Springfield Watershed Neighborhoods

Larger versions: 1545px x 1474px | Photoshop, with layers (right-click and save)

Where the map data came from:

The Wissahickon Creek is a significant source of drinking water for the City of Philadelphia (approximately 20% of the water withdrawn at Queen Lane intake originates from the Wissahickon Creek). In its efforts to protect this important source, the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), in conjunction with the other municipalities and stake holders, developed Geographic Information System (GIS) data layers showing the water courses, topography and land uses within the Wissahickon Creek watershed. The data were provided to the Sprinfield Township Environmental Advisory Commission (EAC) free of charge and we thank the PWD for this.

What the map shows

The EAC generalized and simplified the information to form 13 manageable, identifiable watershed 'neighborhoods'

• 11 of these watershed neighborhoods are within the Wissahickon watershed and include:
  • 8 based on named streams within Springfield (Sandy Run, Sunny Brook, St. Joseph's Run, Paper Mill Run, and Cresheim Creek). Sunny Brook was divided into multiple watersheds because it drains a relatively large portion of the Township.
  • 2 based on small unnamed tributaries (Andorra Rd tributary and Bell's Mill Rd. tributary) and
  • 1 for direct drainage to Wissahickon Creek itself
• 2 of these watershed neighborhoods are outside the Wissahickon watershed and include:
  • Portions of Laverock and Wyndmoor which drain to Tacony Creek watershed
  • A portion of the panhandle which drains directly to the Schuylkill River
  • No data are available for these sections of the Township

Purpose of Map

1. To allow each of us to see our "watershed neighborhood" and begin to understand that when water runs off our property, it affects the quality and quantity of water that runs through our neighbors' backyard.
2. To allow each of us to begin to think of these waterbodies as "ours" and begin to see the streams and waterbodies as an important part of our neighborhoods which can be a valued resource for formal and informal environmental education and recreation.
3. To allow the EAC to identify, on a map, stream segments with significant problems (i.e bank/bed erosion, sediment deposition, loss of trees, channel blockage) or where exceptionally good practices are followed, and to identify the areas that drain to these stream segments in order to identify appropriate solutions to these problems.

Thanks to Robert Ryan for providing the map and annotations.