Photo by Layla Denissen
About the Monocacy Creek Watershed
The Monocacy Creek flows 20.3 miles from its headwaters in the Slate Belt at Chapman through the limestone karst topography of the Lehigh Valley, to its confluence with the Lehigh River in the City of Bethlehem, PA. The watershed encompasses 48.8 square miles of eastern Lehigh and western Northampton counties.
Underground springs maintain the optimal water temperature necessary to sustain native trout; the PA Fish and Boat Commission has designated it a “Class A” Trout Stream — highly unusual for such a populated area!
Monocacy Creek and its watershed face great pressure from current land use, which varies from open farmland and pubic parks to residential areas, businesses, industrial sites, and huge warehouse complexes.
Yet the creek endures, providing important wildlife habitat as well as recreational benefits to humans: trout-fishing, birdwatching, hiking, picnicking, and environmental study. Historic sites line its banks, and it is a setting for Bethlehem’s Musikfest.
What is a Watershed?
It’s a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean. Gravity pulls water downhill from various sources until it reaches the lowest point, where bodies of water are found. The boundaries of a watershed are determined by the shape of the land and generally connect all of the highest points.
A watershed can range in size from a few acres to millions of acres.
Environmental and Health Benefits of Watersheds
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Watersheds supply the water for drinking, agriculture, and industry. The health of the watershed directly impacts the quality of this water.
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Watersheds provide wildlife corridors and habitats for plants and animals, support biodiversity, and are vital for nutrient cycling and carbon storage.
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Forested areas within watersheds act as natural filters, removing sediment and pollutants from water before they reach rivers and lakes.
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Naturally vegetated floodplains can store water and slow its release, which reduces the risk of flooding downstream.
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Healthy watersheds provide areas for outdoor recreation like fishing, hiking, and wildlife watching, which contributes to physical and mental health.
Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley
The Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley (WCLV) is a non-profit association of the central Delaware River watershed region’s conservation organizations, working to keep the Lehigh Valley’s streams clean and healthy. Everything WCLV does has one goal: to preserve and improve the region’s natural resources. MCWA is proud to be a member.
By bringing together their members’ skills, resources, and experience, WCLV focuses on creating collaborations for on-the-ground demonstration and restoration projects, as well as community outreach to promote good water conservation practices.
Monocacy Creek Watershed Map
The illustrated map of the Monocacy Creek watershed is one of a series of 11 maps of area watersheds.
Begun in 2018 with a single display funded by the Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape, the project was developed by George Yasko of the Monocacy Creek Watershed Association and Rebecca Hayden of the WCLV. Yasko and Hayden worked with Lehigh University’s computers to develop the base mapping — topographic contours, waterways, roads and parks — while other Monocacy group members selected sites of interest and wrote descriptions of the special features unique to their watershed.
Keri Maxfield designed the map, and Tom Maxfield illustrated the watershed wildlife and created beautiful line drawings of historical and landmark features. The resulting multi-panel display, that includes a geological map and information on flooding, hangs in the lobby of Illick’s Mill in Bethlehem — the headquarters of MCWA and the location of Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley monthly Board meetings.