Leidy Township, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) visited a stream restoration project today at the Lucky 7 Hunting Club property on Kettle Creek to view the recently completed work and discuss how it will improve water quality in this Exceptional Value stream as part of Clinton County’s Countywide Action Plan for the Chesapeake Bay. 

The project was designed to reduce erosion that threatens property, decrease pollution, and improve aquatic and riparian habitats. Project partners include the Clinton County Conservation District, Kettle Creek Watershed Association, Native Creations, Lucky 7 Hunting Club, and the Kettle Creek/Tamarack Sportsmans Club. 

“This project restored more than 400 feet of eroding streambank in the Kettle Creek Watershed,” said Toby Boyer, watershed specialist with the Clinton County Conservation District, who led the tour. “An estimated 17 tons of sediment per year will be reduced, and this section of stream will provide much needed habitat for trout and other aquatic species.”  

The stream channel has been unstable for decades after it was partially relocated into an area lacking bedrock during utility construction in the 1950s.  An estimated 20-30 feet of streambank has been eroded in the past two decades, threatening the hunting club property. A 2017 bank pin study determined the streambank was being lost at a rate of approximately two feet per year. 

“The design techniques utilized in this project have been incredibly successful at restoring eroding and degraded streams across our region over the past decade,” said DEP Acting Regional Director for the Northcentral Regional Office Jared Dressler. “DEP remains committed to helping our county and non-profit partners accelerate their efforts to tackle local stream issues and contribute toward the overall restoration of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.” 

The project design used mudsill structures, root ball deflectors, bank regrading, and native plantings to stabilize the reconstructed channel, slow water velocity, and allow floodplain access.  Invasive shrubs were also removed and approximately 350 trees covering more than an acre were planted as part of the project. 

“‘The Kettle’ has played a significant role in my life,” said Board Chairman of the Kettle Creek Watershed Association Jim Toth. “Following my return from Vietnam, this is the place I came to get away. This watershed has given my family and me so much, and projects like this are a way that the Kettle Creek Watershed Association can help to give back to this place and all of the people who come here to enjoy it.” 

“This project is an example of how the power of partnerships and collaboration can benefit our natural resources,” said District Manager for the Clinton County Conservation District Wade Jodun. “The joint effort of various agencies, nonprofits, sportsman’s clubs, and volunteers will now benefit the watershed for generations.” 

In addition to the project partners listed above, funding was provided by the Pennsylvania Coldwater Heritage Partnership, which is a collaborative effort between DEP, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC), the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited, and the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds; and by DCNR through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program. 

The Clinton County Conservation District, DEP, and PFBC also assisted in the planning and permitting phases of the project.