GIBSONIA — Chatham University graduate students presented the results of a semester's worth of research on Breakneck Creek to Mars Borough leaders and constituents at meetings on Tuesday and Thursday.

Two classes led by Thomas Macagno, program director of sustainability, and Roy Weitzell, aquatic laboratory director, explored the Breakneck Creek tributary that flows through Mars Borough, gathered input from residents and property owners, and explained regulatory specifics to create a picture of what Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) improvements might look like in the borough in the future.

“We used (Breakneck Creek) as a model for our class, to have the students have a real-world experience, taking the subject matter we talk about in class and applying it and reconsidering it through the landscape in the real world,” Weitzell said. “There are some interesting policy questions and lots of interesting ecological function aspects that we can look at about how the stream is doing, what it might look like in the future, and what it might take to get it back to where it is functioning effectively and not contributing to issues.”

Weitzell's class said on Tuesday that the stream's areas of concern included the potential of pesticides and fertilizers flowing from the upstream Treesdale Golf Course. Additionally, the riparian zone, or area between the creek and the land, is somewhat narrow and doesn't have as much shading or protection.The group conducted a stream condition survey of fish found at the site, and rated the stream as having a “marginally good” score, suggesting a healthy population of fish is surviving, but that improved management could allow the ecosystem to flourish.The class recommended reexamining a bridge over the creak near Penn Mar Plaza, as a wider bridge would allow the water to flow with less sedimentation, or kicking up of dirt and debris in the stream, and less disruption of the stream bed.Beketa Jilo, a student in Weitzell's class, said that replacing the bridge at Penn Mar Plaza could have many benefits.“It provides better capacity to accommodate high flows during a storm, and it also saves the facility from possible fines from DEP,” he said. “It is less complicated, quicker construction and has fewer materials.”

On Thursday night at the Chatham Eden Hall Campus, Macagno's class presented the results of their surveys of Mars residents.Over the course of the semester this fall, students met residents and constituents at AppleFest, at Penn Mar Plaza, at Stick City Brewing and at the Mars Library to gather input and conduct surveys. They received 59 responses to their survey, and showed residents educational materials about Breakneck Creek, stormwater improvements and MS4.The group found that for residents who experienced flooding in the Mars area, the most occurred in basements, and that residents having to spend money on flooding repairs spent it most frequently on mold issues, installation of French drains and replacing a washer or dryer.“I would say (storm water management) is not forefront-of-mind. People don't think of themselves as being affected, even though they are affected,” said student Maura Randolph. “I think the educational piece comes in and people will realize 'This actually is affecting me in a big way.'”At the meetings during the semester, students also used what they called an “UpVote activity” to engage with residents.“We came up with images that either reflect a Breakneck Creek that is a destination — a really restored and more pristine version, that is an ideal outcome,” said student Matt Sobota. “That comprised half of our images and then the other half were best practices we came up with that take the form of actions that get us to that restored destination of Breakneck Creek.”According to that activity, the most highly recommended and moderately priced options for improving community engagement and awareness were community clean-ups, “grate art”, educational activities and a native planting competition.Students in the class also detailed the efforts of their survey in a whitepaper document, which will be submitted to Mars Borough.“What you've already started for us are conversations with some key stakeholders, which I think can trickle down to the residents who'll say, huh, maybe we can do some things too,” said Mars Mayor Gregg Hartung. “What you've talked about at some of these meetings might be a real benefit to the community as a starting point.”