Funds will support six research projects that address critical aquatic ecosystem and watershed challenges
The Pennsylvania Sea Grant College Program is pleased to announce $1.27 million funding for critical aquatic and watershed-related research in Pennsylvania. Funding includes $851,151 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and $428,077 in matching funds from awarded institutions. Pennsylvania Sea Grant conducts and supports scientific research that enhances the use and conservation of Pennsylvania’s coastal, watershed, and Great Lakes resources.
The current biennial research investment supports researchers and students affiliated with Bryn Mawr College; Penn State Erie, the Behrend College; Penn State Hazleton; Penn State University; Villanova University, and the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.
“Pennsylvania Sea Grant’s competitive research program helps researchers and students take on real-world ecological and economic challenges affecting communities and watersheds throughout the Commonwealth,” said Dr. Sean Rafferty, Research Director for PA Sea Grant. “By investing in this research, we can support practical solutions that protect water quality and improve the way Pennsylvania manages its coastal and watershed resources.”
The research will take place 2026 through 2028. Research projects include:
A data-driven approach to evaluate and inform the effectiveness of agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) – Agricultural runoff continues to be a leading cause of water quality degradation in the Susquehanna River Basin, the largest contributor of nutrients and sediments to the Chesapeake Bay. Despite widespread promotion of Best Management Practices (BMPs), decision-makers lack field-based data to evaluate their real-world effectiveness. This project addresses that critical gap by conducting a field-and model-based evaluation of BMP performance in small agricultural watersheds in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
Improving coastal ecosystem resiliency and wetland restoration by leveraging heritable trait variation in populations – Environmental factors are rapidly changing ecosystems across successive levels of biological organization: from genes to ecosystem functioning. This research proposes to evaluate the contribution of heritable trait variation on ecosystem processes that contribute to coastal marsh resilience. The proposed work will help advance evidence-based ecosystem restoration strategies for creating and maintaining resilient coastal ecosystems.
From streams to seas: Using community-based science to track the source and fate of marine debris from a mixed-use watershed – Marine debris (MD) has profound negative impacts on vital coastal ecosystems, including the Delaware River. Yet, few studies have investigated MD delivery to rivers, despite their substantial role in transporting MD to the ocean. Watersheds provide an opportunity to examine causal factors that deliver MD to the coast and allow local stakeholders to understand the interconnectedness between clean water issues and thriving communities. This research project will monitor MD delivery to and from the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford (TTF) Watershed, a direct tributary of the Delaware River.
Identifying the parasite communities of common Lake Erie invasive, aquaculture, and game species – Aside from a few heavily studied systems, parasite species composition, relative abundance, and ecological impacts are poorly understood. The mysteries of parasites are further clouded by aquatic invasive species (AIS). Knowing what parasites are present in common AIS and if those parasites are being transferred to other economically important species, i.e., popular game fishes and species that may be targeted for aquaculture, is important for overall ecosystem health and ensuring sustainable fisheries and future aquaculture activities. This project aims to fill this knowledge gap through field surveys designed to document the presence and species composition of parasites in common AIS and sport fishes.
Movement dynamics of a recently established invasive riverine flathead catfish population – Understanding the ecological and economic impacts of invasive catfish is a global priority. In Pennsylvania, the flathead catfish Pylodictus olivaris – a large predatory catfish – was first detected in the Susquehanna River in 2002. Since then, they have established a rapidly growing population that is expanding throughout the river system. The goal of this research is to tag flathead catfish and deploy an acoustic telemetry array in a recently invaded reach of the West Branch Susquehanna River to help address critical knowledge gaps.
Economic valuation of improved water quality in Pennsylvania through abandoned mine drainage reclamation – Abandoned mines leave a legacy of untreated environmental hazards from an era without established regulations to ensure responsible stewardship of environmental resources. Pennsylvania has the largest inventory of abandoned coal mines, with remediation costs estimated at $5 billion. The project will simulate policy scenarios showing the economic benefits of improved water quality through AMD treatment across Pennsylvania. The calculated economic values will help stakeholders such as watershed associations make the case for funding and AMD remediation projects. More generally, the research will illustrate the economic value of clean water resources.
Since 2012, Pennsylvania Sea Grant has invested $10.4 million to support 82 competitive research projects at 29 institutions, which has also led to research experience for 216 undergraduate, 43 graduate, and 34 Ph.D. students. Research funding includes $5,553,178 from NOAA, $1,158,844 from The Pennsylvania State University, and $3,638,474 in matching funds from awarded institutions.
Read full descriptions of these projects and other research supported by Pennsylvania Sea Grant research https://seagrant.psu.edu/research/projects/.
