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The Christina Basin
Frequently Asked Questions
 What
is the Christina Basin?
The Christina River Basin
is made up of the Brandywine Creek, the White Clay Creek, the
Red Clay Creek, and the Christina River watersheds. These four
major streams drain a 565 square mile area and provide more
than 100 million gallons of water a day for more than half a
million people in three states. The Christina River Basin provides
75% of the water supply for residents in New Castle County,
Delaware, and more than 40% of the water supply for residents
in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The Christina River Basin is
an interstate watershed. The upper 2/3 of the basin is situated
in Pennsylvania while the downstream 1/3 is situated in Delaware.
The basin includes 5 counties and sixty municipalities in the
States of Delaware and Pennsylvania and a small portion of Maryland.
In addition to providing significant water supplies, these streams
also provide natural beauty and recreational opportunities as
well as important habitats for wildlife, aquatic-life and plant-life.
Fisherman, hikers, canoeists and nature lovers can reap the
benefits the Christina Basin streams have to offer. Cool waters
alive with Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth bass and White
Perch keep fishermen busy while hikers, canoeists and nature
lovers can enjoy the natural beauty which includes an abundance
of wildlife from woodducks to bog turtles to the graceful Great
Blue Heron. Because residential, industrial and recreational
use is so heavy, water quality and overall health of the Christina
Basin is in jeopardy.
What problems face the Christina Basin?
Clean, safe water is necessary to sustain the quality of life
for residents and businesses in New Castle and Chester Counties.
High levels of contaminants make fish caught in some areas of
the Christina Basin streams unsafe to eat. Other
areas such poor habitat that aquatic
life is at risk while other areas are considered unsafe for
swimming. These streams are impaired by point sources and non-point
source pollutants. Point source pollutants come from the ends
of pipes, sewer overflows and municipal and industrial wastewater
discharges while non-point pollutants stem from stormwater runoff
from construction sites, roads, highways, agriculture and streambank
erosion. The Christina Basin Water Management Strategy is working
to identify and eliminate these pollutants.
Who depends on Christina Basin streams?
Water Suppliers that are dependent on Christina Basin Streams
are:
In Delaware:
Artesian Water Company
City of Newark
City of Wilmington
United Water Delaware
In Pennsylvania:
Avondale Borough
Borough of Downingtown
City of Coatesville Authority
Philadelphia Suburban Water Company
West Grove Borough
West Whiteland Municipal Borough
What clean up strategy has been
designed?
The Christina Basin Water Resources Committee is addressing
point and non-point source water quality problems through a
two-part strategy.
Point Source Pollutants
Part 1 was initiated in 1994 and consists of a 5-year stream
monitoring and watershed modeling program aimed at controlling
point sources of pollutants such as end-of-pipe wastewater discharges.
This point source program is being conducted for the first three
years by collecting stream water-quality data at over 30 monitoring
stations in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Using data from the 3-year
stream monitoring effort, a water quality and hydrodynamic model
will be developed to define point source loading. Based on results
from the stream monitoring effort and model, point-source reduction
programs will be developed which may included modified effluent
limits and/or improvements to wastewater treatment plants.
Non-Point Source Pollutants
Part 2 consists of identifying non-point source pollutants such
as urban and rural runoff. The contribution of the non-point
source pollutants will be identified by collection land use
and soil data and establishing an event-based stormwater monitoring
program. A non-point source pollutant load model will be developed
to provide loading allocations to the receiving water quality
model developed in Part 1. Using results from the Christina
basin non-point source load model and other techniques, subwatersheds
will be prioritized for water quality improvements. Non-point
source programs may include best management practices (BMP's)
such as public education, ground water infiltration systems,
reforestation, agricultural practices and riparian stream buffers
to control stormwater runoff and reduce water quality impacts
to the receiving streams for the Christina Basin.
Who is on the Citizens Task Force?
Several local non-profit groups are also included in the Christina
Basin Water Quality Management Strategy. To help support the
plan, contact one of these groups:
Brandywine Conservancy
Brandywine Valley Association
Christina Conservancy
Delaware Nature Society
Red Clay Valley Association
White Clay Watershed Association
Wilmington River - City Steering Committee |
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