PROJECTS
Since 2001, the Conservancy has secured over $550,000 in grants for projects in the Bushkill Creek watershed. A sampling of these activities is highlighted below. All of these projects illustrate the valuable partnerships that have been created through BSC, and many of the projects have been supported by grants obtained from the Pennsylvania Growing Greener program, Pennsylvania DCNR, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Water Resources Education Network, the Coldwater Heritage Partnership, private foundations and corporate donations.
Pennsylvania DCNR has recognized the successful partnership of BSC with Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, and considers it a model for how DCNR can work with local partners to assist a region with its conservation and recreation needs. Read about the Lehigh Valley Greenways Initiative for more information.
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
Informational Brochures
The Conservancy has recently developed three brochures. The first is an overview of the watershed and the Conservancy's programs and projects. Two additional brochures include information on streamside buffers, and water quality and watershed management.
StreamKeeper Project
The Conservancy developed the StreamKeeper program to encourage community members to preserve and protect the Bushkill Creek. For information on this program, see the brochure.
Birding and Natural History Trail Map
Working with the Northampton County Conservation District, Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, and Lafayette College, as well as other local experts, Bushkill Stream Conservancy has developed a Birding and Natural History Trail Map for the Two Rivers Greenway area. The map highlights 15 locations, giving directions and describing important habitats and species that can be seen at each. Funding for development of the map came from the DCNR Wild Resources Conservation Fund. The Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society provided funds for printing. The map is available through BSC and the Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau.
PLANNING (see reports page for more info)
Visual Assessment of Flooding along Bushkill Creek
The BSC retained LandStudies, Inc to evaluate flooding issues along the main stem of the Bushkill Creek and develop conceptual mitigation plans to address problem areas.
Upper Bushkill Creek Watershed and Sobers Run Coldwater Conservation Plans
These coldwater plans provide recommendations for the conservation of coldwater fisheries in the upper reaches of the Bushkill Creek watershed. The Upper Bushkill Creek watershed plan includes detailed assessments of fish and macroinvertebrates completed in 2008. Sobers Run is one of the highest quality tributaries to the Bushkill Creek - part of Sobers Run was recently upgraded to an Exceptional Value stream due in part to our work on implementing the recommendations in these plans.
Greenways Plan
BSC served as the steering committee for the Two Rivers Area Greenway Plan commissioned by the Two Rivers Council of Governments. The plan serves as a blueprint for future conservation and recreation projects in the watershed. See the greenways page for more information.
Northampton County Open Space
BSC worked with Heritage Conservancy of Doyleston to present the first parcel of land to be preserved under the Northampton County open space program. The land preserved includes potential bog turtle habitat adjacent to Sobers Run, the best quality stream in the watershed. BSC began working with Heritage in 2004 to protect critical open space, natural areas, and historic sites in the upper watershed, particularly the riparian corridors along Sobers Run. BSC continues to work with various land conservancies to preserve and protect environmentally sensitive lands.
Bushkill Creek Watershed Protection Plan
In 2005, BSC completed a watershed protection plan that identifies the resources in the watershed and issues of concern. This plan lists implementation projects that will help address these issues.
WATERSHED RESTORATION PROJECTS
Bushkill Creek and Delaware River Confluence
This project included removal of invasive plants and planting native vegetation along 10,000 square feet of stream and river bank where the Bushkill Creek enters the Delaware River. An educational sign was also installed describing the link between the Bushkill Creek and the Delaware Estuary. The project connects directly to a $9 million redevelopment project along the Bushkill Creek Corridor in the City of Easton.
Lions Park and Palmer Bike Path
Riparian buffer restoration and enhancement was completed along the about 1,000 feet on both sides of the Bushkill Creek in Lions Park, located in Forks Township, and the Palmer Bike Path, located in Palmer Township. Invasive plants were removed from the project area and about 250 native trees and shrubs were installed. A warm season grass demonstration meadow was installed. Educational signs were put in on both sides of the creek.
Palmer Park at the Villages of Mill Race
Invasive plants were removed along about 3,000 feet of the Bushkill Creek. Native shrubs and trees were installed in this area to improve the riparian buffer. Two warm season meadows were also planted at the park.
Sullivan Park Improvements
In cooperation with the City of Easton, Lafayette College, and the Northampton County Conservation District, BSC obtained Growing Greener grants to conduct an engineering study and construct a detention wetland at Sullivan Park in the College Hill area of Easton. The area below the park has suffered severe stormwater damage in recent years. Because portions of the park are saturated from springs and are not usable for recreation, it is a good location for a detention wetland that will alleviate the flooding problem while maintaining existing recreational uses. Signage and a surrounding walkway are planned to create an attractive feature for the community. Preliminary engineering studies were performed by civil engineering students at Lafayette College.
Erosion Control at Henry's Woods, Jacobsburg State Park
Erosion of 400' of Bushkill Creek in a stand of old growth forest (Henry's Woods) was undermining 20 mature trees and adding sediment to the stream. Henry's Woods is one of the most popular natural attractions in the Lehigh Valley and the effects of human impact have contributed to the erosion problem.This Growing Greener project included the installation of erosion control devices to stabilize the stream bank as well as the installation of trail barriers and native restoration plantings to prevent future erosion.
Streambank Improvements
With volunteers from Forks of the Delaware Chapter of Trout Unlimited, in-kind contributions of labor and equipment from Forks and Palmer Townships, and funding from Bushkill Stream Conservancy, the partnership has completed a variety of stream improvement and erosion-control projects over the past decade.Included have been streambank plantings for erosion control along the Binney Meadows section of the main stream and at the Edelmans crossing of the Little Bushkill, among other areas; "sawtooth" stone structures below Edgewood Avenue, at Bushkill Park, and near Penn Pump Park; and removal of downed trees from the railroad bridge at Penn Pump. The 2001 project involved widening and leveling the access strip, installing erosion control buffers, and adding guard rails at the popular duck-feeding area along Tatamy Road in Palmer.
Invasive Plant Control
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center under the direction of Bill Sweeney has been a leader in the control of invasive plants, which have severely impacted some areas of the watershed.
STREAM MONITORING
Monitoring of Bushkill Creek is conducted by students and faculty at Lafayette College, students at Easton and Pen Argyl High Schools, and local citizens of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Lafayette students conduct stream sampling at nine locations in the watershed during the fall semester each year. Field parameters are measured and samples are run for major ions at the Civil & Environmental Engineering analysis lab. Automated stream gages obtained by grants through NSF and Growing Greener are maintained by Lafayette faculty, and continuously record stream stage, conductivity, and temperature at several locations in the watershed. Easton Area High School students monitor the Bushkill in Easton near the Rt 22 overpass. Pen Argyl High School students monitor water quality in the Little Bushkill.
RSVP monitors water quality at 17 locations (click here for map) using Lamotte test kits. The RSVP data are available here as Excel files: 2001-02 data, 2003 data, 2004 data, 2005 data, 2006 data, 2007 data, 2008 data.
Collectively, the monitoring data are used to identify problem areas of the stream, as well as to serve as a baseline against which to compare future water quality data. The program has identified several areas in the lower Bushkill as impaired.
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