About the Creek
Wiconisco Creek originates near Tower City in Schuylkill County and flows west for 43 miles before emptying into the Susquehanna River at Millersburg. While much of the upper watershed has been affected by acid mine drainage (AMD) for many years, a number of successful remediation projects have been completed through the efforts of the Wiconisco Creek Restoration Association (WCRA).
Project Work
One such project involves the ongoing limestone sand dosing applications on Rattling Creek, a major tributary to the Wiconisco and the only stream in Dauphin County classified by the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (PADEP) as Exceptional Value (EV) water.
In 2007, the Gleim Environmental Group completed approx. 1,000 feet of stream restoration work on Wiconisco Creek adjacent to the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art near Millersburg. Four massive rock vanes were built to improve streamflow characteristics and provide access to the stream for recreational purposes, and about 50 large boulders were placed in random patterns in the streambed to improve habitat.
A grant to our chapter from the Foundation for PA Watersheds was the major funding source, with design and additional funding provided through PFBC’s Adopt-a-Stream program. Eastern Industries’ Elizabethville Quarry donated 188 tons of rock for the project.
Contact Bob Pennell (717-236-1360) for additional information.
