Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy Helps to Restore Shoreline at F.J. Sayers Reservoir – Technologist

Press release shared by The Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy July 15, 2024.  Photos courtesy of the conservancy.

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The Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC) has completed a restoration project on a section of shoreline at F. J. Sayers Reservoir, located within Bald Eagle State Park. This man-made lake faced erosion issues due to its steep shoreline and the wave action from motorized boats.

The lake’s water levels are managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), while the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of State Parks (DCNR) oversees public access for fishing and boating at the park.

Due to NPC’s partnership with the stream habitat section of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), the lake habitat section reached out for help. The PFBC lake crew studied F. J. Sayers Reservoir in cooperation with its partners and developed a plan to stabilize erosion in various areas and add some habitat structures for fish. They needed an additional partner, however, to help pull the funding together, manage the grants, and order some of the materials. An email and a phone call later and NPC was working to submit for grant funding. NPC gave them the ability to be more efficient and go after funding that they previously were not able to go after.

The Pennsylvania Lake Management Society (PALMS) awarded NPC a grant to support restoration efforts at Hunters Run Access, a popular spot within the park. Initial preparations and offshore submerged habitat work commenced in March, despite the cold and blustery conditions. Concrete reef balls, designed to provide shelter for fish, were strategically placed on the lake bottom by the PFBC lake crew. These reef balls are made of concrete, which are more or less a hollow gumdrop with holes in them. The holes on the sides allow fish to easily swim in and out for cover. They were placed to improve the local habitat, providing better fishing for the shoreline anglers and boaters.

In the project’s next phase, the crew focused on establishing a new riparian buffer after reshaping the area. Felled trees were repurposed to create additional fish habitats, fostering a mini food web for macroinvertebrates, which are crucial for the lake’s smaller fish. This enhanced environment is expected to attract larger fish, much to the delight of local anglers.

The final stage, completed June, involved installing shoreline stone-framed deflectors. These structures improved fish habitat, water quality, and angler access.

NPC’s partnership with PFBC, DCNR and PALMS has been instrumental in restoring the shoreline of F. J. Sayers Reservoir, improving the health of this water resource and creating better recreational opportunities for the community.

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The Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC) is a land trust devoted to conserving and enhancing the lands and waters of Northcentral Pennsylvania to support the environmental well-being and recreational needs of local communities.

For More Information Contact Holly Byers, Communications Coordinator, [email protected], or by phone at 570-323-6222