As part of the American Geophysical Union’s Barnesville, Ohio Thriving Earth Exchange project, water sampling was conducted on two of the most pristine waterways in the state, Captina Creek and Cat’s Run. Dr. John Stolz, Director, Center for Environmental Research and Education at Duquesne University, is the Scientific lead for this project. He and his graduate student team (Brittany Garman and Dannielle Pratt) conducted the sampling. They were guided by Community Lead, Jill Hunkler. The sampling included sites on Cat’s Run upstream and downstream of the Schnegg well pad in Belmont County, where a well blowout occurred earlier in the year.
Sampling was also conducted at sites on Captina Creek and at its confluence with Cat’s Run. Analysis on site, done with a YSI multimeter, determined levels of dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and specific conductivity. It was noted that water temperatures were between 19.1 – 20oC, but specific conductivity (303.1-420.6 micro Siemens/cm) indicated low total dissolved solids (TDS) of 197-273.4 mg/L. Further testing will be done for 7 salts (anions) and 31 metals (cations).
