Middle Conodoguinet Creek Watershed Rivers Conservation Plan Compiled by The Pennsylvania Environmental Council For the Conodoguinet Creek Watershed Association June 2004 Middle Conodoguinet Creek River Conservation Plan June 2004 Acknowledgements This project was funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The Conodoguinet Creek Watershed Association would like to thank the following people for contributing to the development of this document. Eric Bear Fred Bohls Dale Bowman Joan Brehm Andy DeGregorio Pat Devlin Diana Dugas Jane Earle Ronald Freed Gil Freedman Craig Houston Evan Jenkins Richard Mains Vince McCollum Charlie McGarrell Susan Parry Lillie Porter Alan Tamm Kim Van Fleet Stephanie Williams Wilbur Wolf Candie Wilderman Christopher Woltemade Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM) Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Canaan Valley Institute Cumberland County Conservation District Cumberland County Planning Commission Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Shippensburg University Tri-County Planning Commission Middle Conodoguinet Creek River Conservation Plan June 2004 Executive Summary ...................................................................................v I. Introduction & Background...................................................................I-1 A. The Conodoguinet ..................................................................................I-1 B. History of Planning Activities...................................................................I-1 C. Goals and Objectives..............................................................................I-2 II. Project Area Characteristics ................................................................II-1 A. The Middle Conodoguinet.......................................................................II-1 B. Land Use and Zoning..............................................................................II-5 C. Social/Economic Profile ..........................................................................II-7 1. Population Trends..............................................................................II-7 2. Economy and Employment ................................................................II-8 3. Transportation Routes and Facilities..................................................II-9 a. Roadways ..........................................................................................II-9 b. Rail Corridors.....................................................................................II-12 4. Pipelines ............................................................................................II-12 5. Municipal, Fire, Medical, and Police Services and Facilities ..............II-12 6. Education and Schools ......................................................................II-12 7. Libraries .............................................................................................II-12 8. Waste Removal and Recycling ..........................................................II-13 9. Hazard Waste Sites – Landfills ..........................................................II-13 III. Physical Features – Land and Water Resources...............................III-1 A. Tributaries...............................................................................................III-1 B. Topography.............................................................................................III-1 C. Soils........................................................................................................III-2 1. Soil Fertility ........................................................................................III-6 2. Prime Farmland .................................................................................III-6 a. Act 319 - Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act.......................III-6 b. Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.............III-6 c. Farmland Preservation Within the Project Area .................................III-7 D. Hydrogeology .........................................................................................III-9 1. Hydrologic Relationships ...................................................................III-11 2. Environmental Concerns in Karst Topography...................................III-15 3. Sinkholes ...........................................................................................III-15 4. Wetlands............................................................................................III-17 5. Floodplains ........................................................................................III-17 6. Farm Ponds .......................................................................................III-17 7. Spring Seeps .....................................................................................III-18 E. Additional Watershed Resources............................................................III-18 1. Aquifer Recharge ...............................................................................III-18 a. Wellhead Protection Area ..................................................................III-19 b. Public and Community Water Systems..............................................III-19 2. Riparian Zones...................................................................................III-20 3. Water Quality .....................................................................................III-21 i Middle Conodoguinet Creek River Conservation Plan June 2004 a. Point Sources of Pollution..................................................................III-24 1) Sewage Treatment Facilities ..............................................................III-24 2) Impoundments....................................................................................III-24 b. Non-Point Sources of Pollution ..........................................................III-28 1) Storm Water Runoff ............................................................................III-28 2) Agricultural Runoff ..............................................................................III-28 3) On-Lot Septic Systems .......................................................................III-29 4) Toxic Substances ...............................................................................III-32 4. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs):...............................................III-33 a. The TMDLs for Conodoguinet Creek Tributaries ...............................III-33 5. Monitoring ..........................................................................................III-37 6. Water Quality Snapshots ...................................................................III-38 IV. Biological Resources ...........................................................................IV-1 A. Ecological Environment ..........................................................................IV-1 B. Corridors/Habitat.....................................................................................IV-2 1. Wildlife Habitats and Corridors...........................................................IV-2 a. Woodlands.........................................................................................IV-2 b. Agricultural Grasslands......................................................................IV-2 c. Relict Grasslands ...............................................................................IV-3 d. Old Fields...........................................................................................IV-3 e. Succession Areas ..............................................................................IV-3 f. Wetlands............................................................................................IV-3 g. Riparian Zones...................................................................................IV-3 h. Spring Seeps .....................................................................................IV-3 2. Habitat Disturbance ...........................................................................IV-4 C. Wildlife ....................................................................................................IV-4 1. Terrestrial...........................................................................................IV-4 a. Birds...................................................................................................IV-4 b. Mammals ...........................................................................................IV-4 c. Hunting and Trapping – Recreation and Economic Impacts..............IV-5 2. Aquatic ..............................................................................................IV-6 a. Macro-invertebrates ...........................................................................IV-6 b. Fish ....................................................................................................IV-6 D. Vegetation ..............................................................................................IV-7 1. Invasive Species ................................................................................IV-7 2. Forest Resources...............................................................................IV-7 a. Timber Operations .............................................................................IV-8 3. Riparian Buffers .................................................................................IV-8 V. Cultural Resources...............................................................................V-1