Posted in Citizen Science Rock Run

Rock Run Water Tests 1.4.24

RockRun_1.4.25
Denny Hess and Ron Miller collect water samples from Rock Run on January 4, 2025

“Neither snow nor rain…” the saying goes. The FTTU citizen scientists kicked off the new year on a bitter cold day at Linn Run State Park. Several inches of snow and 16 degree temperatures greeted the testers making conditions difficult for conducting water tests.

The Results:
Air Temperature: 16°F
Water Temperature: 31°F
Linn Run Gauge: 1.87′
Linn Run Discharge: 4.66 ft³/sec
pH: 7.1
Alkalinity: 5.4

Posted in Citizen Science Rock Run

Rock Run Water Tests 12.4.24

Rock Run Ice

Here’s the results of Rock Run water tests from the last month of 2024.

Air Temperature – 35° F
Water Temperature – 36.5° F
pH – 7.0
Alkalinity – 6.7

Linn Run Gauge – 1.87′
Linn Run Discharge – 4.49 ft³/sec

Good to see Rock Run and Linn Run back to normal flows.

Here are the final results of another year of water quality testing at the mouth of Rock Run.

Final pH Chart 2024

Posted in Citizen Science Rock Run

Rock Run Water Tests 11.2.24

Results of water tests done on Rock Run on Saturday November 2, 2024

Air Temperature – 41°
Water Temperature – 49°
pH – 7.1
Alkalinity – 11.2
Linn Run Gauge – 1.43 ft
Lin Run Discharge – .62 ft³/sec

Linn Run
Low water on Linn Run 11-2-24
Posted in Citizen Science Rock Run

Rock Run Water Tests for September 28, 2024

Rock Run
There is flowing water in Rock Run despite "dried-up" look of this photo from September 28, 2024

Results of water tests done at the mouth of Rock Run on September 28, 2024 at 3:00 pm:

Air Temperature – 73° F
Water Temperature – 64.5° F
pH – 6.9
Alkalinity – 12.8
Linn Run Gauge – 1.43′
Linn Run Discharge – .62 ft³/sec

Despite some spotty rain. water levels are at all time lows since we started testing in 2018.

Posted in Citizen Science Rock Run

Rock Run Water Tests September 2024

Linn Run
Low flow on Linn Run 9.4.24

Here are the results of monthly water tests from September 4, 2024.

Air Temperature – 68° F
Water Temperature – 59.5° F
pH – 6.8
Alkalinity – 11.2
Linn Run Gauge – 1.45′
Linn Run Discharge – .88 ft³/sec

Some much needed rain came through, but Linn Run gauge and discharge were the same as last month.

Posted in Citizen Science Linn Run Rock Run

Rock Run Water Tests 7.30.24

Linn Run
Upper Linn Run Dry Stream Bed

Results of water tests at the mouth of Rock Run on July 30, 2024.

Air Temperature: 70° F
Water Temperature: 65° F
pH: 7.13
Alkalinity: 9.6

Rain is needed desperately. The flow in Linn Run’s headwaters is just a trickle.

The USGS gauge at Linn Run was at 1.45′ and the discharge was .88 ft³/sec. This is the lowest reading we’ve had in 5 years of keeping records. This is still not a record. According to the USGS website, the lowest discharge was .16 ft³/sec recorded in 2012.

Contrast this with April 3rd of this year when the stream was flowing at 454 ft³/sec and the gauge measured 3.79′.

Posted in Citizen Science Rock Run

Rock Run Water Test Results

RR-6/30/24
Rhododendron was in bloom at Linn Run State Park

Monthly water quality tests were done at the mouth of Rock Run on June 30, 2024

Air Temperature – 72°
Water Temperature – 65°F
Linn Run Gauge – 1.63′
Linn Run Discharge – 4.57 ft³/sec
pH – 7.2
Alkalinity – 7.0

Posted in Citizen Science Rock Run

Rock Run Water Tests for 3.30.24

RR Bridge
Rock Run Runs under Linn Run Road before flowing into Linn Run
pH Testing
Scott Minster and Denny Hess check pH meters

Spring is coming to the Laurel Highlands as the FTTU citizen scientists conducted water quality tests at the mouth of Rock Run.

pH – 7.2
Alkalinity – 3.5
Water Temperature – 41°
Air Temperature – 42°
Linn Run Gauge – 1.82′
Linn Run – 10.0 ft³/sec

Posted in Citizen Science Rock Run

Rock Run Water Tests 3.2.24

Linn Run
Linn Run flows strong, cold and clear - March 2, 2024

High flow today on Linn Run and Rock Run after heavy rains on February 29th. The Linn Run gauge bumped up again today with rain this morning.

It’s predictable, flow goes up, alkalinity goes down.

Air Temperature – 45°F
Water Temperature – 42.5°F
pH – 6.7
Alkalinity – 3.2
Linn Run Gauge Height – 2.3′
Linn Run Flow – 35.3 ft³/sec

Posted in Citizen Science Rock Run

Rock Run Water Tests for February

Water test results for February:
Water Temperature: 38° F
Air Temperature: 30° F
Linn Run Gauge: 2.08′
Linn Run Discharge: 24.2 ft³/sec
Flow: Med/High and clear
pH: 6.3
Alkalinity: 3.6

Alkalinity goes down with higher flow. This time from snow melt.

Water Collection
Ron Miller (L) and Denny Hess collect water samples near the mouth of Rock Run
Water Test Equipment
Denny Hess (L) and Scott Minster prepare to test alkalinity of Rock Run water samples.