Click Here for Map of Chiques Creek Watershed Boundaries

What’s all this about watersheds and their condition? Do the wild animals, birds, and fish have clean, healthy places to live?  Do you care about the streams, lakes or wetlands in your neighborhood?  Do you know where your drinking water comes from? Is it being polluted by storm runoff, industrial wastes, or other local sources of pollution?

Watersheds are areas of land that drain water into streams, lakes and other bodies of water. The topography or land contours direct the flow of water – so all water flowing into a certain stream is considered the watershed area for that stream.

Water is one of Pennsylvania’s most precious and basic resources. Pennsylvanians use 14.3 billion gallons of water every day. Almost all of it -- 13.7 billion gallons -- is returned to the environment. That means that each of us has a special responsibility to use water in ways that do not harm aquatic life and other water users downstream. But we also must be concerned about water in other ways. Our activities, as individuals and as communities, can have a big impact on the severity and frequency of floods that cause loss of life and property damage. That’s what watershed protection is all about.

Non point source (NPS) pollution occurs when rainwater washes over paved and unpaved surfaces carrying pollutants with it that eventually end up in rivers, streams, groundwater and the ocean. These pollutants can be harmful in our water quality and the plants and animals that live in the water bodies. Because NPS pollution is so difficult to control, it is up to everyone to do their part to prevent and reduce NPS pollutants.

Individuals who do not live next to a stream may find it difficult to understand how their actions can impact water quality. No matter how distant you are from a waterway - through creeks, rivers, and underground springs - we are all connected because we all live downstream.

The purpose of the newly formed Chiques Creek Watershed Alliance (CCWA) is to promote good stewardship of the land within the Chiques Watershed in order to protect and preserve the Chiques Creek for our present community and for future generations; to provide opportunities for restoring and improving the streams within the watershed by sponsoring conservation projects; to provide information on watershed protection through written materials and educational projects and to oversee the ongoing scientific evaluation of the Chiques Creek Watershed.

CCWA is planning a stream assessment of the Chiques – to determine the quality of the stream and where there are areas for improvement projects. These might include anything from simple cleanups to planting trees and grasses along the stream banks to fencing off animal crossings. The stream through Logan and Mummau Parks is probably going to be the first project site – restoring the stream channel and making a streamside path for all to enjoy.

If you’d like more information on the CCWA, please contact the Rapho Township office at 717-665-3827 and we will be able to give you a contact name and phone number.