Save our Streams

Stream Restoration
The York Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America has developed various partnerships for the restoration of the East Branch Codorus Creek. To date it is estimated that the York Chapter of the Izaak Walton League has provided in-kind restoration funding from it’s membership and project partners valued at over $738,000. Examples of in-kind restoration work include education, project coordination, assisting in planting riparian buffer, building bird nesting boxes, providing site monitoring and biological assessments at restoration sites both pre and post-construction. 

At Stream Sites DO NOT... 
• Disturb soil
• Spray vegetation
• Fertilize near stream
• Allow grazing in stream or buffer zone
• Drive in stream
• Build within the Limit of Disturbance 

Izaak Walton League of America

York Chapter #67

​​​​Stream restoration is returning degraded ecosystems to a stable, healthy condition. The activities involved aim to restore the natural state and functioning of the stream in support of biodiversity, recreation, flood management and landscape development.

24 projects Totaling $4,923,270

Environmental Concerns before Restoration: 

• Severe Erosion

• Nutrient Pollution

• Lack of Fish Habitat
• Surface Runoff
• Low Infiltration Rate
• Poor Water Quality
• Unstable stream structure 


​The Codorus Creek watershed is located in southern York County, south-central Pennsylvania.
Includes 278 square miles of drainage area

• South Branch (68 square miles)
• East Branch Codorus (44.5 square miles)

• West Branch (165.5 square miles)

Results of a watershed assessment revealed that there is significant stream impairment, primarily stream bank erosion and channel migration.

Over 447 miles of stream were assessed in the watershed.
• 65 miles (23%) were severely impaired
• 228 miles (51%) were moderately impaired
• 154 miles (26%) were slightly impaired/not impaired.

A Watershed Assessment Map was prepared using ArcGIS to graphically show the locations, magnitude and extent of impaired streams and other important watershed features. Stream restoration work is currently planned and underway in the East, South and West Branches. It is estimated that it will take up to 20-years to completely implement the restoration of severely and moderately impaired streams in the watershed.