Christina Basin Trends,1995-2010

• Population

• Land Use

• Water Quality

• Water Temperature

• Streamflow

Compiled by A. Homsey, S. Chatterson, E. McVey.

S. Mack, M. Narvaez, and G. Kauffman (University of Delaware)

Christina Basin Clean Water Partnership

Policy CommitteeDRBC, USEPA, Del. DNREC, Pa. DEP

Coordinating CommitteeDel. Co-coordinator: DNS, WRA

Pa. Co-coordinator: CCWRA, CCCD

Task ForceChair: BVA

Interstate• Brandywine Conservancy• Brandywine Valley Association (BVA)• Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC)• Partnership for the Delaware Estuary• Red Clay Valley Association (RCVA)• United States Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

• United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

• United States Geological Survey (USGS)• United States National Park Service (NPS)• White Clay Creek Watershed Association• White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic

Watershed Management Committee

Pennsylvania• Chester County Conservation

District (CCCD)• Chester County Health

Department• Chester County Planning

Commission• Chester County Water Resources

Authority (CCWRA)• Pennsylvania Department of

Conservation and Natural Resources (Pa. DCNR)

• Pennsyvlania Department of the Environment (Pa. DEP)

Delaware• Christina Conservancy• City of Newark• City of Wilmington• Delaware Department of

Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC)

• Delaware Nature Society (DNS)• New Castle Conservation

District• New Castle County Dept. of

Special Services• University of Delaware, Institute

for Public Administration, Water Resources Agency (WRA)

Partner Organizations

Ad Hoc Committees (as needed)

Christina Basin Population

Source: U. S. Census

Christina Basin Population, 2010

Brandywine Cr.246,702, 42%

White Clay Cr. 123,506, 21%

Red Clay Cr. 46,893, 8%

Christina R. 174,196, 29%

Christina BasinPopulation Change, 2000-2010

10,723

31,091

4260

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

Delaware Pennsylvania Maryland

Po

pu

lati

on

ch

ang

e

Christina BasinPopulation Change, 2000-2010

25,289

7,7614,263 4,927

42,240

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

BrandywineCreek

ChristinaRiver

Red ClayCreek

White ClayCreek

ChristinaBasin

Po

pu

lati

on

ch

an

ge

Christina BasinPopulation Change, 2000-2010

3,3393,228

5,7827,204

1,035426131

-855

21,950

-5,000

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

Whi

te C

lay

(DE)

Chr

istin

a (P

A)

Chr

istin

a (M

D)

Red

Cla

y (D

E)

Red

Cla

y (P

A)

Bra

ndyw

ine

(DE)

Whi

te C

lay

(PA

)

Chr

istin

a (D

E)B

rand

ywin

e (P

A)

-3,500

-2,500

-1,500

-500

500

1,500

2,500

3,500

C6 Tida

l Chr

istina

R.

W5 M

ill Cre

ek

R5 be

low W

oodd

ale

C2 M

uddy

Run

R4 ab

ove W

oodd

ale

W8 a

bove

New

ark

B6 Doe

Run

W10

Tida

l Whi

te C

lay C

r.

R3 Burro

ughs

Run

B7 Bro

ad C

reek

B1 W

B Hon

ey Bro

ok

B5 Buc

k Run

R2 East

Branc

h

R4 ab

ove W

oodd

ale

W2 M

iddle

Bra

nch

B3 W

B Coa

tesv

ille

B17 th

roug

h W

ilming

ton

W6 P

ike C

reek

W4 E

B below

Avo

ndal

e

R1 W

est B

ranch

C2 M

uddy

Run

B12 B

eave

r Cre

ek

B14 a

bove

Cha

dds

Ford

B13 V

alley

Cre

ek

Christina BasinPopulation Change, 2000-2010

Christina Basin Land Use

Source: NOAA CSC

Christina BasinLand Use, 2005

Urban/Suburban

28%Forest/Wetland

33%

Ag38%

Water1%

Brandywine CreekLand Use 2005

Urban/Suburban

18%

Agriculture

46%

Forest/Wetland

36%

Water1%

Red Clay CreekLand Use 2005

Urban/Suburban

27%

Water1%

Agriculture

39%

Forest/Wetland

33%

White Clay Creek Land Use 2005

Urban/Suburban

34%

Agriculture

36%

Forest/Wetland,

30%

Water0%

Christina RiverLand Use 2005

Urban/Suburban

58%

Agriculture15%

Forest/Wetland

26%

Water1%

Christina BasinLand Use Change, 1996 - 2005

9.61

- 3.06

- 6.7210

8

6

4

2

0

2

4

6

8

10

Are

a (s

q m

i)

Urban/Suburban Agriculture Forest/Wetland

Christina BasinLand Use Change, 1995 - 2010

5

4

3

2

1

0

1

2

3

4

5

Brandywine Christina Red Clay White Clay

Are

a (

sq

mi)

Urban/Suburban Agriculture Forest/Wetland

Christina Basin Land Useby State and Watershed, 2005

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Brandywine DE

Brandywine PA

Christina DE

Christina MD

Christina PA

Red Clay DE

Red Clay PA

White Clay DE

White Clay PA

Are

a (

sq

mi)

Urban/Suburban Agriculture Forest/Wetland

Christina Basin Water Quality

• Dissolved Oxygen

• Total Suspended Sediment

• Enterococcus Bacteria

• Nitrogen

• Phosphorus

Source: DNREC STORET Monitoring Stations

Brandywine Cr. at Footbridge (104011)Red Clay Cr. at Stanton (103011)White Clay Cr. at Old Rte 7 Br. (105071)Christina R. at Wilmington (106291)

Water Temperature

Streamflow

• Annual Low Flow (Drought)

• Annual Peak Flow (Flood)

Brandywine Creek at Wilmington Annual Low Streamflow

52

121

98

121

52

137

90

119

204

90

124

94 98

198

35

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Str

ea

mfl

ow

(c

fs)

7Q10

1%

10%

Red Clay Creek at StantonAnnual Low Streamflow

7

39

17

12

8

18

14

7

28

40

18

24

16 17

21

0

10

20

30

40

501

99

5

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

20

08

20

09

Str

ea

mfl

ow

(c

fs)

7Q10

Red Clay Creek at StantonAnnual Peak Streamflow

1,850

5,330

1,370

8,260

4,200

3,140

864

17,400

10,900

3,780

5,000

3,0502,170

800

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,0001

99

5

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

20

08

20

09

Str

ea

mfl

ow

(c

fs)

10%

1%

White Clay Creek near NewarkAnnual Low Streamflow

8.5

54

23 22

9.3

30

21

5.4

44

86

2530

18 18

42

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

20

08

20

09

Str

ea

mfl

ow

(c

fs)

7Q10

White Clay Creek near NewarkAnnual Peak Streamflow

9,150

5,540

2,050

7,130

4,970

1,270

13,900

5,6004,630 4,390

5,090

1,9202,8703,160

19,500

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,0001

99

5

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

20

08

20

09

Str

ea

mfl

ow

(c

fs) 1%

10%

Christina River at Coochs BridgeAnnual Low Flow

1.6

8.3

3.7

2.4

1.1

3.7

1.41

3.4

12

3.4

5.9

2.12.5

5.9

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Str

ea

mfl

ow

(c

fs)

7Q10

Christina River at Coochs BridgeAnnual Peak Streamflow

1,790 1,910 1,8401,500

7,050

2,1302,350

629

2,340

5,430

1,910 1,9901,770

1,0801,330

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,0001

99

5

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

20

08

20

09

Str

ea

mfl

ow

(c

fs)

1%

10%

Summary

• Water quality improvements are congruent with 15-year contributions of CBCWP.

• Water quality has improved even with 42,000 increase in population (2000-2010) and 9 mi2 increase in urban/suburban land (1996-2005).

• Nitrogen levels are degrading probably due to atmospheric deposition (not good) and/or conversion of ammonia to forms of N with rising DO levels (a good thing!).

• No low flows since drought of 2002.