Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation Plan - Western ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation PlanChapter 4. Biological Resourcesgarlic mustard, barberry, multiflora rose, tree-of-heaven, Norway maple, dame’s rocket, and lilyof the valley, were found in and around this BDA.Recommendations: Protect the site by maintaining a forested buffer surrounding the entire site toallow the forest to mature and sustain itself. Control invasive species where possible.Connoquenessing Floodplain BDASignificance: HighLocation: South of the Semiconon Valley LCA in Connoquenessing TownshipDescription: This site is located on the southeast side of Little Connoquenessing Creek along thefloodplain. Most of the canopy is oak and hickory and their associates. The surrounding landtends to be intact forest with some residential housing.Rare Occurrences: A plant species of concern exists within this site.Threats and Stresses: Some minor logging occurred close to the stream. Fragmenting features,such as small power lines and roads, occur in and around the site. Lands near the stream also arefenced for livestock, and gypsy moth damage appears to be high at this site.Recommendations: Logging in the habitat should be avoided, as it could remove the rare plantfrom the site or make the habitat inhospitable for the species of concern. Agricultural practicesshould be monitored to avoid impacts to downstream water quality. Gypsy moth managementmay increase suitable habitat for the rare species, as well.Muddy Creek BDA (small portion touches watershed)Significance: HighLocation: Clay and Center townshipsDescription: This site is unique in that it is one of the largest wetland systems in the county andcontains a variety of wetland types. Located east of Moraine State Park, the dominant wetlandcommunity within it is the alder-ninebark wetland. This large ecosystem is important forsupporting a variety of wetland plants and animals.Rare Occurrences: A significant natural community, alder-ninebark wetland, exists within thissite.Threats and Stresses: Road and railroad construction throughout the site impact water flow andhave altered the original vegetative composition. Farmlands on adjacent lands jeopardize thequality of this BDA. Grazing on the edge of the habitat could lead to the elimination of certainplant species. Runoff and pollutants, such as fertilizers and pesticides, may affect the waterquality at the site. Any physical or chemical alterations, such as mining, logging, anddevelopment that occur upstream or upslope of the wetlands could pose a threat.Recommendations: Carefully review activities that pose a threat to the wetlands area to addresshow they might affect water quality, water level, flow rates, or otherwise cause potentialdetrimental effects. Protect the site by maintaining aforested buffer that will help protect the water quality inMuddy Creek and its tributaries.Redwing Floodplain Swamp BDASignificance: HighLocation: Forward TownshipDescription: Redwing Floodplain Swamp is an area ofhigh quality habitat remaining in the Connoquenessingwatershed, containing a state significant forestedfloodplain swamp dominated by white oak trees, andcharacterized by several vernal floodplain pools. Theedges of these pools are one of the few known sites inShore spiders, commonly found nearstreams in the watershed, prey uponsmall fish, tadpoles, and aquatic insects4-15
Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation PlanChapter 4. Biological Resourceswestern Pennsylvania for a Pennsylvania endangered plant. Only a small area in the southwestcorner of the floodplain shows evidence of logging, but the majority of the wetland is in a pristinecondition.Rare Occurrences: A forested floodplain swamp and one Pennsylvania endangered plant speciesexist at this site.Threats and Stresses: The use of ATVs and horses on a pipeline at the southeastern edge of thefloodplain has resulted in an erosion and sedimentation problem. Another issue is invasion of thepipeline right-of-way by native plants.Recommendations: A forested buffer should be maintained along the entire perimeter of theswamp to protect it from invasive species and hydrological alterations. ATV use should berestricted, and impacts from horseback riding and corralling should be mitigated. Anydevelopments, logging, or damming of the creek which could change the water table should beavoided.Thorn Reservoir BDASignificance: HighLocation: Oakland TownshipDescription: Wetlands at the northernmost end of Thorn Reservoir provide habitat for many plantand animal species, including a species of special concern found within relatively undisturbed wetmeadows and open canopy wetland areas.Rare Occurrences: These sites provide habitat for one animal species of special concern.Threats and Stresses: Large fluctuations in the water level of Thorn Reservoir, as well asdevelopment and coal mining, are activities that could destroy habitat for the species of specialconcern.Recommendations: Development should be guided away from these sites, and activities such asstrip mining for coal or clearing of land for development should be carefully monitored. Anydisturbance between April and November should be avoided. Also, as with the Oneida BDA,authorities should be advised to limit the fluctuation of water levels in the impoundment.Buhls Channel BDASignificance: ModerateLocation: Forward TownshipDescription: Buhls Channel is a remnant oxbow lake formed in an abandoned stream bend, whichhas become separated from Connoquenessing Creek by a change in the course of the creek. Anatural pond community has formed along with a robust emergent marsh, providing habitat foraquatic animals and plants, as well as breeding habitat for waterfowl. The oxbow pond located atthe base of the steep hillside appears to have been cut by the forces of Connoquenessing Creek.The dry oak-heath forest community on the hillside is composed primarily of old growth red oak,white oak, and chestnut oak. Acidic rock outcrops that line the hillside also characterize thecommunity.Rare Occurrences: This site contains two significant natural communities, a natural pondcommunity and a dry oak-heath forest community.Threats and Stresses: The forest community on the hillside is considered to be in an overallpristine condition and is one of the few relatively intact natural areas in Butler County. However,the oxbow has been somewhat impacted by development pressures along its western edge. Foresthas been cleared and summer homes have been built in the area between the oxbow andConnoquenessing Creek. Although it remains a significant community, it is not well buffered anderosion and sedimentation have occurred in areas where the land is being cleared for construction.Additionally, part of the wetland has been drained at its northern end. This community isvulnerable to the impact of the gypsy moth since oak is a preferred food. Although the potentialfor alteration of this forest exists, spraying pesticides is not recommended.4-16
Page 4 and 5:
Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Con
Page 6 and 7:
Page 8 and 9:
Page 10 and 11:
Page 12 and 13:
Page 14:
Page 18 and 19:
Page 20 and 21:
Page 22 and 23:
Page 24:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45 and 46:
Page 47 and 48:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52: Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Con
Page 101: Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Con
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
Page 167 and 168:
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
Page 181 and 182:
Page 183 and 184:
Page 185 and 186:
Page 187 and 188:
Page 189 and 190:
Page 191 and 192:
Page 193 and 194:
Page 195 and 196:
Page 197 and 198:
Page 199 and 200:
Page 201 and 202:
Page 203 and 204:
Page 205 and 206:
Page 207 and 208:
Page 209 and 210:
Page 211 and 212:
Page 213 and 214:
Page 215 and 216:
Page 217 and 218:
Page 219 and 220:
Page 221 and 222:
Page 223 and 224:
Page 225 and 226:
Page 227 and 228:
Page 229 and 230:
Page 231 and 232:
Page 233 and 234:
Page 235 and 236:
Page 237 and 238:
Page 239 and 240:
Page 241 and 242:
Page 243 and 244:
Page 245 and 246:
Page 247 and 248:
Page 249 and 250:
Page 251:
Page 254 and 255:
Page 257 and 258:
Page 259 and 260:
Page 261 and 262:
Page 263 and 264:
Page 265 and 266:
Page 267 and 268:
Page 269 and 270:
Page 271 and 272:
Page 273 and 274:
Page 275 and 276:
Page 277:
Page 280 and 281:
Page 282 and 283:
Page 284 and 285:
Page 286 and 287:
Page 288 and 289:
Page 290 and 291:
Page 293 and 294:
Page 295 and 296:
Page 297 and 298:
Page 299:
Page 302 and 303:
Page 304 and 305:
Page 306 and 307:
Page 308 and 309:
Page 310 and 311:
Page 312 and 313:
Page 314 and 315:
Page 316 and 317:
Page 318 and 319:
Page 320 and 321:
Page 323 and 324:
Page 325 and 326:
Page 327 and 328:
Page 329 and 330:
Page 331 and 332:
Page 333 and 334:
Page 335 and 336:
Page 337:
Page 340 and 341:
Page 342 and 343:
Page 344 and 345:
Page 346 and 347:
Page 348 and 349:
Page 350 and 351:
Page 352 and 353:
Page 354 and 355:
Page 356 and 357:
Page 358 and 359:
Page 360:
show all

Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation Plan - Western ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?