Background:
Plans are currently underway for a new public sewer system serving Jefferson
Borough and parts of Codorus Township. The new system would serve the current
residents, as well as hundreds of new homes in several developments sprawling
through the surrounding hillsides. The plan that is currently under
consideration includes a new sewage treatment plant that would discharge into
the Codorus Creek watershed. The discharge point would be just over a mile
upstream from the Class 'A' Wild Trout section our chapter is dedicated to. Long
term capacity of this plant is listed at 400,000 gallons per day.
The NPDES permit, which is the one that actually allows them to discharge, has
already been granted by the DEP. We anticipated stricter discharge criteria for
the plant due the high quality coldwater fishery downstream (as designated by
DEP themselves). According to their own regulations, the existing water quality must be
maintained downstream from all new discharges. However, the plant is being built
just like any other one would be. DEP maintains that the discharge will be
diluted enough by the time it reaches the HQ section, that it won't degrade the
water quality.
In addition to the sewer plant discharge, there will also be significant changes to the stormwater runoff in the upper watershed, and the threat of erosion, sedimentation, and thermal effects during the many months of construction. Many acres will be torn up and laid bare while the hundreds of large new homes and many new streets are built.
Even more disappointing is that a very viable alternative exists but is no longer being given any consideration - discharging the plant into the nearby South Branch Codorus watershed, a stream that is already highly impaired and where no wild trout population currently exists.
My advice is that you fish the Codorus as often as you can this year - chances are it will never be the same again...
Thank you.
If you've been
wondering if your membership is OK because you haven't been receiving a
newsletter, don't worry. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to publish one in
quite some time. The main culprit is the editor's new job, along with
its long hours and commute to Hunt Valley, MD. I simply haven't had time to
compile the news, deliver to the printer, label and deliver a mailing, etc. I
hope that someday I can resolve this situation and get the Codorus Chronicle
running again. I apologize for the inconvenience. If you would like to help,
please let me know. Thank you.
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6/9/08 The stream has been on the high side lately, but clear (except of course after heavy storms). The unseasonable air temperatures (pushing the century mark) over the last several days pushed water temps to dangerous levels for the trout. Our thanks to P.H. Glatfelter for making some flow adjustments to cool things down again. What these temps did to any remaining sulphurs remains to be seen. Other than that, its time to switch to summer tactics. That means terrestrials, midges, yellow craneflies, and maybe some tiny olives. Scuds or pheasant tails are good choices for subsurface action. Fish slowly, and minimize your wading. Remember that the stream fogs over from evening until morning in very humid weather. Best of luck!