On March 18, 2014, co-petitioners including Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Perkiomen Trout Unlimited, and Lower Milford Township presented to the PA Environmental Quality Board in support of the Upper Perkiomen stream upgrade redesignation petition that was submitted in 2008. They highlighted community support for the petition and qualifiers they believe make the Upper Perkiomen deserving of Exceptional Value designation. They also included photos of the region as they presented before the EQB which are part of this presentation.

1. Upper Perkiomen Region

5. “Lead” Co-Petitioners

6. Broad Public Support for Petition
• Over 120 co-petitioners in support of Petition
• All 3 County Conservation Districts in support
• 79 landowners/farmers/businesses in region
• Senators: Pat Brown, Bob Mensch, Wonderling,
Reps: Kessler, Simmons, Vitali, Toepel
• PA Campaign for Clean Water Coalition – 180
conservation & civic groups throughout PA

7. Township Support
• Lower Macungie
• East Greenville
• Hereford
• District
• Longswamp
• Douglass (Mont)
• Marlborough
• Lower Milford
• Milford (Bucks)
• Pennsburg Boro
• Green Lane Boro
• Upper Milford

8. Biological assessment qualifier – one
way to get HQ
• PA Rapid Bioassessment
Protocol (RBP)
• Results compared to a
reference stream
• HQ - 83% of the
reference stream
• EV - 92% of the
reference stream

9. Fish Survey Qualifier to HQ
Chapter 93(ii) Class A wild trout stream qualifier. The surface water has been
designated a Class A wild trout stream by the Fish and Boat Commission following
public notice and comment

10. Water chemistry qualifier to HQ
• Dissolved oxygen
• Iron
• Dissolved copper
• Dissolved cadmium
• Aluminum
• Dissolved nickel
• Temperature
• pH
• Dissolved arsenic
• Dissolved lead
• Ammonia nitrogen
• Dissolved zinc
DEP requires one full year of data and at least 24 grab samples required
Chapter 93 (i) The water has long-term water
quality, based on at least 1 year of data which
exceeds levels necessary to support the
propagation of fish, shellfish and wildlife and
recreation in and on the water by being better than
the water quality criteria in § 93.7, Table 3 (relating
to specific water quality criteria) or otherwise
authorized by § 93.8a(b) (relating to toxic
substances), at least 99% of the time

11. (b) EV Qualifier. A surface water that meets one or
more of the following conditions is an Exceptional
Value Water:
(1) The water meets the requirements of subsection (a) and one or more of the following:
(i) The water is located in a National wildlife refuge or a State game propagation and
protection area.
(ii) The water is located in a designated State park natural area or State forest natural area,
National natural landmark, Federal or State wild river, Federal wilderness area or National
recreational area.
(iii) The water is an outstanding National, State, regional or local resource water.
(iv) The water is a surface water of exceptional recreational significance
(v) The water achieves a score of at least 92% (or its equivalent) using the methods and
procedures described in subsection (a)(2)(i)(A) or (B).
(vi) The water is designated as a ‘‘wilderness trout stream’’ by the Fish and Boat Commission
following public notice and comment.
(2) The water is a surface water of exceptional ecological significance.

12. Upper Perk is Primary Water Supply
for a Half Million People
• Aqua America operates
Green Lane Reservoir (805
acre impoundment built in
1957)
• Reservoir supplies water to
over a half million people in
Mont and Chester Co.
• 52.8% of water in Green
Lane from Main Branch,
Perkiomen
Green Lane Reservoir

13. Upper Perk Has Existing
Forested Buffers
• 69% has forested buffers
of atleast 50 feet on each
side of streams.
• Forest coverage overall
much greater than other
southeast piedmont
forest
Hosensack – 78%
West Branch Perk – 67%
Macoby Creek – 60%
Upper main Branch Perk – 53%

14. Stream Fencing & Restoration by
Community – often funded by PA
Growing Greener Funds
• Over 35 stream
restoration projects
implemented since
2000
Summer 2014 – Hosensack
Restoration Project Planned

15. Low Impervious Cover
Main branch – 1.3%
Hosensack – 0.9%
West Branch – 1.5%
Macoby Creek – 2.5%

16. Upper Perk is Part of Nationally
Recognized Schuylkill Highlands
• Highlands areas are
designated by
Congress for special
protections as
source waters for
major east coast
cities.

17. Upper Perk – Healthy Biodiversity
• Designated “High
Priority Habitat Zone” in
Schuylkill Conservation
Plan
• Priority 1 (statewide
significance) and
Priority 2 (local
significance) sites in The
Nature Conservancy’s
Natural Areas Inventory
• The Upper Perk
supports highest
concentration of
Natural Areas Priorities
in Montgomery County

18. Upper Perkiomen
DCNR Conservation Registry
• Was Added to
DCNR’s Rivers
Conservation
Registry in 2003
Montgomery County, Green Lane

19. Upper Perkiomen-Global Significance

20. Preserved Farmland, Forests and
Conservation Easements
• >8,000 acres or
8.6% of area in
open space
– Ag easements –
4,182 acres

21. Rich History & Preserved Heritage
of the Upper Perk