Millstone Creek, Allegheny National Forest. Millstone has two branches, East and West, that join about a mile or so from Millstone Creek's confluence with the Clarion River.
In the 1990's the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy recommended that the Forest Service take measures to protect West Branch Millstone because it had a high diversity of damselflies and dragonflies.
The Millstone Creek watershed also has a high density of unroaded forest areas (at least by Allegheny standards). There are four unroaded areas totaling about 3,835 acres.
Unfortunately, the Final EIS for the Allegheny's new forest plan says, "West Branch Millstone Creek was added to the 2006 303(d) list for metals, pH, and siltation from natural sources. More investigation is needed on this stream to determine if there are other sources of impairment." (FEIS 3-28)
The 303(d) list refers to Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. This section refers to the identification of areas with insufficient water quality controls.
The Forest Service's new plan states that West Branch Millstone Creek does not support "aquatics life" due to metals, pH and siltation.
What are these "natural sources" the Forest Service and DEP say resulted in West Branch Millstone being added to the 303(d) list?
One major new development in the headwaters of West Branch Millstone Creek is the new state prison northeast of Marienville.
This prison is a major new point source of pollution.
Road construction for oil and gas drilling in the watershed could also be causing the siltation problem. Acid deposition could also be causing the lowering of the pH.
