Buffalo Creek
Watershed Conservation Plan
The Buffalo Creek Watershed Conservation Project is one element of ASWP's larger Buffalo Creek Watershed Initiative. Click to learn more.
The Buffalo Creek Watershed drains 171 square miles of eastern Butler County, western Armstrong County, and extreme northeast Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It includes portions of 15 townships and four boroughs.
Map of the Buffalo Creek Watershed. Click to view a PDF(150K)of this map. See Resources below for more maps and downloadable information.
Recently, the Audubon Society of Western PA sponsored a river conservation plan (RCP) for the Buffalo Creek Valley. The plan was produced with input from active organizations within the watershed as well as many watershed residents. Its purpose is to guide future citizen efforts. ASWP is working to form a watershed association of stakeholders, residents, and other interested groups.
While many of the items in the plan are conservation-oriented, others are not. Anyone in the Buffalo Creek Valley who is interested in agriculture, tourism, or municipal development will find things in the plan that speak to their interests. One of the goals in writing a conservation plan is to earn a listing on the Pennsylvania River Registry. Plans contain action items, or recommendations, and when plans are adopted by the river registry, communities have greater access to state and federal resources to implement the action items recommended in the plan. The plan will help fund water conservation initiatives, invasive species eradication, recreational improvements to the creek, sustainable agriculture development and promotion, and tourism initiatives within the watershed.
Although the river conservation plan is complete, the process of implementation is just beginning, and continued stakeholder participation is crucial to the plan's success. For additional information regarding the conservation plan or for a CD copy of the plan, please contact Brian Shema 412-963-6100 or bshema@aswp.org. For additional information about how to become involved in the watershed activities, please contact Franny Ritchie 724-353-9012 or fritchie@aswp.org
Buffalo Creek Watershed Conservation Plan
Buffalo Creek Watershed Conservation Plan Final Report--Single Download (60 MB pdf)
- The above report is also provided in sections for individual download below, PDF format:
- Table of Contents and Cover
- Executive Summary
- Sec. 1 Project Area Characteristics
- Sec. 2 Land Resources
- Sec. 3 Water Resources
- Sec. 4 Biological Resources
- Sec. 5 Cultural Resources
- Sec. 6 Issues and Concerns
- Sec. 7 Action Plan
- Sec. 8 References
- Appendix A, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Data
- Appendix B, PA Cleanways Report
- Appendix C, Section 303(D) Stream Listings
- Appendix D, Flora and Fauna Lists
- Appendix E, Invasive Species Profiles
- Appendix F Historic Structures Inventory
- Appendix G, First Public Meeting Survey
- Appendix H, Funding Toolbox
- Appendix I, Important Bird Area Information
- Appendix J, Rare Species Information
- Appendix K, Letters of Support
- Appendix L, Public Coordination Information
More Resources
- Buffalo Creek Land Use Map (330K PDF)
- Buffalo Creek Stream map (330K PDF)
Learn More
- Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
- PA Rivers Conservation Program
- PA Bureau of Watershed Management
- US EPA Surf Your Watershed
- Armstrong Conservation District
- Butler County Conservation District
- Arrowhead Chapter Trout Unlimited
- Butler Freeport Trail Council
- Freeport Historical Society
- Butler County Historical Society
- Western Pennsylvania Watershed Program
- Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation