Document Type
Other
Date of this Version
5-2018
Abstract
On the north side of Camel’s Hump and south of Monocacy Creek in Bethlehem, PA lies a spring-fed peatland that was referred to as the “Detweiler peat deposit” and described as having about 4.5 feet of peat over clay, glacial till, and decomposed gneiss and limestone in Miller (1925). Today, part of this peatland is located on the property of Friends of Johnston, Inc. who, along with federal officials, require an understanding of the peatland hydrology and boundaries to aid in the implementation of a storm water management plan upstream of the wetland. Although the peatland will only undergo minor replanting and quality maintenance throughout the extent of this project, upstream hydrologic alterations could affect the character and limits of the peatland. In advance of the project, baseline information was gathered including a hydrology assessment and a preliminary wetland delineation. An electrical resistivity survey using SuperSting technology was conducted and revealed an intricate subsurface network of water flow, springs, and the piezometric tendencies characteristic of the karst topography found in the area. A preliminary wetland delineation was conducted using the Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Eastern Mountains and Piedmont Region (Version 2.0) (USACOE 2012) and determined the approximate upland/wetland boundaries that should be considered when implementing the storm water management plan. The bedrock geology was obtained from the most recent mapping of the area (Aaron and Drake 1997) and it was observed that springs feed the peatland. Going forward, this information will be important to consider in implementation of the stormwater management project and efforts to the restore the wetland.
Date Posted: 23 August 2018