HYDROGEOLOGIC ASSESSMENT TO SUPPORT SOURCE-WATER PROTECTION FOR CRITICAL PRAIRIE HABITAT, JENNINGS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER, PENNSYLVANIA

This investigation of prairie hydrology aims to support source water protection for approximately 67,000 square meters of prairie and wetland habitat located within Jennings Environmental Educational Center in northern Butler County, Pennsylvania. The park provides visitors with environmental education concerning its prairie, wetland and woodland habitats as well as preserves the critical habitat for flora and fauna of the Western Pennsylvania area. The use of color infrared imagery from the National Agriculture Imagery Program was utilized in a topographic analysis including supervised wetland classification and delineation of watercourses affecting the park’s hydrology. Located within the watershed of Big Run, the study area consists of a mixture of Canadice silty clay loam with a water table depth of 15 centimeters, Caneadea silt loam (0-3 percent slope) with a water table depth of 20 centimeters and Brinkerton silt loam (3-8 percent slope) with a water table depth of 8 centimeters. It is suspected that acid mine drainage and chemical runoff from surrounding private lands may have an impact on the water supply of the wetland and prairie system. Information collected from hydrologic analysis will be used to help guide management policies of the park and contribute to models to protect areas with similar hydrogeologic conditions. Pending tasks include wetlands delineation based upon pedology and geochemical parameterization of surface waters to better resolve watercourses. The subsequent outcome will be maps that confidently define flow paths and landscape tracts providing water to critical habitats.