Wildlife in Hot Water: Central PA Edition

This is the second in a multi-part series localizing the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) recent report, Wildlife in Hot Water: America’s

Waterways and Climate Change.

Our nation boasts majestic river systems like the Colorado, Mississippi, and - here in central Pennsylvania - the Susquehanna, but climate change threatens them all. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission studies the 27,510 square-mile watershed and its impact on roughly 4.1 million people within its focus area. According to the organization's latest "State of the Susquehanna" report, the basin is both "one of the most flood-prone areas in the entire nation" while experiencing declared emergency droughts 17 times in a 21 year period. 

Full Report: http://bit.ly/1iePwds 

Unfortunately, climate change compounds existing stress of pollution, dammed rivers, invasive species, disease, and destruction of forests and wetlands on our waterways. Some 147 freshwater fish species and populations are federally listed as threatened or endangered. An estimated 37 percent of all freshwater animals - from fish to crayfish to mussels - are considered at risk. The rate of aquatic species extinctions is five times higher than in terrestrial habitats, and climate change will place additional strain on the already highly-stressed freshwater aquatic life.

For many of us who spend time outdoors, we already know what climate change is doing to our waterways and wildlife. Here is a personal account from Pennsylvania resident Ed Perry on bass fishing in the Susquehanna from the NWF report:

"Up until 2005, then the hottest year on record, my family had been floating the middle Susquehanna for more than 25 years, camping on the islands, and wake fishing for smallmouth bass. But climate change has altered temperature and rainfall patterns, causing repeat kills of smallmouth bass in 100 miles of the middle Susquehanna River. The fishery has been devastated to the point that many guides gave quit taking anglers there and my family no longer takes these fishing trips that were such an important part of our outdoor experience." 

In an amendment to the Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan, written by Pennsylvania's Game Commission and the Fish and Boat Commission, it stated climate change could trigger substantial changes to fish and wildlife populations of the commonwealth, including, but not limited to:

• Migration of flora and fauna northward or to higher elevations in order to escape warming conditions;
• Decreased populations of freshwater and anadromous fish, like salmon and trout, due to reduced snowpack and increase temperatures in streams;
• Altered flooding patterns, which affect spawning and rearing habitat for many aquatic species;
• Increased spread of wildlife diseases and parasites.

Our nation and region's waterways are undoubtedly experiencing the negative impacts of climate change, but we all have the opportunity to lessen the risks posed to our waterways, wildlife, and their habitat. 

What you can do:
Support the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Power Plan. The EPA is taking a step in the right direction by finalizing the Clean Power Plan. With the new standards, we expect immediate actions can and should be taken to help safeguard our communities and wildlife from the impacts of climate change.

Support the EPA's Clean Water Rule. Without these protections, at least 60% of our nation's streams and 20 million acres of wetlands are vulnerable to pollution.

Jen Quinn is central Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for PennFuture and is based in Harrisburg. She tweets @QuinnJen1.