Watershed Conservation

The Conservancy works to understand threats to local waterways and implement solutions. All streams in Lower Merion and Narberth are designated as impaired by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, as are most streams in neighboring communities. Some of these impaired streams (including Mill Creek and Vine Creek) flow into drinking water intakes on the Schuylkill River while others (including Cobbs Creek and its tributaries Naylors Run and the East and West Branches of Indian Creek and Naylors Run) contribute to serious downstream flooding in Darby, Yeadon, and Eastwick.

The impairments are caused by our approach to development. Most buildings and roads are designed to channel rain water away as soon as it hits the ground. The water sweeps up pollutants – heavy metals, fertilizers, pesticides, motor oils, road salt, sediment, trash – before being funneled down a storm drain. From there the water is piped into a stream, untreated. The quantity of rain being channeled causes flooding on streets and in streams. While the systemic nature of these issues makes them difficult to take on, they are not insurmountable.

A more holistic approach to managing rain is to create spaces for rain to percolate into the ground near where it lands, as it would in a natural setting, rather than piping it away. Rain gardens can capture much of the water that would have otherwise run off from a roof or driveway. Planting trees and replacing pavement and lawns with native plant gardens also decreases runoff.   

The Conservancy installs projects ranging from residential scale native plant gardens to ecological restorations in parks to improve conditions wherever we can. To expand our reach, we worked with our partners at Pennsylvania Resources Council, Eastern Delaware County Stormwater Collaborative, and Darby Creek Valley Association to create the Growing Greener Communities website. The website walks through actions you can take at home to benefit your local stream.