1990s

Conservation in the French Creek Watershed

French Creek is arguably one of the richest streams for aquatic life in Pennsylvania. Certain species of endangered freshwater mussels still exist here that are found few other places in the United States. And since the stream provides a healthy habitat for the species, mussels repay the favor by filtering the water and making it even cleaner.

This nationally significant waterway begins in Chautauqua County, western New York, and flows for 117 miles through the northwestern Pennsylvania counties of Erie, Crawford, Mercer and Venango until it empties into the Allegheny River at Franklin, Pennsylvania.

In 1995, WPC joined with the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and Allegheny College to form the French Creek Project. After a decade of cooperation, the project won national recognition for raising public awareness of French Creek and for engaging watershed communities in preserving the creek. Since then, WPC has dedicated staff and energy to both raise awareness and protect this important waterway. These include:

• Establishing the Northwest Field Station at Lake Pleasant (Erie Co.) in 2000
  
  
• Completing the French Creek Watershed Assessment and Conservation Plan, a blueprint for environmental education, conservation and restoration of French Creek
  
  
• Publishing two State of the Stream Reports on French Creek in an effort to raise awareness on the overall health of the water and the stream’s many freshwater mussels.
  
• Protecting land along the banks of French Creek, and at important natural lakes and wetlands.