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Reclaiming Ohi:yo'- Restoring the Altered Landscape of the Beautiful River Fighting for the Water: Fracking Wastewater in Ohi:yo' In 2016 the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) began deliberating a 1,000-barrel/day of unconventional gas drilling wastewater (Frack Wastewater) disposal facility in Potter County proposed by Epiphany Allegheny LLC. In response to the news of these fracking plans, our Seneca people again fought for our people, our communities, and our Ohi:yo'.

Ohi:yo' Restoration and Resiliency Projects

Members of the Seneca Nation's Watershed Resources Working Group are involved in various restoration and resiliency projects for our Ohi:yo'. The Seneca Nation's Fish and Wildlife Department in particular engages in projects related to building artificial habitat, repopulating our river's Walleye population, and building trenches to help land locked fish. The restoration and resiliency projects were made possible by a U.S. Department of the Interior Hurricane Sandy Grant, which was awarded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Artificial Habitat

The seasonal lowering and emptying of the water reserves within the reservoir leave our inundated land exposed and unprotected to weather elements for part of the year. This annual exposure makes it difficult for natural vegetation to grow, which acts as a barrier to erosion but is also habitat to our fish within our river.

The Seneca Nation's Fish and Wildlife Department creates artificial habitat to provide the needed environment, shelter, and food for fry and young of year fish, such as the Walleye.

Some of the artificial habitat is made from recycled Christmas trees, which are tied in bundles of three or four and weighed down with cinder blocks. The Nation's Fish and Wildlife Department places this type of artificial habitat in areas identified for spawning and nursing fish, such as Yellow Perch, Crappie, Walleye, and White Bass.
In certain areas wooden structures are also placed to help prevent erosion. The Christmas trees are then tied to the wooden structures to help prevent sediment buildup. Recycled cement rubble that has been removed from local construction projects is also bordered around nursery areas, again to provide shelter and food for young of year fish.

Artificial habitat is also made from recycled vinyl siding that ranges in size from one and a half to three feet in height, which is done to provide a more diverse artificial environment.

Land Locked Fish and Trenches

The draining of the reservoir in fall in combination with the sediment buildup that covers spawning and nursery areas leaves many areas of landlocked water that fish get trapped in, leading to mass fish kills. Once landlocked, tens of thousands of young of year fish die because of oxygen degradation, predation, and water evaporation.
Fish species affected by land locking are Crappie, Northern Pike, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Walleye, Bullhead, Small Mouth Bass, Large Mouth Bass, White Bass, Yellow Perch, and Paddlefish.

The Seneca Nation of Indian's Fish and Wildlife Department works to combat erosion and the mass loss of landlocked fish by building artificial habitat and digging trenches in the bottom of the Reservoir. During the winter months maintenance to the trenches dug in years past is done.

Mapping the Restoration Projects

The Seneca Nation's Geographic Information Services (G.I.S.) Department has helped document and track the various restoration projects related to our river.

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Trenches Dug for Landlocked Areas
GIS Department Mapping of Habitat: Gerri Jimerson
Artificial Fish Habitiats: Using Christmas Trees Seneca Nation of Indian land within the Allegany Territory that was inundated with the construction of the Allegany Reservoir is only underwater for part of the year. Come Fall of every year, much of the bottom of the Reservoir has begun to dry up as the water reserves are lowered at the discretion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This seasonal lowering and emptying of the water reserves held within the Reservoir leaves the land exposed and unprotected to weather elements, which in combination with the water fluctuations throughout the year, expediates the erosion of the shorelines and banks of Ohi:yo'. In addition, this annual exposure to the weather makes it difficult for natural vegetation to grow, which acts as a barrier to erosion. As part of the many restoration projects the Nation is involved in, the Nation's Fish and Wildlife Department creates artificial habitat to provide the needed environment for fry and young of year fish, such as the Walleye, shelter and food come summer when this portion of the Allegany Reservoir is once again underwater. In addition recycled cement rubble that has been removed from local construction projects is bordered around nursery areas, again to provide shelter and food for young of year fish. The artificial habitat shown here is made from recycled Christmas trees, which are tied in bundles of three (3) or 4(4) and weighed down with cinder blocks. Christmas tree artifical habitat is placed along areas identified for spawning and nursing fish of many species, such as Yellow Perch, Crappie, Walleye, and White Bass. Identified in the photo is Nation Fish and Wildlife Officer Andrew Howard. Quaker Run Creek can be seen flowing in the far right corner of the image (Quaker Run Creek is a tributary to Ohi:yo').
Landlocked Fish Kills in the Allegany Reservoir Sediment levels within the reservoir have built to the point where spawning and nursery areas are covered, leaving many of the fish species land locked when the annual drawdown for the winter months begins. Once landlocked, tens of thousands of young of year fish die because of oxygen degradation, predation, and water evaporation. Fish species affected by land locking are Crappie, Northern Pike, Muskellunge, Channel Catfish, Walleye, Bullhead, Small Mouth Bass, Large Mouth Bass, White Bass, Yellow Perch, and Paddlefish.
The Reservoir During Winter Draw Down As part of the many restoration projects the Nation is involved in, the Nation's Fish and Wildlife Department creates artificial habitat to provide the needed environment, shelter and food for fry and young of year fish, such as the Walleye. The artificial habitat shown here is made from recycled vinyl siding ranging from one and a half (1.5) feet to three (3) feet in height, which is done to provide a more diverse artificial environment.
Allegheny Reservoir Erosion The Seneca Nation of Indian's Fish and Wildlife Department works to combat erosion and the mass loss of landlocked fish by building artificial habitat and digging trenches in the bottom of the Reservoir. During the winter months maintenance to the trenches dug in years past is done. A trench dug in a past year can be seen in this photograph. Artificial habitat made of recycled vinyl siding is also placed along the sloping side of the sediment buildup.
Christmas Tree Artificial Habitat with Wooden Structures
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