Upgrade Letort, Big Spring (and other streams) to HQ Status; Comment Deadline 18 April

[Dave_W]

There is currently a proposal to upgrade to "High Quality" (HQ) a couple sections of Letort (section below the FFO thru town) and Big Spring (middle and lower FFO). These sections were identified and categorized as Class A years ago but DEP has not upgraded these sections to HQ. Needless to say, these upgrades should go with out saying. HQ status affords stronger environmental protections, including expanded riparian zones.
There are additional streams on the list as well. The comments deadline is April 18th, so your help will be appreciated.

Comments

 

[afishinado]

You can use this form for sending your comment to the PFBC: http://www.fishandboat.com/regcomments/

 

[ebroesicke]

Saucon Creek is on that list.

 

[Dave_W]

PFBC is on board with the upgrades.
Comments should go to DEP's Environmental Quality Board (EQB). There are fifty streams on this list. I'm trying to find a better link but a cursory search hasn't produced for me. I have an Excel spreadsheet sent to me by the folks at PATU that includes these streams but I'm not sure I can attach it.

Broadly speaking, this situation has no doubt come about due to the PFBC's rapid additions to the Class A list and the inability of DEP to follow up with the status upgrades that typically come with a Class A designation.

 

[Dave_W]

I've pasted the list below. The streams are identified either by county or watershed.. . .
(Sorry for the mess)

 

[Dave_W]

Chapter Stream N
County Tributary

Latitude Longitude Length (miles)
Brodhead
Hunter Cr
Carbon Buckwha
40.83177 -75.5222 6.21
Columbia
Lick Run Columbia Little Fish
40.89528 -76.3878 4.4
Columbia
UNT Coles
Columbia Coles Cre
41.26229 -76.3409 0.98
Columbia
UNT Coles
Columbia Coles Cre
41.26264 -76.3475 1.84
Columbia
Coles Cre
Columbia,
Fishing Cr
41.29329 -76.3183 1.73
Columbia
Wapwallo
Luzerne Susqueha
41.05828 -76.0833 5.39
Cumberla
Big Spring
Cumberla
Conodoq
40.13896 -77.4066 1.52
Cumberla
Letort Spr
Cumberla
Conodoq
40.21833 -77.1597 6.54
Falling Sp
Middle Sp
Cumberla
Conodoq
40.05389 -77.5258 1.48
Forbes Tr
UNT to Fr
Westmor
Freeman
40.37063 -79.1761 1.19
Forks of D
Martins Cr
Northamp
Tobyhann
40.78167 -75.1822 1.9
Forks of D
UNT to De
Northamp
Delaware
40.64633 -75.2018 1.77
God's Cou
Mill Creek Potter Allegheny
41.77222 -78.0103 6.1
Hockenda
Catasuaq
Northamp
Lehigh Riv
40.64827 -75.4677 0.56
John Ken
Halter Cre
Blair Franksto
40.37333 -78.4231 2.25
John Ken
Plum Cre
Blair Halter cre
40.35417 -78.3975 3.42
John Ken
Sandy Run Blair Little Juni
40.56944 -78.3475 2.14
John Ken
Little Juni
Blair, Hun
Juniata Ri
40.58625 -78.1013 10.52
Lackawan
Gaylord C
Susqueha
North Bra
41.89972 -76.1308 4.15
Lackawan
Rock Cree
Susqueha
Tunkhann
41.79056 -75.5781 2.67
Lackawan
Sherman
Wayne West Bran
41.99611 -75.4158 2.58
Lackawan
Lewis Cre
Luzerne Lackawan
41.38807 -75.8236 2.09
Lloyd Wils
Harveys R
Clinton Bald Eagle
41.1227 -77.4292 2.39
Monocacy Saucon Cr
Lehigh Lehigh Riv
40.53389 -75.4492 2.8
Mountain
Higgins R
Somerset Quemaho
40.14194 -78.9664 3.07
Oil Creek Logan Run Forest Tionesta
41.59583 -79.1703 1.8
Oil Creek Bear Run Venango South San
41.35435 -79.9145 0.87
Schuylkill
UNT 2299
Schuylkill Bear Cree
40.57222 -76.1658 2.56
Spring Cre
Cedar Run Centre Marsh Cre
40.79528 -77.7597 2.9
Spring Cre
Laurel Ru
Centre Bald Eagle
40.825 -78.1083 3.35
Stan Coop
Balliet Ru
Luzerne Wapwallo
41.07103 -76.0095 3.71
Stan Coop
Big Wapw
Luzerne Wapwallo
41.16249 -75.8844 4.67
Stan Coop
Bow Cree
Luzerne Big Wapw
41.14853 -75.8997 4.52
Stan Coop
UNT to La
Luzerne Laurel Ru
41.23705 -75.8093 1.43
Stan Coop
Burgess B
Wyoming North Bra
41.53361 -76.1689 1.24
Tiadaghto
Satterlee
Bradford South Bra
41.66306 -76.4544 4.4
Tiadaghto
Big Rift Cr
Tioga Tioga Rive
41.86833 -77.1244 2.15
Tiadaghto
Rock Run Tioga Babb Cree
41.63787 -77.243 1.22
Tulpehoc
Hay Creek Berks Schuylkill
40.20417 -75.8617 6.44
Tulpehoc
UNT 0195
Berks Tulpehoc
40.36972 -76.1811 0.77
Tulpehoc
UNT 6401
Berks Allegheny
40.22778 -75.9533 1.86
Tulpehoc
UNT Mon
Berks Monocacy
40.36833 -75.8119 0.38
Tulpehoc
Willow Cr
Berks Maiden Cr
40.42722 -75.9333 0.97
Western
Conety Ru
Luzerne Little Nes
41.11056 -75.8456 2.66
Western
Creasy Cr
Luzerne Nescopec
41.09333 -75.8197 4.6
Western
Little Nes
Luzerne Nescopec
41.10667 -75.8375 3.48
Western
Long Run Luzerne Nescopec
41.0425 -75.995 2.76
Western
UNT 2813
Luzerne Nescopec
41.00694 -76.1086 1.12
Western
UNT 2813
Luzerne Nescopec
41.01556 -76.0967 1.12
Western
UNT 2815
Luzerne Nescopec
41.02583 -76.0558 2.24
142.91

 

[afishinado]

Here is a copy of the entire Proposal, including streams:

http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol46/46-10/367.html

Here is the form used for comments:

http://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment/Comments.aspx

 

[franklin]

ebroesicke wrote:
Saucon Creek is on that list.

Looks like the upper end if I have the coordinates right.

 

[ebroesicke]

yes