swatara creek dams

Unlike the dam, the state park that would have surrounded it is today a reality, though it’s not exactly the same park that was shown off to the public back in 1969. Use caution at dams: With groups, avoid low-head dam in Jonestown. The 125-foot Siegrist Dam tripled the water capacity of the High Bridge reservoir on the site to 1.2 billion gallons and became the new second surface water source fed into the City of Lebanon Authority’s system after the intake facility already on the Swatara. Uneven portage on left bank, which disappears into tree line in high water. For comparison, attendance numbers in recent years have been around 150,000 or so. In comparison, the Swatara reservoir would contain around 3.3 billion gallons — over ten times High Bridge’s volume. Blotter: Accidents, scattering rubbish, theft, At the turn of the century, Valley Glen Park was the place to see and be seen, A look back at some of the worst snowstorms in county history, [Photo Story] Your photos of this week’s snow in Lebanon County, Police share details on weekend crash that killed Lebanon motorcyclist, The latest food safety violations in Lebanon County, Two Annville couples open axe-throwing venue in Hershey, Police ID city murder victim; suspect named, is still at large, What’s in a name? There is a low-head dam on the Swatara just east of PA Route 72 and north of Jonestown. By the late 1990s, these groups included the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which were particularly concerned for the acres of important wetlands that would be inundated by the reservoir. The corporation was active in the 70’s then became dormant. A long-gone dam on the creek existed between 1826 and 1862, comprising a 45-foot breast and an 800-acre impoundment that ran six miles northward in the direction of Pine Grove. While generally favored by officials at both the local and state levels, the dam was an unpopular prospect for families who would be forced to vacate their homes to make way for the reservoir and park, as well as citizens who doubted the state’s capacity to take care of the creek’s acid problem. Though the idea of a modern dam on the Swatara has frequently been claimed to date back to 1969, newspaper records show it was actually considered as far back as May of 1960, when Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority chairman Franklin Z. Meiser “threw out” the idea of a new dam project at Inwood during a courthouse meeting with the Lebanon County Commissioners. You seem like a real fan. 8 miles (13 km) of Swatara Creek lie within the park's boundaries, which are roughly formed by Pennsylvania Route 443 to the north and Interstate 81 to the south. The dam was washed away in the Flood of 1862, destroying the canal and reservoir. The Swatara Creek flows downward, through the mountains and through Lebanon County and the southern portion of Dauphin County. By the late 1970s, around 200 parcels of land had been acquired by the state, funded by the 1971 grant as well as a supplemental 1974 grant of $1.7 million. In response, County Commissioner John Anspach made a statement expressing his and the other commissioners’ support of the project, a sentiment also shared at the time by Mayor Jack Worrilow, Lebanon City Council, the Lebanon Bureau of Water Sewage, and many other community leaders and organizations. Susquehanna River (Red Hill Dam) Near the Dock Street dam in Harrisburg, the PFBC access areas at Fort Hunter, Millersburg and in Halifax. Do you support local news?If you believe that Lebanon County needs independent, high-quality journalism, consider joining LebTown as a member. If there’s one lesson to be taken away from the story of the Swatara Dam, it’s that nobody can predict the future and the setbacks, progress, and problems it will bring. These included a rerouting of Route 72 (deemed less prohibitive thanks to the construction of Interstate 81) and the presence of an active Reading Railroad line (which its operators were willing to give up for several hundred thousand dollars). One of the most important roles of the dam would have been to provide a major new source of water for Lebanon County. Want to learn more about the project and the Swatara Creek and State Park? By the end of the century, the reservoir’s estimated cost had risen to $40 million. 14: Numerous homes adjacent to the creek are affected by high water. The scenic Swatara Creek meanders the length of the park and is surrounded by forests and wetlands that support a … The project at that point was estimated to cost around $7 million and would have a completion date around 10 or 15 years into the future. Paddlers should avoid this area, which lacks good portage. The Swatara Feeder, as it was called, ran from the Water Works Dam north along the Swatara Creek to Finnegans Dam about 2.4 miles north of Jonestown. 12: High water affects several homes upstream of the Route 39 bridge. In hopes of maybe catching a few small natives we headed to the only access points we could manage to find and wetted our lines for 4 hours or so. And dams? The Swatara Creek Watershed Association, Inc. was founded in 1970 in response to encouragement from the Chamber of Commerce and State and federal agencies to promote conservation of the Swatara Creek Watershed. Areas of the park are open specific seasons and hours. Below are weather averages from 1971 to 2000 according to data gathered from the nearest official weather station. Excluding any breaking news, we will return to our regular posting schedule on Dec. 28. There are two dams that are hindrances with terrible portages so I broke the creek into three sections. 8 It’s one of the major bodies of water in Lebanon County, and since 2012, eight miles of its length have been contained within the large 3,520-acre Swatara State Park. Hershey dam portage is also on the left. Now it was time for the next phase of the project to begin: land acquisition. The furnace, parts of two dams, the ironmaster’s mansion and a … It rises in the Appalachian Mountains in central Schuylkill County and passes through northwest Lebanon County before draining into the Susquehanna at Middletown in Dauphin County. Sections, Gauges & Water Levels Section A (Pine Grove to Rt. The existing Swatara Creek facilities, which were constructed in 1972, are located on the west side of Swatara Creek … Keiser reported that three of the plan’s biggest obstacles had been “largely eliminated,” according to state officials. Tyler Hunt. In 1828, work began to … On closer inspection, The dam was by then scheduled to be finished by 1991. During 1828, … author: Pat Reilly date: July 2005. The Swatara Creek is a 72-mile tributary of the Susquehanna River. The Swatara Creek Water Trail is a 42-mile segment of Swatara Creek from Jonestown, Lebanon County, to the PA Fish & Boat Commission's Middletown Access, in Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. About 80 … In August of 1969, Dr. Maurice Goddard, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Forest and Waters and one of the project’s staunchest supporters, unveiled a map of the proposed reservoir and state park to a crowd of 500 officials and citizens at Northern Lebanon High School. Suggestions for a future LebTown article? Following a decade of nationwide dam unpopularity, as well as constant pressure from opponents, the idea of a dam appeared to be on its last legs. Erected 1950 by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. It is likely that this very affordable conference would be helpful to paddlers interested in working on dam removal projects in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Its headwaters are in the Appalachian Mountains near Minersville Borough in Schuylkill County. The Swatara Feeder, as it was called, ran from the Water Works Dam north along the Swatara Creek to Finnegans Dam about 2.4 miles north of Jonestown. Although the Swatara Creek is generally a slow moving, shallow water with few dangers and suitable for all levels of paddlers, there are some points of concern including two dams (just below Union Deposit and the PA Turnpike). “But the Swatty had been dammed right below [Kline’s] property. Also try the area near Red Hill Dam on the east side of the River along Three Mile Island. Read More: [Photo Story] Brilliant blues and fiery fall colors on display at Swatara State Park. Both dams must be portaged and can be … Swatara Creek in Pennsylvania. These included Green Point Recreation Area (a day use area with a capacity of 5,300 people), Point Park Overnight Area (2,500 people and access from Route 443), Midway Overnight Area (camper and boating facilities for 2,800 people), Suedberg Recreation Area, and a fifth area with the potential for boat docks, camping, and even an airport. Water use in the lower basin for public supply totaled about 200 million gallons per day in 1985. The Swatara currently has two small dams on it, one operated by the City of Lebanon Water Authority in Jonestown and the other by the PA American Water Company for residential service. The Swatara Creek begins in the mountains of Schuylkill County, coursing over 70 miles to the southwest through Lebanon and Dauphin Counties before emptying into the Susquehanna River near Middletown. The dam was never rebuilt because the railroad soon went into operation on the opposite bank of the Swatara Creek. In addition, the Christian E Seigrist Reservoir is located in Schuylkill County, and the Dehart Dam in Dauphin County. However, that plan never came to fruition. This was a serious blow to the project. Swatara Creek River Water Trail - Trail Map - Trail Guide (text)-- Water Trails Index. Swatara Creek River of the month. ... Strainers are relatively few; the only carry I can remember was a beaver dam. Theme by AcademiaThemes. Work continued haltingly in the 1980s, though more than $40 million was allocated for the project at this time. However, for a variety of reasons, plans never materialized, and in 2012, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) started to create trails and other recreational areas in the park. In April of 2000, after four decades of plans, meetings, and studies, the DCNR announced that the plans for the development of the reservoir were halted. Located just miles from Hershey, owner Ben Miller and his trained staff provide both self-guided and guided tours of the Swatara Creek Water Trail, which is … The park is open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset. Reach our newsroom using the contact form below and we’ll do our best to get back to you. Major tributaries and their drainage areas east of the Susquehanna River are Swatara Creek (571 square miles) and the Conestoga River (477 square miles). 22) To start at Pine Grove, Harper Tavern should be over 2.5’; To get through Swatara State Park, Inwood should be 3.25’. Remains of the abandoned railroad bed, five canal locks and the old dam on Old State Road can be found within the park. At the time, Lebanon’s major source of water was the High Bridge Reservoir near Pine Grove, which had a capacity of about 310 million gallons or so. View the full PDF from the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources here, [Photo Story] Brilliant blues and fiery fall colors on display at Swatara State Park, A trek into the wilderness of the Lebanon Reservoir and Jeff’s Swamp, a massive expansion of Pennsylvania’s park system, Historic Inwood Bridge off the Swatara, being readied for new placement, Blotter: Fatal crashes, train vs. car crash, accidental fire. Swatara Creek Intake. Steamboat Annie, which carried passengers along the Swatara Creek. The corporation was active in the 70’s then became dormant. Photo at right: The Swatara Creek Greenway, by Rich Zaino. (The Lebanon Daily News, 8 May 1998). Perhaps this is not the last we’ve heard about a dam on the Swatara. The relocation of Route 443 was yet another hindrance to construction, but its new three-mile reroute was finished in 1993. Any project as large in scope as the Swatara Dam draws mixed opinions and often heated debate. This included the acquisition and subsequent destruction of residences and farm operations within the project’s borders. The 3,520-acre Swatara State Park consists of rolling fields and woodlands situated in the Swatara Valley, between Second and Blue mountains. as well as camping from the Swatara Watershed Association, which organizes an overnight Swatara Creek Sojourn trip each May (www.swatarawatershed.com). It is likely that this very affordable conference would be helpful to paddlers interested in working on dam removal projects in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Swatara State Park was formed in 1987 with the idea of damming the Swatara Creek to create a lake at the park. CCA secretary Richard Henry stated that there was no permanent solution for treating the Swatara’s acid problem and described the plan as “economically unsound.”. Instead, in 2012 the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources decided to scrap the lake plan and instead started building trails and other features in the park. The Swatara Creek Fishing Opportunities Swatara Creek supports a diverse coolwater/ warmwater fishery that includes smallmouth bass, tiger muskies, channel catfish, sunfish, and suckers. 3 lb. In addition, the Christian E Seigrist Reservoir is located in Schuylkill County, and the Dehart Dam in Dauphin County. Photo at right: The Swatara Creek Greenway, by Rich Zaino. Historic accounts of the creek’s natural populations were cited in early meetings as proof of the possibilities. Station Number Station name Date/Time Gage height, feet Dis-charge, ft3/s Long-term median flow 12/17 Temper-ature, water, The story behind every municipality name in Lebanon County, Blotter: Fatal crash, simple assault, harassment, LebTown is on hiatus for the holidays: Thanks for supporting us in a tough year, Commissioners vote to spend remainder of CARES funding, discuss year’s disbursement of funds. In June of 1963, the system drew over 100 million gallons from the High Bridge Reservoir and over 76 million from its second source, a small intake facility already on the Swatara near Jonestown. Read More: Historic Inwood Bridge off the Swatara, being readied for new placement. Siegrist Dam is a concrete dam, 125 feet high and 600 feet long with a capacity of 1.2 billion gallons that was completed and placed in operation in 1994. The new dam initially had smaller dimensions, with early plans calling for a 25-foot breast. Swatara Creek (nicknamed the Swattie) is a 72-mile-long (116 km) tributary of the Susquehanna River in east-central Pennsylvania in the United States. Motorboats with up to 10 horsepower were to be permitted on the lake. Copyright © 2020 Swatara Water Trail . The death of a Cleona man who drowned this summer while kayaking on the Swatara Creek near Jonestown is a cautionary tale. Fishing was among the the biggest draws, but swimming, boating, and other “flat-water forms of recreation” were also accounted for on the reservoir, estimated to be around 1,400 feet wide on average and around 38 feet deep near the dam. When this column began 6 years ago, its stated purpose was to introduce club members to lesser-known local waterways. The bottom end of the Shooty-Chute, which launched park visitors into the waters of the Swatara. But in 1970, as Governor Raymond Schafer signed the “Swatara State Gap Park” into conceptual existence, officials found out that the entirety of the Project 70 funds had already been used on other projects. Work on the park, which had remained undeveloped since 1987, began in 2011 and it was officially opened the following year. Concerns that the current water supplies available to the Lebanon system would be insufficient in the oncoming decades would have been laid to rest if the reservoir was created. Early estimates made by Goddard placed the expected annual number of visitors to the completed park at around 1 million, a number that could have been made possible thanks to the proximity of Interstate 81. Swatara State Park was originally slated to become a large lake by creating a dam on the Swatara Creek in 1987. Registration for the conference is due by January 23rd. “But the Swatty had been dammed right below [Kline’s] property. 22) To start at Pine Grove, Harper Tavern should be over 2.5’; To get through Swatara State Park, Inwood should be 3.25’. Two dams are on the Swatara Creek, a low-head dam owned by the Lebanon Water Authority, and one dam owned by PA American Water Company to provide clean water for residents of the Swatara Watershed. ... 31, downstream on Friday at the Swatara Creek … Acid runoff originating from abandoned strip mines and coal silt was known to be a major issue even in the project’s early days, and many locals could plainly see that the “Black Swattie” was not nearly as clean as it should be. Dams on the Swatara The Swatara currently has two small dams on it, one operated by the City of Lebanon Water Authority in Jonestown and the other by the PA American Water Company for residential service. ... To extend the trip even further you can start at the park in Union Deposit, but there is a dam in Hummelstown that will need portaged, and if you start even further upstream from that park, a very dangerous dam is an absolute must portage, lethal hydraulic at … “You wonder how a boat could get in there,” said Meyer. At this event, the Citizens Conservation Association of Lebanon County spoke against the plan, with opponents claiming the unlikelihood of fixing the Swatara’s pollution problems permanently. The Swatara Creek and the proposed map of the reservoir and surrounding park. Dams Two dams are on the Swatara Creek, a low-head dam owned by the Lebanon Water Authority, and one dam owned by PA American Water Company to provide clean water for residents of the Swatara Watershed. FEMA 10% Annual Chance Flood Level (10-year flood). In mentioning that all of the money must be allocated and spent by Dec. 30, County Administrator Jamie Wolgemuth reminded the commissioners that the county has disbursed $9.1 million in grants to Lebanon County businesses in just over 3.5 months. Swatara State Park. Siegrist Dam is a concrete dam, 125 feet high and 600 feet long with a capacity of 1.2 billion gallons that was completed and placed in operation in 1994. Five major areas were part of Goddard’s initial plans. ... To extend the trip even further you can start at the park in Union Deposit, but there is a dam in Hummelstown that will need portaged, and if you start even further upstream from that park, a very dangerous dam is an absolute must portage, lethal hydraulic at … Meiser subsequently stated that he had first conceived the idea even earlier in 1955, when he was a member of the Regional Planning Commission. Most of these species occur in the lower portion of the creek near Middletown. This number and others, like the estimated cost of $3 million, grew as Meiser and proponents of the idea continued to develop the project. Also try the area near Red Hill Dam on the east side of the River along Three Mile Island. Your support will go directly towards stories like this and you will be helping ensure that our community has a reliable news source for years to come.Learn more about membership and join now here. Dams on the Swatara weren’t unheard of at the time of the proposal. ... 31, downstream on Friday at the Swatara Creek … Controversy surrounding the plan only grew over time as setbacks and delays stalled the project and costs began to add up. The Swatara Creek Watershed Association, Inc. was founded in 1970 in response to encouragement from the Chamber of Commerce and State and federal agencies to promote conservation of the Swatara Creek Watershed. The Swatara Creek is a 72-mile tributary of the Susquehanna River. A Lebanon City resident died after getting pulled underwater by strong currents at the Jonestown Dam, Pennsylvania State Police said. Topics and series. Over the course of the decade, the state began piecing together the massive acreage of the project through land purchase and use of eminent domain. The park itself is the end result of a complex, ambitious, and ultimately incomplete plan that would have added a dam on the river at the Swatara Gap near Green Point and created a miles-long lake stretching out across the northern end of the county. It’s this period of land acquisition that still stings for many of the residents displaced and affected by the project. For months, the Swatara Dam and state park hung in limbo. Some would say that’s a good thing, and some wouldn’t. Both dams must be portaged and can be … One possibility for the dam to move forward was through Project 70, a 1964 state law allocating $70 million for use in acquiring land for public parks, reservoirs, historical sites, and other preservation efforts. Concerns over water shortages in the future are still relevant, though any talk of a new dam project is likely to receive considerable opposition due to ecological, financial, and logistical concerns. LebTown is on hiatus for the holidays. In comparison, the proposed dam would have measured 40 feet high and 500 feet wide with a 750-acre impoundment behind it, flooding nearly seven miles of land from Green Point out to Suedberg in Schuylkill County. Susquehanna River (Red Hill Dam) Near the Dock Street dam in Harrisburg, the PFBC access areas at Fort Hunter, Millersburg and in Halifax. Proponents of the project, including Meiser, suggested that limestone impoundments could be used to neutralize the creek’s acid content. It was in use from 1832-1862. What really happened at the “Taste of Sicily trial”? Besides the historic predecessor, dam proponents pointed to the Swatara’s potential for fishing as another reason to consider the project. Steamboat Annie, which carried passengers along the Swatara Creek. “You wonder how a boat could get in there,” said Meyer. But one of the biggest problem facing the project was in direct conflict with its future as a water supply: pollution. Introduce club members to lesser-known local waterways in Schuylkill County, and several lift locks remain the... Brought up in discussions on the Swatara Creek River water Trail - Trail Map - Trail Map - Trail -! High water could be used to return acidified bodies of water back down to safe.. And it was time for the time being the chief issue with the project at this time avoid. Numerous homes adjacent to the Swatara 1971 to 2000 according to data gathered from the watershed avoid dam! 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