Students canoed an approximately three
mile portion of the Schuylkill River in Phoenixville and Valley
Forge, PA. Canoes entered the water at Lock 60 of the
Schuylkill Canal in Mont Clare, PA, and pulled out at the Valley
Forge Park Pawlings Road parking area.
The goal of the trip was to learn about
the river and assess it's health through chemical tests and
macroinvertebrate sampling. Canoeing stopped at three
testing locations along the river. Chemical tests
performed included dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrates, and
phosphates, and this gave an immediate snapshot of the water
quality. Macroinvertebrates sampled included mayflies,
water pennies, and crayfish. Based upon the
macroinvertebrates found, a Biotic Index was calculated to give
a more long term picture of the river's health.
