Paradise Creek Watershed

A Project of the Brodhead Watershed Association

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Biological & Fish Data Gap Analysis

PARADISE WATERSHED HISTORICAL BIOLOGICAL DATA

 BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES

This report was prepared by Don Baylor, Aquatic Resource Consulting, 202 Quail Ridge, Stroudsburg, PA  18360

 Background

 Benthic macroinvertebrate data from past sampling on the Paradise Creek Watershed were collected and reviewed to assess historic water quality trends and to identify data gaps. Samples had been collected by several entities, and a variety of protocols had been used to analyze them.  The technical team agreed that taxa richness and the Hilsenhoff biotic index could be used to compare samples.  Taxa richness was standardized for all samples by counting taxa at the genus level for most invertebrates and counting the family Chironomidae (midges) as one taxon.  The technical team agreed that Hilsenhoff biotic index values would be comparable at whatever taxonomic level they had been calculated.  Biotic index values had to be calculated for samples where that metric had not been used.  Where a site had been sampled several times in a year, a summer or fall sample was used to minimize seasonal bias.  For the biologist’s evaluation, Monroe County’s own evaluation was used for their samples.  Otherwise, Hilsenhoff’s evaluation of biotic index values was relied on heavily, except where impacts other than organic pollution were reported to be involved. 

Results

 The main stem Paradise Creek has exhibited excellent water quality as reflected in the majority of macroinvertebrate samplings from 1985 – 1999.  Samples taken in 1997 in the vicinity of Henryville showed slight impact, probably from siltation rather than from organic pollution. 

 In the headwaters of Paradise Creek, Devil’s Hole Creek and Tank Creek have produced invertebrate samples reflecting excellent, unimpaired water quality.  Yankee Run samples have suggested impact above the large spring near Mount Pocono, possibly from stormwater runoff, with excellent water quality farther downstream below the spring.

 Benthic macroinvertebrate samples from Swiftwater Creek indicate some impact on water quality in the general vicinity of Route 611.  Impairment was most severe in the mid-1990’s but has improved in recent years.  The Indian Run tributary to Swiftwater Creek  yielded invertebrate samples indicative of excellent water quality.

 Forest Hills Run has had macroinvertebrate populations indicative of impairment in the vicinity of Route 611, at times extending down as far as Mount Airy property.

 Cranberry Creek has not been sampled extensively but exhibited excellent macroinvertebrate populations near the mouth in 1997.  In 1995, samples farther upstream, below a peat mine indicated impact, not from organic pollution, but from sediment.  Benthic macroinvertebrates from an unnamed tributary to Cranberry Creek indicated excellent water quality in 1995. 

Benthic macroinvertebrate data were not available for Butz Run.  Data were very sparse for Cranberry Creek and for Forest Hills Run below Mount Airy to the mouth.  For Swiftwater Creek there were no usable data available from the upper mile or below Swiftwater Lake. For Paradise Creek, there were little data from the segment from Paradise Falls to the confluence with Swiftwater Creek.

 

FISH POPULATIONS

 

The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission has surveyed fish populations on upper portions of Devil’s Hole Creek and Cranberry Creek.  Both have had excellent wild trout populations and are listed among Pennsylvania’s Class A wild Trout streams.  The lower portions of Tank Creek and Yankee Run have been surveyed by ARC and have wild trout populations.  Tank Creek had less biomass than required for Class A Wild Trout waters. 

Fairly recent fish surveys have documented excellent wild trout populations in lower Devil’s Hole Creek and Paradise Creek above Lake Crawford.  Swiftwater Creek, above Lake Swiftwater has been surveyed at several locations where it also had excellent wild trout populations.  The sites sampled on these streams had trout biomass values equal to or exceeding the PA Fish & Boat commission standard ( 40 kg/hectare) for Class A Wild Trout waters.  Some sites on Paradise Creek, Devil’s Hole Creek, and Swiftwater Creek had excellent trout biomass values several times the minimum required for Class A waters.  Sites on Paradise Creek above the confluence with Cranberry Creek and above the Sylvan Cascade Road Crossing had populations exceeding Class A with exceptional growth rates for relatively infertile freestone streams.

 Recent electrofishing on the lower Paradise Creek, nearer the railroad bridge over Route 191 found balanced wild brown trout populations with biomass less than Class A Wild Trout waters.

 Brook trout populations appear to be restricted to headwater areas in Swiftwater Creek and Devil’s Hole Creek.  Brook trout have also been found in Forest Hills Run and upper Cranberry Creek.  A few were collected in Tank Creek and Yankee Run.  Elsewhere, trout populations consisted of non-native brown trout, except for a population of naturally reproducing rainbow trout in Swiftwater Creek above Swiftwater Inn.

 Fish population data was not available for Butz Run, Indian Run, the lower portion of Cranberry Creek, portions of Swiftwater Creek below Lake Swiftwater and on Pocono Manor property, the lower portion of Forest Hills Run, and Paradise Creek below Lake Crawford.

 

PAST MACROINVERTEBRATE DATA FROM THE PARADISE WATERSHED

  

STREAM SITE (MILES FROM MOUTH)/DATE

SAMPLER*

TAXA

RICHNESS – GENUS LEVEL

B.I.

BIOLOGIST’S

EVALUATION

Paradise Creek (9.30 total miles – mouth to confluence of Tank & Yankee Run

1 – 0.59                         Brodhead Forest & Stream

1985

A

26

3.49

Excellent

1989

A

20

2.98

Excellent

1992

A

20

2.73

Excellent

1995

C

19

5.77

Optimal ? (High B.I.)

2 – 2.56                         Sylvan Cascade

1997

A

24

2.41

Excellent

3 – 3.55                         Henryville “Bridge Run”

1985

A

30

3.46

Excellent

1989

A

17

2.55

Excellent

          1992

A

16

2.73

Excellent

1997

A

26

2.24

Excellent

4 – 3.85                          Paretta property – above bridge

1985

A

29

2.98

Excellent

1989

A

16

2.88

Excellent

       1992 Sep

A

 

2.97

Excellent

       1992 Nov

A

18

2.88

Sl. impaired, not organic

1997

A

22

3.29

Good

5 – 6.50                          Henryville – below “Flume”

1997

A

22

3.82

Good

6 – 6.80                          Deetz – above bridge

1998

 C

19

4.31

Optimal

7 – 8.02                          Paradise Twsp. Park

1999

A

20

2.11

Excellent

8 – 8.46                          Above horse stable

1999

A

18

1.72

Excellent

Swiftwater Creek (5.81 total miles)

1 – 1.06                          Above Swiftwater Lake – below bridge

1986

A

 

1.38

Excellent

1997

A

18

1.53

Excellent

2 – 1.58                          Above bridge

          1986

A

 

1.32

Excellent

          1987

A

19

1.65

Excellent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STREAM SITE (MILES FROM MOUTH)/DATE

SAMPLER

TAXA RICHNESS – GENUS LEVEL

B.I.

BIOLOGIST’S EVALUATION

Swiftwater Creek (continued)

4 – 3.30                          Below Aventis

1985

A

14

0.76

Sl. impaired, not organic

1986

A

 

2.65

Sl. impaired, not organic

1989

A

16

2.03

Excellent

1993

C

17

2.64

Optimal

1994

C

17

4.77

Suboptimal

1995

C

14

4.40

Sl.-mod. Impaired

1996

C

18

5.29

Sl. Impaired

1997

A

18

1.50

Excellent

1977

C

17

3.85

Sl.-mod. Impaired

1998

C

15

3.85

Sl. Impaired

1999

C

15

5.00

Sl. Impaired

2000

A

15

2.86

Good

2000

C

18

3.98

Sl. Impaired

2001

C

13

4.46

Suboptimal

5 – 3.50                         Below Aventis STP

1992

N

 

 

 

1993

N

11

5.19

Some organic pollution

1994

N

10

5.57

Fairly significant pollution

1995

N

  9

5.20

Some pollution

1996

N

15

3.61

Possible slight pollution

1997

N

15

2.80

No apparent pollution

1999

N

15

2.30

Excellent

2000

N

112

4.18

Possible slight pollution

2001

N

 

 

 

6 – 3.63                         Below school discharge – above Aventis

1992

N

 

 

 

1993

N

14

5.62

Fairly significant pollution

1994

N

10

5.16

Some organic pollution

1995

N

9

5.60

Fairly significant pollution

1996

N

12

4.70

Some organic pollution

1997

N

17

3.48

No apparent pollution

1999

N

15

4.92

Some organic pollution

2000

N

10

5.44

Some organic pollution

2001

N

12

5.10

Some organic pollution

2002

N

12

5.34

Some organic pollution
               

  

STREAM SITE

(MILES FROM

MOUTH)/DATE

SAMPLER

TAXA RICHNESS –

GENUS LEVEL

B. I.

BIOLOGISTS EVALUATION

Swiftwater Creek

7 – 3.66                           Above school discharge

1991

N

 

 

 

1992

N

 

 

 

1993

N

12

5.06

Some organic pollution

1994

N

10

5.61

Fairly significant pollution

1995

N

12

4.39

Possible slight pollution

1996

N

9

4.94

Some organic pollution

1997

N

13

3.55

Possible slight pollution

1999

N

10

5.37

Some organic pollution

2000

N

12

4.94

Some organic pollution

2001

N

10

5.46

Some organic pollution

2002

N

10

5.41

Some organic pollution

8 – 3.88                           Swiftwater Inn

1993

C

15

2.24

Optimal

1994

C

13

4.22

Optimal

1995

C

15

5.53

Mod. impaired

1996

C

12

4.75

Sl. impaired

1997

C

16

5.15

Sl.-mod. impaired

1998

C

16

4.36

Sl. impaired

1999

C

20

4.91

Mod. impaired

2000

C

23

4.32

Sl. Impaired

2001

C

17

4.72

Optimal

9 – 4.33                           Above Swiftwater Inn

1986

A

20

3.35

Excellent

1994

 

 

 

 

1997

A

20

3.71

Excellent

2000

A

12

2.18

Good

10 – 4.37

2001

C

17

3.43

Suboptimal

11 – 5.41                         Below Pocono Manor STP

2001

A

17

2.00

Excellent

12 –5.47                          Above Pocono Manor STP

2001

A

19

1.31

Excellent

 

 

STREAM SITE

(MILES FROM

MOUTH)/DATE

SAMPLER

TAXA RICHNESS -

GENUS LEVEL

B. I.

BIOLOGIST’S EVALUATION

Forest Hills Run (5.73 total miles)

1 - 0.08                           Near Mouth

1992

A

14

3.70

Slightly impaired

2 – 3.41                          Above Mt. Airy Lake

1996

C

15

4.25

Optimal

1997

C

13

5.03

Sl.-mod. impaired

1998

C

17

4.42

Sl. Impaired

1999

C

16

4.75

Sl. Impaired

2000

C

17

5.01

Sl. impaired

2001

C

18

4.80

Sl. impaired

3 – 3.52                           Above Mt. Airy Lake

2001

P

13

2.50

Nonimpaired

2002

P

18

4.58

Some pollution

4 – 4.47                           Below Grange Road

1997

P

16

4.08

Possible slight pollution

2000

P

10

4.00

Possible slight pollution

2001

P

12

7.95

Very significant pollution

2002

P

9

5.09

Some pollution

5 – 4.79                           Below Mt. Pocono STP & Rt. 611

1991

A

9

7.26

Very significant pollution

1997

P

26

5.56

Fairly Significant pollution

2000

P

9

8.44

Very significant pollution

2001

P

7

9.19

Severe pollution

2002

P

12

6.25

Fairly significant pollution

6 – 4.93                           Above Mt. Pocono STP

1991

A

16

4.16

Possible slight pollution

1997

P

22

4.92

Some pollution

1999

C

15

4.41

Optimal

2000

P

19

1.89

No apparent pollution

2000

C

21

4.28

Optimal

2001

P

23

4.20

Possible slight pollution

2002

P

24

4.88

Some pollution

Cranberry Creek (5.81 total miles)

1 – 0.11

1997

A

30

1.38

Excellent

2 – 4.44

1995

A

17

1.42

Impaired, not organic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STREAM SITE

(MILES FROM MOUTH)/DATE

 

SAMPLER

TAXA RICHNESS – GENUS LEVEL

B. I.

BIOLOGIST’S

EVALUATION

 

 

 

 

 

Unnamed tributary to Cranberry Creek (0.88 total miles)

1 – 0.67

1995

A

34

0.84

Excellent

Devil’s Hole Creek (5.37 total miles)

1 – 0.59

1999

A

20

3.07

Excellent

2 – 1.85

1993

C

20

2.28

Optimal

1994

C

18

3.07

Optimal

3 – 3.50

1999

A

21

3.07

Excellent

Tank Creek (1.57 total miles)

1 – 0.67

1999

A

18

1.31

Excellent

2 – 1.09

1999

A

19

0.72

Excellent

Yankee Run ( 1.63 total miles)

1 – 0.84                   Below spring

1998

C

17

5.23

Sl. Impaired

1999

A

19

1.94

Excellent

2 – above spring

2000

A

 

4.70

Impaired

Indian Run (2.09 total miles)

1 – 0.06

1986

A

24

1.60

Excellent

2 – 0.68

1997

C

19

3.51

Optimal

1998

C

18

3.49

Optimal

3 – 1.79

1999

C

21

2.66

Optimal

2000

C

24

3.64

Optimal

 

 

 

 

 
                 

 

  • Sampler:  A – Aquatic Resource Consulting, P – PA Dept. of Environ. Protection,

      • N – Normandeau Associates, C – Monroe County

 

PARADISE WATERSHED FISH POPULATION DATA

 

PA Fish & Boat Commission required biomass criteria for Class A Wild Trout:

                        Brook trout –      27 pounds per acre

                        Brown Trout –   36 pounds per acre

                        Brook/Brown –  36 pounds per acre

On PA Fish & Boat Commission Class A list: Devil’s Hole Creek

              Cranberry Creek

 

STREAM/LOCATION/

DATE/SAMPLER

BIOMASS

 LBS/ACRE (rounded)

COMMENTS

Paradise Creek

 

 

  Below Rail overpass –

      2002 ARC

26 lbs/acre

Brown - Some trout reproduction, 10 other species

  Above Rail overpass –

      2002 ARC

31 lbs/acre

Brown – Some trout reproduction, 10 other species

  Lower Henryville Cons.

      1987 ARC

21 lbs/acre

Brown – Limited reproduction, bedrock substrate – 8 other species, exceptional growth

  Slide – mid Henryville

       1987 ARC

70 lbs/acre

Brown – Limited reproduction, 7 other species, exceptional growth

  Paretta – upper Henryville

       1987 ARC

59 lbs acre

Brown – Limited reproduction, 5 other species, exceptional growth

  Below Lake Crawford

       2003 ARC

66 lbs/acre

 

Brown – Limited reproduction, 6 other species

  Near Paradise Fish

      Hatchery just above Lk.

      Crawford – 1998 ARC

24 lbs/acre

Brown – Poor physical habitat, 4 other species

  Deetz property above Red

      Rock Rd. bridge – 1998

      ARC

158 lbs/acre

Brown – Excellent reproduction and biomass, 6 other species

  Paradise Twsp. Park

      1998 ARC

85 lbs/acre

Brown – Excellent reproduction and

Biomass, 6 other species

Paradise Tributaries 

 

 

  Butz Run – 2003 ARC

17 lbs/acre

Brown – Good reproduction, adults rare, 5 other species present, warmer water temps. Indicated

  Cranberry Creek – near

       Mouth 2003 ARC

75 lbs/acre

Brown, few Brook – excellent reproduction & pop. balance, 4 other species

  Cranberry Creek – upper

       PA Fish & Boat

-

Listed as Class A

  Devil’s Hole Creek  -

     above Devil’s Hole Road

     1999 ARC

114 lbs/acre

Brown – excellent, well balanced population, no other species

PARADISE WATERSHED FISH POPULATION DATA (CONTINUED)

  

STREAM//LOCATION/

DATE/SAMPLER

BIOMASS

LBS/ACRE

(rounded)

COMMENTS

Devil’s Hole Creek – Upper

  PA Fish & Boat

 

-

Designated Class A wild Brook – upper SGL # 221, Class A wild Brown – lower SGL #221 to mouth

  Tank Creek – lower

      1999 ARC

21 lbs/acre

Brown & some Brook – Brown pop. well balanced, no other species

  Yankee Run – lower

      1999 ARC

36 lbs/acre

Brown &  Brook – Brown pop. well balanced, no other species

 

Swiftwater Creek

 

 

  Below Swiftwater Lake

      2002 ARC

73 lbs/acre collected(one run –not total estimate)

Brown – Less reproduction than above lake, 7 other species, no sculpins or Brook trout.

  Near Swiftwater Preserve

     Clubhouse – 2002 ARC

71 lbs/acre

Brown,few Brook & Rainbow -well balanced pop., of Browns, 4 other species, including sculpins.

  Above Route 324 bidge

     200 ARC

220 lbs/acre

Browns – excellent, balanced population,

  Below Aventis

     2000 ARC

70 lbs/acre

Browns & a few Rainbow – excellent, balanced brown population

  Above Swiftwater Inn

     2000 ARC

94 lbs/acre

Browns & few Rainbow and Brook – Excellent brown pop. some Rainbow reproduction.  Trout & sculpins only

Indian Run – Swiftwater

    Tributary – 2003 ARC

48 lbs/acre

Brook & Brown – about equal biomass of brook & brown. Excellent reproduction, also sculpins & 1 bluegill.

Forest Hills Run

124 lbs/acre

Browns – well balanced population, also eels & long nose dace

 

Funded by a Growing Greener Grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection

To Contact Us Use The Information Below

Debra Brady

R.R. #1, Box 1226 · Cresco, Pa 18326

Phone: 570-595-8840 · Fax: 570-595-3090

Email: debbrady@paradisecreekwatershed.org

 

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