Michelle Herman of Bellefonte participates in summer internship at Lycoming College

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Herman holding a hellbender salamander

WILLIAMSPORT, PA (07/07/2011)(readMedia)-- Michelle Herman, a junior biology major, is participating in a summer internship with the Clear Water Institute (CWI) at Lycoming College. Under the direction of Dr. Mel Zimmerman, CWI director and professor of biology at Lycoming, and Dr. Peter Petokas, CWI research associate, Herman and seven other interns are spending the summer engaged in a number of aquatic biology projects.

Three of the projects continue research from past years. These include an unassessed water analysis for fish populations of head water streams in the Pine Creek, Loyalsock Creek, Lycoming Creek and Muncy Creek watersheds, monitoring the population of the North American hellbender salamander, and monitoring the water quality of the lower West Branch Susquehanna River between Lock Haven and Sunbury.

Other shorter, day-long projects have included assisting at the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's 8th Annual American shad fry stocking event at Bald Eagle Creek, aiding the Pennsylvania Game Commission in tagging young barn owns, and helping the Rose Valley Lake/Mill Creek Watershed Association monitor water quality as part of the North American Secchi dip-in.

Later this summer, the interns will be involved in a project to establish a base-line water quality for streams in agricultural areas at which the Lycoming County Conservation District is working with farmers to establish the best management practices on their farms.

Lycoming College is a national liberal arts and sciences school dedicated to the undergraduate education of 1,400 students. It is recognized as a Tier 1 institution by U.S. News and World Report. Founded in 1812 in Williamsport, Pa., Lycoming is one of the 50 oldest colleges in the nation. For more information, visit www.lycoming.edu.