STREAM CHANNEL MONITORING, COURSE-EMBEDDED FIELD WORK, AND SERVICE LEARNING - A FORTUITOUS CONFLUENCE ALONG LOWER FISHING CREEK, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, has a history of frequent flooding. Historical records document numerous minor floods, 17 moderate floods, and two major floods in the 20^th century, followed by three moderate and two major floods--including one greater than 100-year--since the turn of the 21^st century. The part of town hit hardest in both the 2006 and 2011 floods lies along Fishing Creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna River that winds around the north and west sides of town. Area residents attribute some of the flood damage to the presence of large gravel bars near the most damaged homes, and to mobilization of sediment following removal of a low-head dam a few miles upstream. Prior to the September 2011 floods, two Bloomsburg students identified locations of large woody debris, boulders, bedrock exposure, tributaries, bars, bank stratigraphy and bank erosion as well as anthropogenic structures such as bank stabilization, providing a baseline data set. The pre-flood snapshot can be used to identify changes resulting from proposed anthropogenic channel modifications such as dredging, additional bank stabilization, and removal of a low-head dam. For instance, a weir has been removed, along with part of a large gravel bar, and the site of a low-head dam removal has been modified and channel banks stabilized since our initial survey. In support of the University strategic plan, which encourages service-learning projects that help the community, the department is continuing to measure stream features as an on-going student project. Data will be made available to the community and interested parties on the University Center for Earth and Environmental Studies website.