Mill and Cascade Creeks (Pennsylvania)

Project Status: modeling is complete

Watershed Characteristics
Mill and Cascade creeks are the two largest tributaries to Lake Erie's Presque Isle Bay at Erie, Pennsylvania. Their total watershed area is approximately 25 square miles, draining portions of Erie County.

Land use within these watersheds is approximately 80% urban, with a trend toward further development. As with other areas of rapid urban development, water runoff contributes heavily to waterway pollution. The Bay has suffered from accumulation and degradation of wastes discharged by both point and non-point sources.

		Presque Isle Bay is a designated Area of Concern ("in recovery") No significant soil conservation practices are in place Primary Pollutants are PAHs from historic coal and steel plants and from an old rail-bed currently used as a highway Contaminants include oil, grease, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, pesticides and arsenic Fish tumors and other widlife indicators are appearing

Modeling Approach
Gannon University completed a SWAT hydrologic model to examine flooding issues for Cascade Creek. The Tributary Modeling Program was able to use this work as a starting point to expand to sediment modeling for both Cascade and Mill creeks. BASINS modeling was used to develop a GIS database and update land use/land cover data. SWAT and BASINS modeling were then used to evaluate sub-watershed sediment transport and yield. SWAT predicted the effects of the gradual conversion of land use from undeveloped land to a highly urban scenario.

Modeling was completed in August of 2004. A training workshop for state and local partners took place in September of 2004.

Use and Applications
Erie County Planning GIS staff will provide support and training to peripheral users such as the Port Authority, the Erie County Department of Health, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Erie Sewer Authority and various watershed associations. The Erie County Soil & Water District will use this model to assess best management practices and their effects on erosion in the watershed. The Pennsylvania DEP will use the model to assess the water quality parameters of the creeks and the health of the basin to facilitate the delisting of the Presque Isle Bay Area of Concern (AOC) by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Project Partners
Erie County: Department of Planning, Health Department, Conservation District
Gannon University
Presque Isle Bay Remedial Action Plan (RAP) Committee
Pennsylvania: Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), Bureau of Watershed Mgmt., Office of Pollution Prevention, Coastal Zone Management
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

For more information—or to obtain digital data for advanced modeling purposes—contact:

Brent LaSpada

USACE, Buffalo District
1776 Niagara Street
Buffalo, NY 14207
Phone: (716) 879-4446
Brent.R.Laspada@usace.army.mil