Hogestown Run | How Healthy is Hogestown Run?
Unfortunately, Hogestown Run is impaired due to nonpoint source pollution. This means that rain water runoff from a variety of locations carries pollution into the waterway. You can help protect it, and in turn, protect the Chesapeake Bay as well!
How healthy is it? No drinking water is drawn from this stream nor is it wide enough for water sports. The entire waterway is considered impaired mainly due to non-point pollution. Runoff from agricultural land increases siltation and organic enrichment, and has resulted in low dissolved oxygen levels in the tributary. Additionally, urban stormwater and 8 industrial stormwater discharge points in the watershed are considered contributors to water quality degradation.
The Pennsylvania Science Office of The Nature Conservancy recommends increased riparian buffers to help prevent non-point sources of pollution from entering Hogestown Run. Forested buffers and restored stream banks aid in linking together forested areas and regional wildlife habitats.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection assigns Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) or pollution diets for those sources found to be impairing Pennsylvania’s waterways. Portions of Silver Spring and Monroe Township are within the Hogestown Run watershed. Silver Spring and Monroe townships are both designated Municipal Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) communities and are required to take steps toward reducing stormwater pollutants that enter the stream. Reducing pollutants in Hogestown Run have impacts in Conodoguinet Creek and the Susquehanna River—AND the Chesapeake Bay.
Municipalities in the Hogestown Run Watershed:
Silver Spring Township and Monroe Township.
Watershed Facts
Unique Feature
The geology of the watershed is limestone dominated (95%). Approximately 65% of the watershed is agricultural land cover. The remaining land cover is split equally between urban, suburban, and forested land. Silver Spring Township lists the watershed as having extensive development pressures. Hogestown Run is designated a Cold Water Fishery, though some believe numbers of brown and rainbow trout have declined in recent years.
Drinking Water
No drinking water is drawn from this stream.
