Watershed Conservation Plan - Destination Erie

Historical Features
Stream
Waterfalls and/or Scenic
Gorges
Wetland Systems
and Wildlife
Habitat
Forests w/ Stands of
Old/Large Trees
Mills and/or Canal
Other Notable
Godfrey Run Below Rt. 5 headwaters on ridge
S. of Rt. 20
— Canal remnants S.
of Middle Road
Trout nurseries and
springs along
Middle Rd.
Elk Creek Rt. 20 to mouth, I-90
bridge
Rt. 98 crossing area,
Fairview Township park
area, Sterretania area,
Little Elk Creek–Devil's
Backbone, Howard Falls
area
Rt. 20 to mouth,
Brandy Run
headwaters near Rt.
98, Fairview
Township park area
Rt. 20 to mouth,
Devil's backbone
area
old Girard factory
center S. of Rt. 20,
Battles Farm area
(canal aqueduct
site), canal
remnants south of
Rt. 20, Hall's Run
canal segment
Miles Grove,
Girard; Canal
"station house"
along Hall's Run;
Gudgeonville
Bridge; Village of
Sterretania; Dunn
Valley homesteads
Duck Run
north of Rt. 5 in Erie
Bluffs State Park
headwaters S. of Rt.
5
Erie Bluffs State
Park
— —
Crooked Creek north of Rt. 5 headwaters S. of
I-90
canal lock remnants
Lexington Rd. area
Holliday family
properties (original
settlers)
Raccoon Creek Old Lake Road area — — — —
Conneaut Creek
section east of Ohio line
East Branch tributary
valleys
throughout path of
main channel
Marsh
Run/Ashtabula
Creek headwaters
section east of Ohio
line
canal features in
Platea (Lockport)
area, Albion area,
along Rt. 18 south
of Albion,
Springboro area,
Conneautville area
Villages of Platea,
Cranesville,
Springboro, and
Conneautville;
town of Albion
The historical importance and general physical characteristics of streams within the study area have been
summarized in earlier sections of this document, and a comparative review regarding their water quality is
provided below (see 5.10 Stream water Quality). Fisheries resources of the tributaries will also be addressed
later (see 6.1.2 Fish and Fisheries), as well as detailed descriptions of the forest and wetland vegetation (see
6.2 Aquatic Plant Life and 6.3 Upland plant Communities). It should be noted that the State of Ohio recently
designated Conneaut Creek as a State Wild and Scenic River, in recognition of its important biological and
scenic attributes. There is little or no public access to Conneaut Creek in Pennsylvania at sites with potentially
significant recreational or scenic viewing opportunities. The deep, meandering character and forested riparian
zone of many sections of the main channel of Conneaut Creek between the Crawford County line and
Pennsylvania -Ohio border indicate potential opportunities for recreational canoeing on this stream.
5.6 Floodplains
Floodplains are nearly level floors of valleys next to stream channels which become inundated during
flood events (Baker 2000). The term "riparian zone" is sometimes used synonymously with floodplain, in
specific reference to forested "buffer areas," and this physical feature often contains wetlands (see 5.7
Wetlands and 6.2 Aquatic Plant Life). When flood waters exceed the confines of a stream channel,
floodplains provide a place for the water to spread out, which reduces the speed and erosive force of the
moving water, and allows smaller-sized sediment particles (silt) carried by the water to settle out. Since the
smaller particles of sediment often are associated with nutrients (i.e., nitrogen and phosphorus compounds)
and detritus, floodplains typically contain rich soils that support abundant plant life.
Formation of debris jams and periodic shifting of floodplain and channel deposits by high energy flows
can result in stream channels changing their position within active floodplains, isolating and partially filling
former channels with sediment and debris. Abandoned channels may develop wetland or pond-like
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