DOCSLIB.ORG

Upper Unami Creek Aquatic Resource Assessment and Conservation Plan ______

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Upper Unami Creek Aquatic Resource Assessment and Conservation Plan ______ UpperȱUnamiȱCreekȱ AquaticȱResourcesȱAssessmentȱandȱ ConservationȱPlanȱ ȱ ȱ 2005 UPPER UNAMI CREEK AQUATIC RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION PLAN _________________________________________________________________________________ ȱ Introduction ȱ ȱ InȱtheȱUpperȱUnamiȱCreekȱwatershedȱofȱnorthernȱBucksȱCounty,ȱandȱ everywhereȱonȱEarth,ȱwaterȱisȱtheȱlifebloodȱofȱtheȱland.ȱȱTheȱheavilyȱforestedȱ portionȱofȱthisȱwatershed,ȱknownȱasȱtheȱUnamiȱForest,ȱincludesȱsomeȱofȱtheȱ highestȱqualityȱstreams,ȱwetlands,ȱandȱgroundwaterȱaquifersȱinȱtheȱPhiladelphiaȱ region,ȱandȱrepresentsȱtheȱsecondȱlargestȱcontiguousȱforestȱinȱsoutheastȱ Pennsylvania.ȱȱTheseȱecologicalȱattributesȱareȱaȱtestimonyȱtoȱtheȱstewardshipȱofȱ landowners,ȱmunicipalities,ȱcountyȱandȱstateȱagencies,ȱandȱenvironmentalȱ organizationsȱwhoȱhaveȱworkedȱtoȱprotectȱlocalȱlandscapesȱandȱwaterȱsupplies.ȱȱ Toȱdate,ȱoverȱ1,000ȱȱacresȱofȱlandȱinȱtheȱUpperȱUnamiȱCreekȱwatershedȱhaveȱ beenȱpermanentlyȱprotectedȱbyȱlandownersȱworkingȱwithȱstateȱandȱcountyȱ agencies,ȱmunicipalȱgovernments,ȱandȱnonȬprofitȱconservationȱgroupsȱ(orȱ combinationsȱofȱthese).ȱȱȱ ȱ NaturalȱLandsȱTrustȱhasȱpreparedȱthisȱUpperȱUnamiȱCreekȱAquaticȱResourceȱ AssessmentȱandȱConservationȱPlanȱ(theȱAssessment)ȱforȱtheȱpurposeȱofȱidentifyingȱ parcelsȱofȱlandȱthatȱprovideȱtheȱmostȱeffectiveȱnaturalȱbufferȱandȱecologicalȱ enhancementȱtoȱtheȱhealthiestȱstreamȱreachesȱinȱtheȱUpperȱUnamiȱCreekȱ watershed.ȱȱTheȱupper,ȱBucksȱCountyȱportionȱofȱtheȱwatershedȱwasȱselectedȱ sinceȱitsȱheadwatersȱstreamsȱrepresentȱtheȱtransitionȱfromȱanȱ agricultural/suburbanȱlandscape,ȱandȱassociatedȱnonȬpointȱsourceȱpollutants,ȱtoȱ oneȱthatȱisȱprimarilyȱforested.ȱȱItȱisȱinȱtheseȱstreamsȱthatȱbiologicalȱmonitoringȱ 1 UPPER UNAMI CREEK AQUATIC RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION PLAN _________________________________________________________________________________ canȱdemonstrateȱtheȱstreamȱqualityȱimprovementsȱprovidedȱbyȱforests.ȱȱȱTheȱ decisionȱtoȱsampleȱbottomȬdwellingȱaquaticȱinsectsȱandȱwormsȱ(orȱbenthicȱ macroinvertebrates)ȱwasȱmadeȱbecauseȱofȱtheyȱtendȱtoȱbeȱcommon,ȱdiverse,ȱ readilyȱaccessibleȱaquaticȱorganismsȱthatȱofferȱaȱrelativelyȱsensitiveȱmeasureȱofȱ environmentalȱchangeȱandȱstress.ȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ Figureȱ1ȱȱUnamiȱCreekȱlocationȱwithinȱtheȱUpperȱPerkiomenȱCreekȱWatershedȱ(source:ȱUpperȱ PerkiomenȱCreekȱWatershedȱConservationȱPlanȱȱUPWC,ȱ2001)ȱ ȱ TheȱfindingsȱofȱthisȱAssessmentȱareȱintendedȱtoȱfurtherȱrefineȱtheȱConservationȱ PrioritiesȱestablishedȱbyȱtheȱTrustȱinȱitsȱpublication,ȱUpperȱUnamiȱCreekȱWatershed:ȱ LandscapeȱConservationȱPlanȱ(NLT,ȱ2002).ȱȱTheȱsamplingȱstationsȱareȱalsoȱintendedȱ toȱserveȱasȱaȱnetworkȱforȱlongȬtermȱvolunteerȱmonitoringȱofȱbiologicalȱconditionsȱ onȱtheȱUnamiȱCreekȱandȱitsȱtributaries,ȱasȱaȱsupplementȱtoȱdataȱcollectedȱbyȱtheȱ PennsylvaniaȱDepartmentȱofȱEnvironmentalȱProtectionȱ(PAȱDEP).ȱȱ ȱ Asȱdevelopmentȱpressuresȱandȱlandȱvaluesȱincreaseȱthroughoutȱsoutheasternȱ Pennsylvania,ȱtheȱimportanceȱofȱprioritizingȱtheȱrightȱlandȱtoȱprotectȱalsoȱ increases.ȱȱWhatȱisȱrightȱisȱbasedȱonȱseveralȱfactors:ȱ 2 UPPER UNAMI CREEK AQUATIC RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION PLAN _________________________________________________________________________________ ȱ x theȱconservationȱvaluesȱ(orȱregionalȱpublicȱbenefits)ȱofȱtheȱprogramȱarea,ȱȱ x theȱmissionȱofȱtheȱorganizationȱprotectingȱland,ȱandȱȱ x theȱprioritiesȱofȱtheȱentityȱfundingȱlandȱprotectionȱprojectsȱinȱaȱgivenȱ programȱarea.ȱȱȱ ȱ NaturalȱLandsȱTrustȱhasȱdefinedȱtheȱrightȱlandȱtoȱprotectȱinȱitsȱUpperȱUnamiȱ CreekȱWatershed:ȱLandscapeȱConservationȱPlan,ȱidentifyingȱpropertiesȱasȱlandscapeȱ conservationȱprioritiesȱbasedȱonȱtheirȱroleȱinȱprovidingȱlandscapeȬscaleȱ networksȱofȱforestȬinteriorȱhabitatȱandȱforestedȱriparianȱcorridorsȱ(NLT,ȱ2002).ȱȱ TheȱUnamiȱCreekȱisȱaȱtributaryȱofȱtheȱPerkiomenȱCreek,ȱaȱsourceȱtheȱwaterȱ supplierȱAquaȱPennsylvaniaȱdrawsȱfromȱtoȱserveȱoverȱ700,000ȱcustomersȱatȱaȱ surfaceȱintakeȱnearȱtheȱconfluenceȱwithȱtheȱSchuylkillȱRiverȱ(UpperȱPerkiomenȱ WatershedȱCoalition,ȱ2001).ȱȱToȱensureȱthatȱtheȱUnamiȱCreekȱwatershedȱ continuesȱtoȱsupportȱbiologicallyȬdiverseȱforestsȱandȱclean,ȱplentifulȱwaterȱ supplies,ȱtheȱTrustȱandȱotherȱconservationȱpartners,ȱusingȱfundsȱfromȱstateȱandȱ countyȱagencies,ȱmunicipalȱgovernments,ȱandȱprivateȱfoundations,ȱareȱworkingȱ toȱprotectȱlarge,ȱforestedȱparcelsȱandȱparcelsȱwithȱextensiveȱforestedȱstreamȱ frontage.ȱȱȱ ȱ ThisȱAssessmentȱisȱdesignedȱtoȱanswerȱanȱimportantȱquestion:ȱWhichȱforestedȱ streamfrontȱparcelsȱinȱthisȱprogramȱareaȱareȱdoingȱtheȱbestȱjobȱofȱbufferingȱandȱ filteringȱhighȱqualityȱstreamȱreachesȱ(orȱsegments)?ȱȱȱTheȱanswerȱtoȱthatȱquestionȱ isȱprovidedȱhereinȱthroughȱtheȱidentificationȱofȱtheȱhealthiestȱstreamȱreachesȱandȱ associatedȱparcelsȱofȱlandȱinȱtheȱUpperȱUnamiȱCreekȱwatershedȱasȱprioritiesȱforȱ conservation.ȱ ȱȱȱ InȱlightȱofȱrecentȱStroudȱWaterȱResearchȱCenterȱfindingsȱthatȱriparianȱforestsȱ playȱaȱcriticalȱroleȱinȱcleaningȱupȱourȱstreamsȱandȱrivers,ȱthisȱquestionȱandȱitsȱ answersȱhaveȱtakenȱonȱnewȱrelevanceȱtoȱlandȱprotectionȱprogramsȱinȱtheȱUnamiȱ andȱthroughoutȱtheȱEasternȱDeciduousȱForestȱbiome.ȱȱTheȱStroudȱstudy,ȱreportedȱ inȱtheȱProceedingsȱofȱtheȱNationalȱAcademyȱofȱSciencesȱ(Vol.ȱ101,ȱno.ȱ39),ȱ documentedȱthatȱstreamsideȱforestsȱpreventȱnonpointȱsourceȱpollutantsȱfromȱ enteringȱsmallȱstreams,ȱtheyȱalsoȱenhanceȱtheȱinȬstreamȱprocessingȱofȱbothȱ nonpointȱandȱpointȱsourceȱpollutants,ȱtherebyȱreducingȱtheirȱimpactȱonȱ downstreamȱriversȱandȱestuaries.ȱȱ(Sweeney,ȱetȱal,ȱ2004).ȱȱInȱitsȱSchuylkillȱRiverȱȱ Project,ȱStroudȱmonitoredȱbiologicalȱcommunitiesȱatȱ2ȱsitesȱinȱtheȱlowerȱreachesȱ andȱ6ȱsitesȱinȱtheȱupperȱreachesȱofȱUnamiȱCreekȱfromȱ1996ȱtoȱ2005ȱandȱfoundȱ thatȱwaterȱqualityȱwasȱfairȱbasedȱonȱanȱanalysisȱofȱbenthicȱmacroinvertebrateȱ populations,ȱwithȱoneȱsiteȱrankingȱasȱpoor.ȱȱAȱnumberȱofȱtheseȱsitesȱareȱinȱorȱ 3 UPPER UNAMI CREEK AQUATIC RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION PLAN _________________________________________________________________________________ nearȱopenȱfarmlandȱandȱdownstreamȱofȱnewlyȱdevelopingȱareas.ȱȱTheȱUnamiȱ wasȱgivenȱaȱgradeȱofȱaȱCȱbasedȱonȱcomparisonȱtoȱ19ȱotherȱstreamȱreachesȱ monitoredȱinȱtheȱSchuylkillȱbasinȱ(SWRC,ȱ2005).ȱ ȱ ThisȱAssessmentȱprovidesȱanȱoverviewȱofȱwaterȱqualityȱassessmentsȱpreviouslyȱ preparedȱforȱtheȱUnamiȱCreek,ȱoutlinesȱtheȱUnitedȱStatesȱEnvironmentalȱ ProtectionȱAgencyȱRapidȱBioassessmentȱProtocolsȱusedȱforȱdataȱcollectionȱandȱ analysis,ȱandȱsummarizesȱtheȱfindingsȱforȱ12ȱstreamȱreachesȱinȱtheȱ6ȱsubbasinsȱ sampled.ȱȱTheȱfinalȱsection,ȱentitledȱRiparianȱLandȱProtectionȱPriorities,ȱ identifiesȱandȱprioritizesȱstreamsideȱparcelsȱfoundȱtoȱcontributeȱtheȱmostȱdirectȱ filtrationȱofȱoverlandȱflow,ȱinȬstreamȱpurification,ȱandȱaquaticȱandȱriparianȱ habitatȱbenefitsȱtoȱstreamȱreachesȱwithȱhealthyȱbenthicȱmacroinvertebrateȱ communities.ȱ ȱ WithȱtheȱknowledgeȱofferedȱbyȱthisȱAssessmentȱinȱhand,ȱconservationȱpartnersȱ canȱactȱstrategicallyȱtoȱsaveȱlandȱthatȱensuresȱtheȱlandȬwaterȱlinkȱisȱmaintainedȱ forȱtheȱongoingȱbenefitȱofȱhealthyȱaquaticȱlifeȱandȱclean,ȱplentifulȱwaterȱsuppliesȱ inȱtheȱUnamiȱCreekȱwatershed.ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ 4 UPPER UNAMI CREEK AQUATIC RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION PLAN _________________________________________________________________________________ ȱ Overview of Unami Creek Water Quality Assessments ȱ TheȱwaterȱqualityȱandȱbiologyȱofȱtheȱUnamiȱCreekȱhasȱbeenȱtheȱsubjectȱofȱ ongoingȱstudyȱsinceȱatȱleastȱtheȱ1980s,ȱwithȱstudiesȱbyȱtheȱPennsylvaniaȱ DepartmentȱofȱEnvironmentalȱProtection,ȱMarlboroughȱTownship,ȱandȱtheȱ StroudȱWaterȱResearchȱCenter.ȱȱ ȱ PAȱDEPȱImpairedȱStreamsȱAssessment/WatershedȱRestorationȱActionȱStrategyȱ TheȱPennsylvaniaȱDepartmentȱofȱEnvironmentalȱProtectionȱhasȱsurveyedȱtheȱ UnamiȱCreekȱasȱpartȱofȱitsȱevaluationȱofȱtheȱPerkiomenȱCreekȱunderȱtheȱ UnassessedȱWatersȱProgram.ȱȱȱNearlyȱtheȱentireȱUnamiȱCreekȱstreamȱnetworkȱisȱ ratedȱasȱAttainingȱwaterȱqualityȱparametersȱestablishedȱbyȱtheȱUnitedȱStatesȱ EnvironmentalȱProtectionȱAgency.ȱȱTheȱexceptionȱisȱoneȱhalfȬmileȱreachȱofȱtheȱ LickingȱCreekȱonȱtheȱLehigh/BucksȱCountyȱborderȱratedȱasȱImpairedȱdueȱtoȱ impactsȱassociatedȱwithȱagriculturalȱrunoff.ȱȱThisȱImpairedȱreachȱisȱwellȱ upstreamȱofȱtheȱnearestȱsamplingȱstationȱ(UC1)ȱestablishedȱforȱthisȱAssessment.ȱȱ ȱ PAȱDEPȱbiologistsȱrelyȱonȱdataȱcollectionȱstrategiesȱsimilarȱtoȱthoseȱusedȱforȱthisȱ Assessment,ȱevaluatingȱaquaticȱhabitatȱandȱstreamȱbiologyȱatȱmultipleȱstreamȱ sitesȱchosenȱtoȱreflectȱlandȱuseȱimpactsȱinȱeachȱsubbasin.ȱȱBiologicalȱsurveysȱ includeȱkicknetȱsamplingȱandȱidentificationȱofȱbenthicȱmacroinvertebratesȱtoȱtheȱ familyȱlevelȱinȱtheȱfield,ȱandȱevaluationȱofȱtheirȱȱpollutionȱtolerance.ȱȱHabitatȱ assessmentsȱinclude:ȱembeddednessȱofȱstreamȱsubstrate;ȱdegreeȱofȱstreambankȱ erosion;ȱconditionȱofȱriparianȱvegetation;ȱandȱamountȱofȱsedimentationȱ(PAȱDEP,ȱ 2003).ȱȱȱPAȱDEPȱassessmentsȱinȱtheȱstreamsȱofȱtheȱUpperȱUnamiȱwereȱpostponedȱ duringȱtheȱsummerȱofȱ2002ȱdueȱtoȱaȱnumberȱofȱdryȱorȱpooledȱstreambeds.ȱȱ WithinȱtheȱstudyȱareaȱforȱthisȱAssessment,ȱButterȱCreekȱwasȱdryȱandȱHazelbachȱ Creekȱwasȱpooledȱthatȱyearȱ(KimberlyȱLong,ȱpersonalȱcommunication).ȱȱȱ MarlboroughȱTownshipȱNominationȱtoȱUpgradeȱUnamiȱCreekȱtoȱExceptionalȱ Valueȱ(PAȱCode,ȱTitleȱ25,ȱChapterȱ93ȱWaterȱQualityȱStandards)ȱ Inȱ1995,ȱMarlboroughȱTownshipȱpetitionedȱtheȱEnvironmentalȱQualityȱBoardȱ (EQB)ȱforȱPennsylvaniaȱtoȱupgradeȱChapterȱ93ȱProtectedȱUseȱDesignationȱforȱtheȱ UnamiȱCreekȱfromȱColdȱWaterȱFisheryȱtoȱExceptionalȱValue.ȱȱȱTheȱEQBȱvotedȱinȱ 5 UPPER UNAMI CREEK AQUATIC RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION PLAN _________________________________________________________________________________
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Table of Contents
    QUAKERTOWN AREA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE Bucks County, Pennsylvania August 2007 Photographs on Cover (clockwise from top left): Sheards Mill Covered Bridge, Haycock Township Main Street, Richlandtown Borough Broad Street, Quakertown Borough Traffic roundabout at Station Road and Old Bethlehem Pike, Richland Township Trumbauersville Road, Trumbauersville Borough Quakertown Elementary School (first location of the Quakertown Community School District administrative offices, Quakertown Borough) Unami Creek, Milford Park, Milford Township QUAKERTOWN AREA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE 2007 Prepared for: Haycock Township Milford Township Quakertown Borough Richland Township Richlandtown Borough Trumbauersville Borough Quakertown Community School District Prepared by: Quakertown Area Planning Committee This document was prepared with financial assistance from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development through a Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program grant. Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 Introduction and Background....................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2 Community Development Goals and Objectives.............................................. 7 CHAPTER 3 Natural Resources: Policies and Protection Standards ..................................... 17 CHAPTER 4 Development Today and Projected Changes ................................................... 37 Regional Characteristics – The Demographics of the Quakertown Area ....... 37 Housing...............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Unami Creek/Ridge Valley Creek Conservation Landscape
    CHAPTER 3 Unami Creek/Ridge Valley Creek Conservation Landscape The central feature of the Unami Creek/Ridge Valley Creek Conservation Landscape is a large block of unbroken forest bordering the Unami and Ridge Valley Creeks and covering the ridge that separates the two streams. This landscape is an important source area for birds and helps to maintain bird diversity elsewhere in the county. It is also supports six state listed species of plants and an extremely scenic landscape centered around the boulder-strewn Unami Creek. Description Location The Unami Creek/Ridge Valley Creek Conservation Landscape occupies a broad swath of land extending northeast from the mouth of the Unami Creek to the Bucks County boundary (Figure 3.1). Containing 9,196 acres, it includes parts of Marlborough, Salford, and Upper Salford Townships. The valleys of the Unami and Ridge Valley Creeks and the diabase ridge that separates them are the major landscape features. The landscape adjoins the Spring Moun- tain, Mill Hill/Deep Creek, and Upper Perkiomen Creek/Green Lane Reservoir Conservation Landscapes to the west The Unami Creek in the Musser Scout Reservation (Figure 3.1). The Unami Creek/Ridge Valley Creek Conservation Landscape is part of the larger 16,000-acre Unami Forest, which extends into Bucks County. Geology The landscape of the Unami and Ridge Valley Creek valleys is shaped by the broad zones of the Boyertown diabase sheet that encircle Red Hill, Green Lane, and Pennsburg and extend into Bucks and Lehigh Counties. Weathered, exposed diabase is responsible for the boulder- choked course of the Unami Creek and the ringing rocks boulder fi eld along Ridge Valley Creek.
    [Show full text]
  • Flood Insurance Study Number 42091Cv001b Revised: March 2, 2016 Notice to Flood Insurance Study Users
    FLOOD INSURANCE STUDY VOLUME 1 of 7 MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA (ALL JURISDICTIONS) Montgomery County COMMUNITY COMMUNITY COMMUNITY COMMUNITY COMMUNITY COMMUNITY NAME NUMBER NAME NUMBER NAME NUMBER ABINGTON, TOWNSHIP OF 420695 LOWER MORELAND, TOWNSHIP OF 420702 *TELFORD, BOROUGH OF 422339 AMBLER, BOROUGH OF 420947 LOWER POTTSGROVE, TOWNSHIP OF 421908 TOWAMENCIN, TOWNSHIP OF 422236 BRIDGEPORT, BOROUGH OF 420948 LOWER PROVIDENCE, TOWNSHIP OF 420703 TRAPPE, BOROUGH OF 421907 BRYN ATHYN, BOROUGH OF 421899 LOWER SALFORD, TOWNSHIP OF 421170 UPPER DUBLIN, TOWNSHIP OF 420708 CHELTENHAM, TOWNSHIP OF 420696 MARLBOROUGH, TOWNSHIP OF 421913 UPPER FREDERICK, TOWNSHIP OF 421916 COLLEGEVILLE, BOROUGH OF 421900 MONTGOMERY, TOWNSHIP OF 421226 UPPER GWYNEDD, TOWNSHIP OF 420956 CONSHOHOCKEN, BOROUGH OF 420949 NARBERTH, BOROUGH OF 421903 UPPER HANOVER, TOWNSHIP OF 421917 DOUGLASS, TOWNSHIP OF 421911 NEW HANOVER, TOWNSHIP OF 421914 UPPE R MERION, TOWNSHIP OF 420957 EAST GREENVILLE, BOROUGH OF 421901 NORRISTOWN, BOROUGH OF 425386 UPPER MORELAND, TOWNSHIP OF 421909 EAST NORRITON, TOWNSHIP OF 420950 NORTH WALES, BOROUGH OF 420704 UPPER POTTSGROVE, TOWNSHIP OF 421910 FRANCONIA, TOWNSHIP OF 422494 PENNSBURG, BOROUGH OF 422496 UPPER PROVIDENCE, TOWNSHIP OF 420709 GREEN LANE, BOROUGH OF 421902 PERKIOMEN, TOWNSHIP OF 421915 UPPER SALFORD, TOWNSHIP OF 421918 HATBORO, BOROUGH OF 420697 PLYMOUTH, TOWNSHIP OF 420955 WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, BOROUGH OF 420710 HATFIELD, BOROUGH OF 420698 POTTSTOWN, BOROUGH OF 420705 WEST NORRITON, TOWNSHIP OF 420711 HATFIELD, TOWNSHIP OF
    [Show full text]
  • Draft Cover.Pub
    UPPER PERKIOMEN VALLEY REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT SEPTEMBER 2011 UPPER PERKIOMEN VALLEY EAST GREENVILLE BOROUGH GREEN LANE BOROUGH MARLBOROUGH TOWNSHIP PENNSBURG BOROUGH RED HILL BOROUGH UPPER HANOVER TOWNSHIP UPPER PERKIOMEN VALLEY REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT SEPTEMBER 2011 UPPER PERKIOMEN VALLEY EAST GREENVILLE BOROUGH GREEN LANE BOROUGH MARLBOROUGH TOWNSHIP PENNSBURG BOROUGH RED HILL BOROUGH UPPER HANOVER TOWNSHIP i UPPER PERKIOMEN VALLEY REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPPER PERKIOMEN VALLEY REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Background and Demographics 1 Chapter 2 Existing Land Use 15 Chapter 3 Goals and Objectives 25 Chapter 4 Natural and Historic Resources 31 Chapter 5 Open Space 83 Chapter 6 Community Facilities 99 Chapter 7 Transportation 125 Chapter 8 Economic Revitalization 153 Chapter 9 Housing 163 Chapter 10 Future Land Use 175 iii UPPER PERKIOMEN VALLEY REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPPER PERKIOMEN VALLEY REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN iv CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHICS History of the Region The first people to inhabit the Upper Perkiomen Valley were the Lenni Lenape Indian tribes. For many years these Native American people lived in peace and harmony with the first European settlers. This made it easy for William Penn to buy the Upper Perkiomen Valley Area in 1684. The seventeenth century witnessed the Reformation and the Thirty Years War in Europe. European life was in shambles and the new Protestants suffered persecution. Brethren (or Dunkers), Lutherans, members of the Reformed Church, Schwenkfelders, Mennonites, and other “peace” sects looked toward Penn’s “Holy Experiment” with fervent hope. These European settlers, many of German descent, migrated to present day Upper Salford and Upper Hanover Townships.
    [Show full text]
  • CAMPBELL's BRIDGE HAER No. PA-451 (Campbell's Mill Bridge) Pennsylvania Historic Bridges Recording Project Wsfteio* Spanning Unami Creek at Allentown Rd
    CAMPBELL'S BRIDGE HAER No. PA-451 (Campbell's Mill Bridge) Pennsylvania Historic Bridges Recording Project WsfteiO* Spanning Unami Creek at Allentown Rd. (State Rt. 4027) Unfas^ Milford Square vie. 1*1 Bucks County ^-A^L&QV Pennsylvania • i*— ^ v PHOTOGRAPHS XEROGRAPHIC COPIES OF COLOR TRANSPARENCIES WRITTEN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE DATA HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD National Park Service 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 1-MftSQ HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD CAMPBELL'S BRIDGE (Campbell's Mill Bridge) HAERNo. PA-451 Location: Spanning Unami Creek at Allentown Rd. (State Rt. 4027), Milford Square vicinity, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. USGS Quadrangle: Milford Square, Pennsylvania (7.5-minute series, 1973). UTM Coordinates: 18/466330/4475180 Dates of Construction: 1906-07. Designer: A. Oscar Martin, consultant for Bucks County; Dailey Construction Company (Wycombe, Pennsylvania). Builder: Dailey Construction Company. Present Owner: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Present Use: Vehicular bridge. Significance: Campbell's Bridge is part of a once larger body of early short-span reinforced concrete bridges in Bucks County. It is the oldest open- spandrel reinforced concrete arch bridge in the PennDOT system and may also be one of the oldest examples in the United States. Campbell's Bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Historian: Dr. Mark M. Brown, August 1997. Project Information: This bridge was documented by the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) as part of the Pennsylvania Historic Bridges Recording Project -1, co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission during the summer of 1997. The project was supervised by Eric DeLony, Chief of HAER.
    [Show full text]
  • Trail Feasibility Study for the PHTN in Musser Scout Reservation
    A FEASIBILITY STUDY for the Pennsylvania Highlands Trail Network within Musser Scout Reservation Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Prepared for: Boy Scouts of America Cradle of Liberty Council 1485 Valley Forge Road Wayne, PA 19087 Prepared by: Appalachian Mountain Club 100 Illick’s Mill Road Bethlehem, PA 18017 610.868.6903 www.outdoors.org and Campbell Thomas & Co. 1504 South Street Philadelphia, PA 19146 215.545.1076 www.campbellthomas.com June 2019 Feasibility Study for the PHTN within Musser Scout Reservation Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 Introduction and Context .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Background: The Pennsylvania Highlands Trail Network ...................................................................................... 4 Unami Hills Trail Gap ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Study Purpose and Goals .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Description of the Trail Corridor ................................................................................................................................ 5 Description of the Surrounding
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents
    QUAKERTOWN AREA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE Bucks County, Pennsylvania August 2007 Photographs on Cover (clockwise from top left): Sheard’s Mill Covered Bridge, Haycock Township Main Street, Richlandtown Borough Broad Street, Quakertown Borough Traffic roundabout at Station Road and Old Bethlehem Pike, Richland Township Trumbauersville Road, Trumbauersville Borough Quakertown Elementary School (first location of the Quakertown Community School District administrative offices, Quakertown Borough) Unami Creek, Milford Park, Milford Township QUAKERTOWN AREA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE 2007 Prepared for: Haycock Township Milford Township Quakertown Borough Richland Township Richlandtown Borough Trumbauersville Borough Quakertown Community School District Prepared by: Quakertown Area Planning Committee This document was prepared with financial assistance from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development through a Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program grant. Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 Introduction and Background....................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2 Community Development Goals and Objectives.............................................. 7 CHAPTER 3 Natural Resources: Policies and Protection Standards ..................................... 17 CHAPTER 4 Development Today and Projected Changes ................................................... 37 Regional Characteristics – The Demographics of the Quakertown Area ....... 37 Housing...............................................................................................
    [Show full text]