By Anna Cunnyngham

Since moving to Germantown in 1995, Anna Cunnyngham has initiated environmental stewardship efforts in the Monoshone watershed. This is the first of her two articles about the waters of the Monoshone. The second article on the history of the Monoshone--disclosing where its tributaries once were visible and later paved over--will appear in the fall issue of this newsletter.

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            Last October, 60 to 80 people got the answer to the question, "Who is the Monoshone," when they visited Thomas Mansion in the Wissahickon's Clifford Park.

            Inspired by Germantown resident, Charles Parsons, a group of local people with the support of the Philadelphia Water Department and the Senior Environment Corps, based at the Center-in-the-Park, came together to launch Monoshone Day. All convening parties shared a passion for a clean environment and for the well-being of the community.

            The Monoshone is the principle creek running through Mt. Airy, its watershed comprising an area roughly bounded by Wissahickon and Germantown Avenues from Allens Lane to School House Lane. (See map).

            Why should this small creek and tributaries--today mostly underground and invisible due to urbanization--excite interest? One reason is that its waters are biologically dead and a number of people would like to reverse this and bring life back to the creek.

            The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) has a special interest. Monoshone Creek water flows into the Wissahickon Creek just below Historic RittenhouseTown, and from there the combined waters flow to the Schuylkill River. As they enter the Schuylkill, the prevailing current forces these waters along the left bank. When the water is withdrawn by the Queen Lane Pumping Station, a disproportionate portion is water from the Wissahickon, and partially from the Monoshone. Water from the Queen Lane Station goes to the purification plant on Queen Lane and eventually becomes the water that we drink.

            The Queen Lane plant, of course, creates pure drinking water, but the PWD is keen to start with water as pure as possible. To this end, PWD is conducting a watershed-wide test and repair program to identify faulty drain lines -- where "gray" wastewater pipes are leaking into stormwater pipes. The Senior Environmental Corps (SEC) has been a great help to the PWD in providing a team of trained volunteers who regularly test creek sites for water quality.

            Last year's Monoshone Day event featured the SEC's findings, models from the PWD showing how pollution affects a watershed, and maps depicting the historical development of the Monoshone watershed. The PWD also presented a valuable photo exhibit showing aquatic life to be found in local creeks and sites where the Monoshone is above ground.

Awareness is the first step towards stewardship. 
A second Monoshone Day is scheduled for 
Saturday, November 4, 2000.

            The vision that we put into effect on Monoshone Day is for local residents to become more aware and excited about the creek that runs, now mostly underground, through our community. Awareness is the first step towards stewardship. A coalition of local volunteers want to make the effort an annual affair -- to bring to people a consciousness of how important our local creeks are to our health and well being. A second Monoshone Day is scheduled  for Saturday, November 4th.

The Water Department has no responsibility 
to clean up polluted streams, only 
the city's discharges into waterways.

            Out of Monshone Day came some interesting, even startling, observations:

            • We were delighted that so many people stopped in to view the exhibits, hike the creek-side trail, and took the bus tour around the perimeter of the watershed. And how everyone talked! Recalling naltural springs, where bottles were filled with drinking water (yes, really!); remembering old homes now gone, ponds, and lakes filled in; even speculating about the ancient factories and papermills.

            • People wanted more. Teachers wanted to use the exhibits as teaching materials; local residents wanted more details on the history; and those who took the tour wanted to explore more.

            • What startled us was we had assumed that the PWD had the responsibility for clean water in the associated waterways of the Monoshone. We learned that it has no responsibility to clean up polluted springs, streams or culverts, only responsibility for the discharges at city facilities and at all stormwater outfalls.

            What then are the PWD's responsibilities and who is responsible for cleaning up pollution?

            The Water Department builds, repairs and maintains an infrastructure of pipes which transport wastewater and rainwater. Wastewater goes to processing plants while rainwater from storm drains outfall into local creeks. Of course, the PWD also supplies us with drinking water. If there is a "cross-over" and dirty water leaks through a cracked pipe into a storm drain, the PWD must investigate and supervise repairs--often, though not always, shouldering the cost.

            The first stormwater outfall along the Monoshone Creek occurs near Lincoln Drive between Johnson Street and Wissahickon Avenue. Upstream are the springs and headwaters and assorted catchments for rain which eventually find their way into the creeks and/or the PWD-managed system. Who is in charge here? Ultimately, the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), once they are alerted to a potential problem.

            The SEC has been testing sites all along the Monoshone, including sites both upstream and downstream of PWD outfall locations. Their testing indicates that even before Monoshone water reaches the first outfall location, the stream is polluted.

More volunteers are needed to test the water in the watershed.

            But there is further work to be done before we can effectively enlist the help of the DEP to clean up the Monoshone. More water samples need to be taken at spring, headwater, and curbside sites to determine levels of any contamination. These initial investigations could be conducted by more volunteers working with the SEC. Persons wishing to volunteer should telephone Fred Lewis at 215-848-7722 or by e-mail at cipsec@aol.com.

Many attendees at last fall's Monshone Day said, "What can we do? Being aware is only a start. Besides volunteering for water testing, here are some things you can do:          

• Check out the storm drains around your house They catch all your rainwater. Do you know where all your drains lead?

• Does anyone you know ever pour unwanted liquids down these drains? Stop them. These liquids should go down the house drain system (the one that takes away wastewater from your house).

• If you have left-over paints, oils, etc., they should be sealed up according to the guidelines published by the Streets Department, Sanitation Division. Call 215-685-7329 if you need details. They will tell you where to deliver these or other hazardous wastes.

• Never pour paint or chemicals of any kind -- not even that little bit -- directly onto the dirt. It will sink in and mingle with the ground water, or get washed off in stormwater, and will eventually pollute the water supply.

• Remember that it is actually illegal to wash your car in your driveway because the soap or detergent that you use will go into the storm drains or into the soil. Take your car to a commercial car wash.

• Some garden chemicals are safer than others. All (fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides) should be used to a minimum.

• There are organic alternatives for your garden -- for example,use compost instead of chemical fertilizers.

photo captions - two photos

This spring, Erica Rodgers, a resident of Mt. Airy, worked with her father, Clifford, building a bridge across the Monoshone Creek, as part of her senior project  at Springside School.

Visitors at Monoshone Day 1999 view and learn from the information maps of the watershed. Anna Cunnyngham pictured far left.

What Happens to the Monoshone is Up to All of Us

The following letter appeared in the June14th issue of the Germantown Courier and Mt. Airy Times-Express. Mr. Parsons informs us that a group called Monoshone Action has been formed for the purpose of putting pressure on government agencies to clean up the Monoshone. Persons interested in assisting  the cause can write to :Monoshone Action , P.O. Box 517, 6101 Morris Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144.

            The Monoshone is a place rich with history and abundant beauty. For some 25,000 of us it is in a very earthly sense our home, our cradle.

            The watershed begins at RittenhouseTown and gently ascends to Allens Lane. It embraces Germantown west of Greene Street, and Mt. Airy west of Germantown Avenue. Lincoln Drive traces the very center.

            During the colonial period the Monoshone hillsides were cleared for pastures, orchards and vineyards. For more than two centuries these hillsides were also quarried  to build homes, churches, schools, mills and factories. The last quarry closed 80 years ago, but to a large extent we continue to live and worship within the solid embrace of the Monoshone stone.

            Early on,  the stream was transformed by a series of dams into a beadwork of millponds that extended from RittenhouseTown almost as far north as Carpenter Lane. By this means the Monoshone was harnessed to pump water and to power the mills.

            In the 19th century the Monoshone watershed became a transportation corridor for the railroad. In the 20th century it became a transportation corridor for the automobile.

            What will the Monoshone become in the century ahead? That is up to us. I invite you to join the Monoshone Residents Association. For more information, call 215-843-0749.

Charles Parsons

Germantown