What We Do

The Conservancy is a cohesive group of local residents and businesses who have joined together and are committed to a common purpose – a comprehensive approach to continued water quality improvement within the Twin and Walker Creeks Watershed.

Mission Statement

To promote a better understanding of the Twin and Walker Creeks Watershed and its ecosystems and to protect, restore and enhance the watershed through proper management and watershed stewardship.


Conservancy Objectives

  • Encourage the active participation of residents in watershed stewardship through education and through volunteer monitoring efforts
  • Promote and provide a forum for sharing information and experiences on watershed management.
  • Foster the development of restoration and protection programs within the Little Walker Creek Watershed.
  • Encourage the support and development of local, state and national programs promoting watershed management.
  • Encourage the cooperation and interaction of organizations concerned with watershed restoration and protection.
  • Encourage the development and enforcement of laws and legislation designed to protect watersheds.


Conservancy Activities:

Water Quality Monitoring

  • The Conservancy maintains a group of well-trained volunteers that collect and analyze water chemistry and biological data at twelve different locations within the watershed.


Upkeep of a Watershed Database

  • Input chemical and biological data to a computerized database utilized by local, state and federal agencies.


Information Networking

  • Publish a biannual newsletter and distribute it to residents living within the watershed.
  • Create informational fact sheets to address management concerns within the watershed.
  • Attend workshops and conferences to share information with similar organizations and keep informed on.

Partners:

Pike County Conservation District
Twin Lakes Preserve POA
Delaware Highlands
F. X. Browne, Inc.
Twin Lakes Park Association
Twin Lakes Conservancy, Inc.
Dingman Township
East Cove Woods POA
Keystone Watershed Network
Shohola Township
Twin Lakes North POA
Twin Lakes Woods POA
Sagamore Estates POA
Twin Lakes POA
Shohola Trails End POA
Twin Cove Association
Maple Park POA
Walker Lake Landowners Association

The Twin and Walker Creeks Watershed is located in northeast Pennsylvania within Pike County The 11.5 square-mile watershed consists of approximately 11 miles of streams as well as three glacial lakes – Big Twin Lake, Little Twin Lake, and Walker Lake.  Each of the lakes is a significant natural, aesthetic, and recreational resource that is highly valued by the residents of the several residential communities that surround the lakes.


The Twin and Walker Creeks Watershed Conservancy is comprised of a group of concerned citizens that, in some cases, have been working to protect and enhance the water quality of Twin and Walker Lakes for 20 years or more. This group has assumed as its primary function the long-term stewardship of the watershed.  

The Conservancy recently received the Twin/Walker Creeks Lake & Watershed Assessment Study from our consultant FX Browne.  The study used lake water quality monitoring to determine the current trophic or nutrient rich level of Big Twin Lake, Little Twin Lake and Walker Lake.  The study also included a stream monitoring program that was used to quantify nutrient and sediment loadings to each of the three lakes.  A comparison of the Secchi depth-based Carlson Trophic State Index for the period 1994-2002 indicates that both Big Twin Lake and Walker Lake trophic index values are increasing and thus are being impacted by nutrient pollution.  Both Big Twin Lake and Walker Lake require a substantial reduction in phosphorus loading to reduce eutrophication.  

One source of nutrient loading to the Twin/Walker Creeks Watershed is non-point source pollution problem areas including stormwater management and roadside erosion problems. The watershed assessment study included a comprehensive inventory of non-point source pollution problem areas and the development of a management plan for the water resources of the Twin/Walker Creeks Watershed. Specific management objectives of the study were the reduction of non-point source pollution within the direct drainage areas to Walker Lake and Big Twin Lake. Several problem areas were identified that are likely transporting significant quantities of sediment and phosphorus into Walker Lake and Big Twin Lake.

To address these non-point source pollution areas, the Conservancy is looking at external sources of funding i.e. grants or local funding through the community associations. However, the Conservancy Growing Greener Watershed Restoration Grant application for 2004 was not funded by the PA Department of Environmental Protection. The next round of funding has just been announced and the Conservancy will be submitting an application to assist us in addressing non-point stormwater runoff in our watershed. The Conservancy is exploring all funding opportunities to address the non-point stormwater pollution issue.

Another possible source of non-point nutrient loading to the watershed is malfunctioning septic systems. The Conservancy has received a grant from the Canaan Valley Institute to conduct an educational outreach program for homeowners on how septic systems work and how to maintain them to work properly and not pollute our water resources.

The first step of the grant was the development of a septic system fact sheet and maintenance checklist. The fact sheet has been mailed to all residents of the watershed. In addition, a copy of the fact sheet can be downloaded at our web site on the doing your part section. The maintenance checklist can be downloaded at that section as well.

The grant is helping to fund a survey to identify the location and status of on-lot septic systems and oil storage tanks in the watershed. These survey results will be mapped on a Geographic Information System and entered into an Excel database. A survey has been mailed to all residents of the watershed. The Conservancy is analyzing the survey results and will be completing a report on the results. A summary of the survey results will be provided to all residents as well as published on our web site.

For those of you who haven't completed a survey, you can still complete a survey and provide it to us from the "Doing your part" section of the website.