the root wad with the backhoe bucket. The tree trunk slid right into the bank sediments.
Gleim was also able to complete the first arm of the second cross vane before leaving for the weekend.
August 13, 2009
The site was seeded and mulched today. We are planning grain rye, riverbank wild rye, and a PA ecotype of Virginia wild rye over the entire site. We are also adding some wildflowers to a 30-foot strip along the road that will be maintained as a permanent herbaceous buffer because of the power line Right-of-Way. Spot seeding and mulching will continue throughout the project as structures are completed.
Work continued on the first rock cross vane.
Also check out a YouTube video of today's seeding.
August 12, 2009
Logs were delivered today so volunteers and PA Fish and Boat Commission staff could begin building the first two log deflectors at the top of the project site.
Once these structures were completed, Gleim resumed work on the first rock cross vane.
The seeding contractor will be on site tomorrow. Our goal is to have the entire site seeded by Friday.
The following article was in the Centre Daily Times today:
http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/story/1446398.html
Also check out a YouTube video of today's cross vane construction process.
August 11, 2009
Rock deliveries and construction on the first rock cross vane started today.
Gleim returned the wide-track bulldozer and exchanged it for an articulated dump truck that will be used to transport the rock upstream. Normally we would not transport construction materials via the stream channel but the soft stream banks will not support the weight of the equipment.
The Centre Daily Times was on site today.
August 10, 2009
We are seeing lots of interesting wildlife on site including bald eagle, osprey, and mink.
Gleim finished widening the stream channel and grading the floodplain bench today. The last section of streambank is very wet. To prevent the equipment from getting bogged down in the wet substrate, they place large steel pads on the ground to increase the surface area for the equipment to drive over. Gleim also used these pads during the initial dam removal.
The gravel bar was also moved today and all of this material was placed on the far streambank. The purpose for doing this is to centralize the stream flow to keep the pressure off of the stream banks.
PA Fish and Boat posted “stream closed” buoys upstream of the project site. The stream will remain closed until instream construction is completed. We anticipate the stream re-opening at the beginning of September.
Construction materials will start being delivered tomorrow.
August 6, 2009
Grading continues
August 5, 2009
Gleim rented a large-track bulldozer today. As a result, the grading is much easier and the the equipment is not getting stuck like it was yesterday. They completed approximately another 400 feet of grading today and are now well over halfway done.
Josh Lincoln from WHM Consulting, Inc. and Dale Bentz from Gleim have been visiting various rock piles and quarries to handpick rock that will be used in the rock cross vanes. If all continues to go well, Gleim will start building the cross vanes on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Stream Bank Pre-Construction
Stream Bank Grading in Progress
Bank near the end of the day
August 4, 2009
The bulldozer got stuck several times today as result of the clay pockets, so the grading progress was slower than Gleim had hoped today. Even so, they were still able to complete approximately an additional 400 feet of grading today.
Morning
Afternoon
Before Construction
After Construction on August 4
August 3, 2009
2009 Stream Restoration Begins at the Former McCoy-Linn Dam Site.
Sunny weather provided great working conditions. The contractor (Gleim Environmental) is starting at the upstream end of the project and working downstream. Approximately 250 feet of streambank and new floodplain bench was graded today.
Towards the end of the day, they got to the stretch of stream that will be widened. As they started pulling back the stream bank, they started getting into some pockets of clay that made working conditions more challenging for the equipment.
August 1, 2009
Pre-construction looking downstream from the top of the project site
Photos courtesy of Katie Ombalski.
For more information about the McCoy-Linn Dam removal and restoration project, please contact project manager Katie Ombalski at (814) 237-0400 or katie@clearwaterconservancy.org.