Tookany – Tacony Creek Stormwater Trash Pollution Update

The may 15, 2013  update on the Tookany – Tacony Creek stormwater trash pollution problem is available as a pdf file Update_5_16_13.

Philadelphia and Cheltenham Litter is Polluting Upper Rock Creek

Philadelphia and Cheltenham litter is flowing through storm sewers and overland to Rock Creek where it builds up in trash piles on tree branches or along the Creek banks.

Rock_Creek_Litter_Pollution_small

Philadelphia Creek Trash Assessment Methodology

There are a number of techniques for analyzing various aspects of urban creek trash problems, however, the author has not found a  systematic, reproducible methodology for comprehensively investigating the sources and severity of creek trash problems.

This paper applies a  3 step Philadelphia Creek Trash Assessment process to the Mill Run Creek trash situation to demonstrate an analysis approach that could be applied to Philadelphia area creeks to establish the extent and potential sources of creek trash.

The Mill Run Creek offers an excellent location to develop and test creek trash assessment techniques because it only has one type of source, stormwater outfalls. Since PWD’s T-088-01 outfall makes up the entire “upstream flow” for the Creek, we do not need to worry about other upstream sources. Inspection of the area around the Creek shows that there is minimal potential overland flow of litter/ trash and illegal dumping.

assessment

Here is the pdf link.   MRC_Assess_contributions

Potential Role of PWD Outfalls in Tookany – Tacony Creek Trash Problem

Have you ever wondered why the Wissahickon Creek is so clan and the Tacony Creek is so dirty?

watershed_comparison

After conducting numerous field surveys, I’m beginning to understand the Tookany – Tacony Creek trash situation. I’ve found 10 Philadelphia Water Department stormwater outfalls with evidence of  trash in the outfall channel or immediately downstream of the outfall, making hte outfall a suspect for trash discharge to the Tookany – Tacony Creek.

This pdf documents my concerns about the discharge of floatable trash from PWD outfalls:  Potential_role_of_10_outfalls

10 PWD Outfalls That Discharge Trash to Tookany – Tacony Creek

There are approximately 300 outfalls that discharge stormwater to the Tookany – Tacony – Frankford Creeks. Litter from streets, parking lots and illegal dumps is carried to the Creeks by run-off during/ after rain storms.

This slide shows takes you on a tour of 10 Philadelphia Water Department stormwater outfalls that carry Philadelphia litter to the Creeks.

map of Creek and PWD outfalls

Map of Creek and 10 PWD outfalls with trash

A pdf file of this slideshow is available here.  

Tookany – Tacony Creek Stormwater Trash Pollution Update

The Tookany – Tacony Creek has a serious stormwater trash pollution problem. This update highlights several findings on the sources and extent of the problem.
  • Where – shows several Tookany – Tacony Creek stormwater trash pollution sites
  • Sources – shows role of both separate and combined sewer outfalls as well as overland flow discharges on Tookany – Tacony Creek trash pollution
  • Rating Creek Trash Conditions – applies Rapid Trash Assessment (RTA) score to Mill Run Creek to show how this technique works
  • Channel Roughness – shows how channel conditions affect creek trash buildup rate
  • Types of creek trash – shows how floatable trash (plastic bottles) and neutral buoyancy trash (plastic bags, wrappers) behave differently in the Creek
  • Shows how neutral buoyancy material may be passing through PWD’s trapped inlets
The most recent Tookany – Tacony Creek stormwater trash pollution update is available as a YouTube video below. (To Enlarge video to full screen – click right  icon, menu bar at bottom of YouTube window)
A PDF file copy of the slides is available here:   Tookany_Tacony_Trash_Update

James Hansen in his own words