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Wolf Creek Project
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Taken by Brad Isles from the Allied News.
You will note that there is no person’s name listed under the paragraph title. The reason is that this was truly a dedicated effort by not only all of the chapter board members, and trout nursery personnel, but also members of the Grove City Sportsmen’s Club, WCO Joe Morris, and volunteers from George Junior Academy. The project consisted of building deflectors in Wolf Creek to create a youth fishing area and later a handicap deck for fishing. This project was a year in planning. The plan was in two phases, first the deflectors and later the handicap deck. The deflectors placed in the stream would speed up the flow of the creek. The increased flow rate will transform the slow moving water into an area more suitable for the trout.
 
Phase one of the plan when executed was excellent. It resulted in an unbelievable accomplishment done in one day. Imagine building 5 special deflectors with dimensions of 38’ by 24’ consisting of 8 logs. The logs are dug into the banks at one end and meet in a triangular shape at a point in midstream. Then a second layer is pinned on top of the first. On the first layer of logs there is a layer of 30 or so flat 2x6x4 foot planks nailed on the upstream logs to provide cover under the deflector. This triangle shape is then filled with limestone rock that slopes increasingly higher back to the bank. Repeat the process in the flowing water of Wolf Creek 4 more times. Believe it or not this was accomplished in ONE DAY.
 
Tremendous credit must be given to everyone for a really special effort. Special credit is due to our WCO Joe Morris for coordinating the entire project and for directing the efforts that day. Don’t take that as Joe sitting on the bank eating Krispy Kremes, Joe was directing while swinging a sledgehammer or prying a log into place.
 
I honestly can’t give enough credit to all those who helped. Absolutely everyone, and I mean everyone worked very, very hard and accomplished a task that was estimated to take two to three weekends. No one sat down except for lunch. Though everyone worked hard, I think I can safely say the “star” of the show was the bucket operator. He operated this piece of heavy equipment from the streambed with such dexterity that, I think he could have plucked a splinter from your finger with that bucket. He (Brian Pardon) of Thomas Construction) worked in concert with the crews constructing the deflectors and at one point actually used the bucket to drive a piece of 4-foot rebar through some stubborn logs and into the streambed.
 
Here is the list I took of the people that participated on that hectic day and for the clean up and grass seeding on Saturday.
 
  • WCO Joe Morris
  • PBFC Dave Keller for design and layout of the deflectors at the site.
  • Grove City Sportsman’s Club
    • Jeff McKee
    • Lee Covert
    • Jim Tidd
    • Jim Tibo
    • Carl Rhodes Greenville, SC
    • Ken Beck Greenville, SC
    • Tom Tomko Hidden Valley, SC
    • John Regalski
    • Dick Dunn
    • Bill Osborne
  • Trout Unlimited
    • Dick Natoli
    • Rich Knauff
    • Tom Jochman
    • Pete Anthony
    • Nick Loprire
    • Bill Fay
    • Aaron Monroe
    • Jeff Kremis
    • Reg McClelland
    • Jim Mondok
  • Borough of Grove City
    • Terry Farren (manager)
    • Larry Reed
    • Jeff McKee
  • All the young men from George Junior (they worked very hard for us)
  • Corporate and Community Support
    • Allegheny Mineral Corp – Dave Bowser
    • Byler Hemlock Lumber – Mose Byler
    • PA Game Com. – Logs Jim Deniker
    • McClymonds Supply & Transit (limestone)
    • Lezzer Lumber (nails) – Mark Moore
    • 84 Lumber (nails) – Eric Merschiltz
    • Thomas Construction – Doug Thomas
    • Rick BlackLogs – Logs
    • Land owners – E. Kenneth and Helen Black
    • Armstrong Cable – Dan Busatto

 
The handicap deck for fishing is spearheaded by a men’s group (Elfuns) from the Grove City GE plant. At this writing construction has begun and they hope to complete the deck next spring.

Now for some of the staggering statistics for the deflectors:

  • We used over 310 Tons of crushed limestone. That was 13 large dump truck loads.
  • Two 10 lb boxes of 9” spikes,
  • 45 pieces of 5/8”x 4 foot rebar (driven through the drilled logs into the streambed),
  • about 100 six foot pieces of 2x10 planking,
  • 724 feet of spruce logs (each notched with a chain saw),
  • one overworked gas powered drill,
  • two 8 lb sledge hammers that really got a workout and
  • about 40 gallons of sweat to complete the job.

Yes, Friday, August 22, 2002 was a great day for conservation. A heart felt thank you to all who donated time, material, and the dedication to see this project through to completion. It was truly a shining example of what good can be accomplished by caring groups and communities. We only hope others will follow this example to improve the environment in their communities.