Hydrology of two small river basins in Pennsylvania before urbanization, with a section on observation of stream fauna

Basic data on water quantity, chemical quality, and suspended sediment are tabulated to record the conditions existing in two basins near Philadelphia, each about 32 square miles in area. The basins in 1970 are agricultural land for the most part, but urban and industrial development is imminent as the Philadelphia metropolitan area expands. Hopefully, as changes caused by urbanization occur in future years, data published herein will be useful as a base for comparison.

Pickering Creek basin has a higher population than the upper East Branch Brandywine Creek basin. The two are comparable in discharge characteristics and in shapes and sizes of channels, but the Pickering Creek basin is producing a considerably larger suspended-sediment load. Also the effects of urbanization are discernible in some chemical parameters.

During the study, a small subbasin, one-half square mile in area, was converted from agricultural use to an industrial park. This change resulted in a marked increase in sulfates, nitrates, chlorides, and dissolved solids in the streamflow.