News

Scroll down for an update on our conservation work, our ongoing campaigns, our upcoming events, our volunteer opportunities, and press.

Raising Funds to Purchase Land and Protect Rasler Run

By Taylor Robbins / August 11, 2022

MWA is proposing to purchase a 192.6 acre property in Fayette County which borders Indian Creek, a tributary of the Youghiogheny River, and Rasler Run, a tributary to Indian Creek.…

Summer Fish Surveys Went Swimmingly

By Courtney Berish / August 2, 2022

In the last week of June, staff at the Mountain Watershed Association were able to slide into their hip waders to join Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) in some fish shocking.…

Mountain Pines Zoning Meeting Review and Further Call to Action

By Morgan Moran / July 5, 2022

On May 11th, 2022, the Fayette Zoning Hearing Board held a public hearing to determine if Mountain Pines should be granted a special expectation to expand their campground onto the…

MWA Tests Nurdle Patrol Against Spill

By James Cato / June 10, 2022

MWA responded to buffer cars filled with nurdles careening into the water and crumpling on the riverbanks.

An Ancient Ally: Warnings from Freshwater Sponges

By Katlyn Furlong / June 1, 2022

Underneath the rocks that cover the floors of our watershed lives possibly the oldest animals ever recorded, sponges. They’re not much to look at, in fact, you might not notice…

Water Guardians Afterschool Club Receives Funding for 2022/2023 School Year

By Morgan Moran / May 27, 2022

The Mountain Watershed Association (MWA) is happy to announce a new upcoming education project: the Water Guardians After School Youth Club. During the 2022-23 school year, this club will take…

Community Concerned Over Proposed Mountain Pines Expansion

By Morgan Moran / April 7, 2022

One of Mountain Watershed’s Association’s neighbors, Mountain Pines Campground, has recently become the center of attention in our local community. During a meeting hosted by MWA and local residents, nearly…

High Quality Streams – High Quality Fish

By Eric Harder / March 15, 2022

The Youghiogheny River Watershed is known for its clean and cool tributaries, fishing, whitewater rafting, and coal mining.  Our industrial minded history paired with our current love for the outdoors…

Area Landfills Accept Toxic Shale Gas Waste

By Hannah Spencer / February 15, 2022

Shale gas development through hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in Western Pennsylvania has been consistent for over a decade. As the natural gas industry continues to expand, the industry is struggling to…

The Ramifications of Renewing Mariner East’s Permits

By James Cato / January 13, 2022

In just a few weeks – February 12 – the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) construction permits for Sunoco’s Mariner East Pipeline will expire. Mariner East is a pipeline spanning…

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Blue Hole Creek still polluted, but no further action from PA DEP (ACTION ITEM)

April 30, 2026

A whole year after MWA learned about lead pollution in Blue Hole Creek in Forbes State Forest, this once-pristine stream remains contaminated…

Your Water Bill Could Go Up — Here’s What That Letter Really Means

April 27, 2026
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Recently, many Indian Creek Valley Water Authority (ICVWA) customers opened their mail and found a “Rate Impact Notice” about possible future rate…

MWA Files Appeal After $2.8M Cut to Mine-Damage Protections

April 21, 2026
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MWA has filed an appeal challenging a decision to cut millions of dollars in financial protections for damage from underground coal mining…

Happy Egg Season! What’s About to Hatch?

April 10, 2026

It’s my favorite time of year! EGG SEASON. No, not just Easter egg hunts. But the time of year where some birds…

The Vernal Pool, a Salamander Nursery!

April 3, 2026

I’ve been seeing a ton of social media posts about vernal pools, but, what are they?  What is a vernal pool? It’s…