772 BRADT 



Bushkill Creek supports a naturally reproducing brown trout 

 (Salmo trutta) population. The fish assemblage, however, is domi- 

 nated by the white sucker, Catostomus commersoni (Bradt, 1974). 

 The stream is heavily fished and is also used for swimming and 

 picnicking. Trout habitat is rapidly disappearing from the United 

 States (Needham, 1969), thus Bushkill Creek is a valuable natural 

 resource because it supports reproducing brown trout and is readily 

 accessible to a large numb">r of people. 



Road building and attendant rechanneling caused an increase in 

 siltation. Solar energy reaching the stream increased owing to the 

 removal of shade trees and bank cover. The variety of habitats for 

 the benthic macroinvertebrate fauna decreased because the new 

 stream channel was wide and shallow with a uniform substrate 

 (Hynes, 1963). Reconstruction efforts on the stream (1969—1971) 

 involved (1) the installation of gabions (rock current deflectors) to 

 narrow and deepen the stream bed and to increase the flow velocity, 

 (2) the placement of rocks and dams to increase pool and riffle 

 habitat, and (3) the replanting of the banks. 



DESCRIPTION OF DRAINAGE BASIN AND SAMPLING STATIONS 



The drainage basin of Bushkill Creek covers 206 km^ (Fig. 1). 

 The main stream runs for 34.2 km and is fed by nine tributaries 

 (Department of the Army, 1972). Originating from springs at an 

 altitude of 420 m on the southern slope of the Kittatiny Mountains, 

 the stream flows southeasterly to its confluence with the Delaware 

 River at Easton. At the base of the mountain (elevation 220 m) more 

 springs enter the stream. The elevation at the mouth of the stream is 

 54 m above sea level (Department of the Army, 1972). 



The stream flows over shale and slate from the base of the 

 Kittatiny Mountains (km 33.6) to the confluence of the Bushkill 

 with the Little Bushkill (km 13). From km 13.0 to the mouth, the 

 stream traverses various limestone formations, according to Young 

 et al. (1972). The upper half of the drainage basin drains forests, 

 meadows, farmland, and a few small towns. The terrain is gently 

 rolling, the stream slope is 14.4 m/km. The lower part of the 

 drainage basin drains the limestone area; this part of the basin is 

 more heavily populated and more developed. The area drained 

 includes agricultural, suburban, and urban areas. The lower qucirter 

 of the basin is served by sanitary sewers. Commercial and residential 

 development in the lower part of the drainage basin has been 

 proceeding rapidly with the increased paving of meadowlands. 



