Mar 21, 2026 By Jen Garofalo 2 min read

Members of the public are invited to share their thoughts about what improvements should be made in and around the Connellsville to McKeesport stretch of the Youghiogheny River.

The Mountain Watershed Association is hosting the sessions on Monday, March 23, at Carnegie Library of McKeesport and on Tuesday, March 24, at the West Overton Museum in Scottdale. Both sessions run from 6 to 8 p.m., and anyone who lives, works or recreates on the river is welcome.

The gatherings will help MWA members compile a river conservation plan for that stretch of the Yough.

Carla Ruddock, MWA’s director of conservation, said the plan will address not only water quality and ecological health, but also amenities or improvements along or in the vicinity of the river.

Those can include anything from addressing stormwater issues to adding parks or trails, Ruddock said.

The plan will include all of the suggestions, she said, and be sent to the state’s Rivers Registry. Ruddock stressed that the plan is only a series of recommendations.

While it does not mean that projects will be funded, she said having the plan on file with the state can assist entities in applying for grants to complete any of the suggested projects.

For example, if a municipality is seeking a grant for a park, the application may ask if they’ve put it into a comprehensive plan. Having it in there increases the chances of the grant being awarded, Ruddock said.

Anyone who can’t come to the meetings can fill out an online survey at https://tinyurl.com/25n3vw5b.

Participation in the process is key to continued development and improvement along the Yough, she said.

“We can write a plan for the community, but there has to be community buy-in,” Ruddock said.

Additional information is available at https://mtwatershed.com/ under the events tab.

Carnegie Library of McKeesport is located at 1501 Library St., McKeesport. West Overton Museum is located at 112 W. Overton Road, Scottdale.