Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Podcast

Jan. 6, 2026 -- Founder and longtime president of the Chillisquaque/Limestone Watershed Association, Tom Benfer talks about the significance of the tributary, the numerous projects tackled to improve water quality (from trash pickups that hauled hundreds of thousands of pounds of litter and thousands of tires away from Chillisquaque Creek to macroinvertebrate studies and streambank restoration eff...

Join Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky as he checks out a segment of each of the 30 songs that made it on our special 2-disc 2025 Greatest Hits Songs of the Susquehanna album this year. The CD is now  available for purchase  and we are accepting  submissions for 2026 . 

Susquehanna River Basin Commission Executive Director Andrew Dehoff and the commission's Surface Water Supervisor Mike College talk about the spike in data center interest in the greater watershed and what that could mean for the greater watershed. The discussion includes what data centers are, why they use so much water and what alternatives can be for cooling. 

Williamsport Municipal Water Authority Environmental Manager Cheryl Terpak, Lycoming College's Dr. Leslie Rieck and former student and current water authority worker Ben Fry discuss a unique collaborative effort to map 360 city stormwater outfalls and what we should learn from that work.

A geologist with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, Graham Marcowicz is highly interested in hydrology and working on new tools such as GIS mapping to look at groundwater recharge. He shares about that and other important aspects of his work. 

A rising senior at West Virginia University and resident of the Montoursville area of our watershed, Maggie Yonkin is a huge advocate of environmental education. She shares her back story, tips for making a difference and the therapy she appreciates from our natural resources.

Hoping to inspire curiosity and self-worth among young people she works with, Abbie Mack is serving as one of our interns this summer. She shares the inspiration behind her fascination with nature and especially bugs, how she chose Susquehanna University and the importance of pursuing your passion.

A resident of the Gaza Strip along the Mediterranean Sea, Ibrahim Alqassass is currently majoring in computer science at Susquehanna University and serving as an intern this summer. He shares details about his past, desires to combine environmental work and tech and suggests how young people can make a difference.

Rising Susquehanna University junior Caley Treat, from the Bloomsburg area, will be an intern with the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association this summer. She shares details about how she first fell in love with nature, decided to attend Susquehanna University and tips for making a difference at home.

Program Coordinator for the Susquehanna County Conservation District, Don Hibbard has a longstanding experience in providing a wide variety of services to protect and improve our natural resources. He chats about his background, the importance of environmental education and how people can make a difference.

The Northcentral Region Education Coordinator for the PA Fish and Boat Commission, Amidea Daniel strives to connect people to our natural resources. She does this in creative ways, including overseeing the Trout in the Classroom initiative and leading a statewide women in the outdoors effort. Interview by Emily Shosh.

An avid outdoorsman since little, growing up in Schuylkill County and seeing environmental impacts of mining and other pollutants first-hand, Andrew Mickey serves the State Conservation Commission and works on roadway-waterway interactions via PA's dirt and gravel program.

March 13, 2025 -- New Forest Conservation Coordinator Aaron Lewis chats about his role, the importance of forests when it comes to filtering waterways and the habitat it provides our state bird, the ruffed grouse. An advocate of the grouse, Lewis also discusses restoration of the species thanks to improving habitat.  Interview by Northern Tier Regional Director Emily Shosh.  

Susquehanna River Basin Commission Project Review Manager Todd Eaby looks back at his 15 years so far with the commission and discusses how water withdrawal permits work for a wide variety of industrial needs across the watershed.

Founder and director of the Forest School Teacher Institute, Dr. Jean Lomino, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, talks about what forest schooling is, her journey as an educator to better understanding the importance of outdoor learning and what people can expect at a  mid-April certification training she is offering in PA. 

A lifelong angler, Jamie SanFilippo has turned her passion into a fly-fishing guide career in Centre County. She talks with West Branch Regional Director Andrew Bechdel about her work and how development is impacting trout habitat and what groups like Trout Unlimited are doing about it.

Physicians assistant Alyssa Maddalena shares the story of how she started writing a children's book about her daughter and their adventures along the Susquehanna River called " Good Morning, Susquehanna " which released in late November.

December 3, 2024 -- DCNR Botanist chats with Northern Tier Regional Director Emily Shosh about her love of plants, the importance of protecting wetlands as a way to saving rare plant species and how we all can be more aware of our impacts to the environment around us. 

November 25, 2024 -- We celebrate our 100th episode of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper podcast by looking back at some of the most popular moments from more than 29 hours of interviews from people who all share a passion for our river, its tributaries and the creatures that depend on those aquatic resources.

Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife diversity biologist Richard Fritsky chats about his work and specifically about bats and their important relationship with our aquatic ecosystem, the insects they help control and the impacts of white nose syndrome on their populations.

Penn State Forest Extension Educator Cat Pugh talks about the importance of riparian buffers, agroforestry and creative plantings of things such as willow that can lead to opportunities such as artistic programs and needs such as basket weaving.  Interview by Regional Director Andrew Bechdel.

Stream Restoration Specialist Phil Thomas, of Trout Unlimited, chats about the use of Large Wood Addition (LWA) projects which include felling large trees intentionally into streams to intentionally mimic natural conditions and increase habitat.  Interview by Regional Director Emily Shosh.

The newest Director of Lycoming College's Clean Water Institute, Matt Kaunert has a long history of Eastern hellbender research in western PA. He shares some of that and his nest box work, what he's seen in studying hellbender reproduction and trends across the state.

We check back in with Dr. Peter Petokas and his work on the Eastern hellbender in the Susquehanna River watershed to see what the species' status current status is, what work is being done and how we can act now to preserve the hellbender before it is too late.

Mike Toolan, the Musser Gap Conservation Director, talks about the 355-acre Musser Gap Greenway. The venue, created via a partnership with Penn State University and the Clearwater Conservancy, is dedicated to connecting people to nature while water quality and habitat in Centre County.  Interview by West Branch Regional Director Andrew Bechdel