Spring Creek Buffer Enhancement Project

Spring Creek Riparian Buffer Restoration and Education Project Fact Sheet

Project Partners:

The Dauphin County Conservation District worked together with the Derry Township Parks and Recreation Department, Derry Township School District, Derry Township Environmental Action Committee, and Swatara Watershed Organization.  Project funding was partially provided by the Water Resource Education Network (WREN) through its Watershed Education grant and PA American Water through its Environmental Grant.

Project Description:

Riparian buffers provide many benefits to water quality in streams.  Non-point source pollutants are filtered, while passing through riparian vegetation before runoff enters streams during storm events.  Likewise, groundwater infiltration can be improved by uptake of plants and trees surrounding the banks of the creek.

In-stream habitat can be greatly improved as well.  Aquatic organisms, such as macroinvertebrates and fish benefit from increased canopy cover, keeping water temperatures cooler in the summer.  Habitat is also increased from less sediment entering streams by way of streambank erosion.  Roots from trees and shrubs help to hold sediment on streambanks during storm events, rather than easily eroding into streams.

The Spring Creek Streamside Buffer project aims to achieve these benefits as a riparian buffer stabilizes over time.  The map provides information on the outlying area of the buffer, beneficial native riparian trees and shrubs used in the project, and links to educational riparian buffer websites.

This project has been partially funded by Pennsylvania American Water and the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund through a Section 319 federal Clean Water Act grant from the Pennslyvania Department of Environmental Protection, administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency.