The Hanover Trolley Trail will soon be welcoming trail visitors into a very special environment—
—the new wetlands of Oil Creek.
By Ben Uhler, LandStudies Geomorphologist
On a summer evening in August 2021, York County Rail Trail Authority (YCRTA) opened the doors of Nixon County Park’s nature center to the public for a special presentation by LandStudies, Inc. of Lititz, PA. As part of the team that had been studying Oil Creek for several months, I was there to help present our findings on the current conditions of this 16.8 square mile watershed and propose strategies to halt decades of erosion to the adjacent rail corridor. YCRTA had recently purchased 8.5 mile of the rail corridor with the goal of converting it into rail trail as part of an expansion of the Hanover Trolley Trail. Our task was to keep the purchased corridor from washing into the Chesapeake Bay.
Fast forward to October 2024. Phase one of the restoration is now complete. The power of stormwater rushing through the creek channel has now been diverted into over 6 acres of new wetlands.
The restored floodplain is now a sustainable, low-energy system in which stream base flow is re-connected to the groundwater. Stream bank heights were also lowered to allow flood flows to access the floodplain more frequently. Woody material and rocks were buried throughout the floodplain and within the channel to increase floodplain roughness that breaks up the energy of flood flows. The stream channel now meanders through the wetlands with alternating riffles and pools dispersing the flow across the full width of the floodplain. Lastly, the area was planted with native woody and herbaceous vegetation to provide additional soil stabilization and cover for wildlife. The result is a highly functional, wetland system that provides a complex, in-stream and terrestrial habitat.
Maximizing the connectivity between the stream channel and floodplain and reducing/eliminating bank erosion sets the stage for the development of a robust, riparian ecosystem. The restored condition will reduce sediment and nutrient export and encourage the retention of organic carbon within the floodplain and stream channel, which is a key component of freshwater ecosystems. As this new “wet world” matures, it will provide numerous benefits including improved water quality, long-term stability, and habitat as well as increased flood storage, infiltration, and nutrient uptake.
YCRTA’s focus now shifts to construction of phase 2 of the restoration, scheduled for 2025. This phase will create an additional 5 acres of wetlands, adding to the protection of the rail corridor. This special world of water will soon be visible and enjoyed by all who travel along this expansion of the Hanover Trolley Trail into Heidelberg Township.
Past News Article: Oil Creek Restoration Moves Into Next Phase (2022)
Learn More: Bringing Oil Creek Back to Life: A Floodplain Restoration Project
This $1.5 million restoration project was made possible through grants from PA Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, York County Planning Commission’s Chesapeake Bay Countywide Action Plan, PA Department of Environmental Protection, York County Conservation District, J William Warehime Foundation, and Powder Mill Foundation.
News article and photos shared by Gwen Loose with York County Rail Trail Authority
