50
THE COUNTY’S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
PLANNING ISSUE
Everyone who lives, works, or
visits in Montgomery County
enjoys the economic,
recreational, and aesthetic
values that water provides.
Yet competing demands for it
often stress the quantity and
quality of water supplies in
some areas of the county.
What’s New
•
Since 2000, the county has had two drought
emergencies of varying lengths during which local
water supplies were reduced.
•
Some improvement of water quality has occurred as
many point sources of pollution have been upgraded
or eliminated since 2000. Yet, as the county has
grown, non-point sources have continued to impair
many waterways.
•
Since 2003 all municipalities in the county have been
required to meet municipal separate storm sewer
system (MS4) requirements to manage pollutants
discharged through local storm sewers.
•
Four major floods occurred in the county since 2000,
resulting in both significant property damage and loss
of life.
•
Thirteen dams have been removed in Montgomery
County since 1998, including two dams on the
Schuylkill River.
•
Total Maximum Discharge Limits (TMDLs) have
been established for 11 streams in Montgomery
County since 2000.
Geology
Climate
Hydrology
Floodplains
Air quality
Steep Slopes
Soils
Wetlands
Woodlands
Wildlife
Natural Areas Inventory
Hydrology
Water is a valuable resource and is essential for life. It is
consumed by plants, animals, and people. It is also
essential for a vibrant economy and recreation facilities.
The streams and rivers throughout the county provide
natural habitat for a variety of aquatic life. Natural water
bodies are also used as a water supply and for the
assimilation of treated wastewater.
Water in county streams originates as surface runoff and
groundwater. Typically, surface runoff can cause flooding
conditions during and soon after a rainfall event. The
sustained source of water in county streams, often referred to
as bed flow, comes from groundwater supplies. Effluent
from sewage treatment plants and other water diversions
also contributes to stream flow.
Streams in the county are dynamic systems that react to the
climate, watershed land use characteristics, and geology. A
stream constantly seeks equilibrium with local conditions by
changing its course, depth, and width. In effect, streams are
always changing in order to remain the same. Many changes
to the shape of the stream and its banks occur during small
rainstorm events. During these high flow periods, the force
of water erodes the stream bank and moves loads of
sediment and rocks.
In addition to the creeks, the county contains several lakes
and ponds. The largest of these are the Green Lane
Reservoir (814 acres), Deep Creek Lake (38 acres), and
Knight Lake (25 acres), which are all located in the
northwestern corner of the county. These lakes provide
scenic, recreation, and wildlife habitat benefits. The Green
Lane Reservoir, which is owned by the Aqua America, Inc.,
provides supplemental water released into the Perkiomen
Creek that allows the company to withdraw the water further
downstream at Audubon.
Groundwater behaves much like surface water, flowing
under the influence of gravity, only much slower.
Groundwater is tapped as a source of drinking water and for
industrial purposes throughout the county. It is also utilized
as a geothermal energy source. Replenishment of
groundwater occurs slowly as rainwater seeps through the
Green Lane Reservoir is the county’s largest lake comprising 814 acres.
