Water Quality Status of Black Hole Creek, Lycoming County, PA

Elaine Langone Center, Terrace Room

Black Hole Creek is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River near Montgomery, in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. It is approximately 8 miles (13 km) long. Black Hole Creek starts near U.S. Route 15. The first one third of the creek flows through forests. The second one third of the creek flows through a golf course. The final one third of the creek flows through residential areas and farmland. The stream contains trout. It also is subject to significant increases in temperature downstream of a pond on the grounds of the Allenwood Federal Prison. In 2003 an assessment of erosion along Black Hole Creek was completed by Lycoming College Clean Water Institute Interns. This information was used by the local watershed group to projects that decreased bank erosion and improved fish habitat. The 2003 study also included water chemistry, macroinvertebrate and fish (electrofishing) surveys. During the summer of 2014 a similar study was repeated at three sites to evaluate and update water quality and aquatic life above and below the White Deer Golf course and federal lands. The upper one third of the stream has developed into a class A brook trout stream while the warm waters created by the pond still hinder the trout population downstream even though some restoration projects have been completed. Recommendations for future projects will be presented.