Investigating Anthropogenic Sediment in the Headwaters of the Susquehanna

Elaine Langone Center, Terrace Room

This poster details the results of exploratory field investigations conducted during summer 2015 in four Pennsylvania State Parks in the Northern Tier, in an effort to identify and record anthropogenic sediment (mill pond deposits and overbank sedimentation) in headwater streams of the Susquehanna watershed. Human impact on stream form and function has been demonstrated to be significant in in both the Ridge and Valley and Piedmont regions of Pennsylvania. However, less is known regarding the impact of historic land-use changes on fluvial geomorphological processes in the Appalachian Plateau. Field investigations included walking the length of all stream sections located within Pisgah State Park (Glaciated Low Plateau Section), World’s End State Park (Glaciated High Plateau Section), Hyner Run State Park (Deep Valleys Section), and Lyman Run State Park (Deep Valley Section and Glaciated High Plateau Section boundary), all located in the Appalachian Plateau physiographic province. Historical maps were consulted to identify recorded locations of water-powered mills, races, and mill-ponds. Samples of overbank sediment and suspected millpond sediment were returned to Mansfield University where particle size analysis and carbon content analysis were conducted to identify changes in the sedimentation record. Although still in the exploratory phase, the results of this research indicate that 1) mill pond sediment remains stored in low-order streams of the region, 2) buried A-horizons are not always present beneath anthropogenic sediment in the active stream channel, and 3) that the historical maps of Tioga County, and adjoining counties, seem to be relatively accurate in terms of recording the location/existence of nineteenth-century water powered mills. This research was supported by a Pennsylvania DCNR grant.