A Northeast Region Program

Dennis Reidenbach
Regional Director

Designated: The White Clay Creek Study Act (P.L. 106-357) designated 190 miles of the White Clay Creek and its tributaries into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system.

Location: The White Clay Creek flows through southwestern Chester County, Pennsylvania and northwestern New Castle County, Delaware.

Outstanding Resources: Lime Kilns and 19th century mills; neotropical migrant birds, including the Cerulean Warbler; the federally listed endangered Bog Turtle; the most extensive mature Piedmont forests remaining in the State of Delaware; and the Cockeysville marble formations, an exceptional aquifer.

Overview:

The White Clay Creek watershed is truly an exceptional resource in the bi-state area. The White Clay Creek watershed is renowned for its scenery, opportunities for birding and trout fishing and for its historic features. The watershed is also an important source of drinking water for residents in both Pennsylvania and Delaware. The proximity of the Philadelphia and Wilmington-Newark metropolitan areas, however, is having an impact on the watershed. There are more findings of pollution, fewer migrating birds, and receding forests. In 1991, citizens of the White Clay Creek area requested that the creek and its tributaries be considered for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

River Management

White Clay Creek Watershed Management Committee's website has a wealth of information about the White Clay Creek

Last Updated:
September 23, 2009