The problems that plague the Streets Run Watershed are typical of urban
watersheds in Western Pennsylvania and include abandoned mine drainage,
uncontrolled storm water of unknown quality and quantity, and sanitary issues.
The Streets Run Watershed has many problems that can be observed by driving
down Streets Run Road. Through urban encroachment and the natural terrain of
the area, the main stream channels of Streets Run and its tributaries have been
confined to narrow areas wedged between roads, railroad tracks, floodplain fills,
commercial buildings and houses. The boroughs of Baldwin, Brentwood, West
Homestead, West Mifflin, Whitehall and Hays (in the City of Pittsburgh) joined
together to form the Streets Run Watershed Association (SRWA) to address
water quantity and quality issues in the watershed. SRWA's mission is to
"promote the restoration and enhancement of the natural resources through flood
protection and prevention and stream improvements. The mission of the SRWA
will be accomplished by educating the public, promoting the wise use of
resources, encouraging the partnerships necessary to restore and conserve
water quality and quantities and by securing the technical and financial resources
to meet this challenge."

The Streets Run Watershed includes approximately 6,270 acres of residential,
forested, and industrial land. The watershed includes Streets Run, Glass Run
and over 16 unnamed tributaries that combine and empty into the Monongahela
River at river mile 5.9 (approximate) near the Glenwood Bridge at the Sandcastle
Water Park. Over the past 50 to 100 years people have continued to spread from
the urban centers to the more rural areas. Streets Run has been impacted from
the increase in population. Today, Streets Run and its tributaries are confined to
narrow valleys surrounded by pavement, railroads, floodplain fills, industries and
residences. A figure showing the tributaries and the approximate watershed
boundaries is attached to this package. The streams in the watershed, other than
Glass Run and Streets Run, do not have formal names and were given names
for convenient reference in this report.

SRWA is completing a Watershed Assessment through a grant obtained under
the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Growing
Greener Program. As part of the Watershed Assessment, data was collected
from municipalities, county, state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations,
interviews with individuals, and through the collection of field data by Collective
Efforts personnel.

Data Collection Results:

The sources that were reviewed, summarized, and used in compiling this
Watershed Assessment Report included the National Wetland Inventory (NWI)
mapping; Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and the Flood Insurance Study;
Allegheny County Soil Survey; mining maps obtained from the Department of the
Interior Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation, and Enforcement; the
Monongahela River Watershed Act 167 Storm water Management Plan (Chester
Environmental, 1993); Report of Streets Run Flood Problems and Inventory of
Damages for the Hays Section of the City of Pittsburgh (USAGE, 1995); the
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Study (October 1995); and the South Hills Area Council of Governments
(SHACOG) study by GAI Consultants, Inc. Highlights of a few of these studies
follow.

• FEMA FIRM Maps: As expected, the study area includes areas within the 100-
year or 500-year flood zones. The flood mapping also highlighted that
approximately 1,500 feet of Streets Run has been culverted near the confluence
with the Monongahela River.

This portion of Streets Run flows under the WHEMCO facility. The confluence of
Glass Run and an unnamed tributary with Streets Run also occurs under this
facility.

• OSM Mine Mapping: Deep mining occurred within the watershed from the mid-
to late-1800's through the 1940's.

• Act 167 Plan: The Monongahela River Watershed Act 167 Storm water
Management Plan was prepared by Chester Environmental in 1993. The plan
includes an assessment of the existing hydrologic characteristics of the
watershed, identifies obstructions to flow, documents storm water and flooding
problems in the watershed, presents calculations of pre-development and post-
development runoff characteristics of the watershed, presents calculated
allowable release rates of runoff for future development, presents best
management practices for storm water management, and provides a model
storm water management ordinance for the municipalities in the watershed to
adopt.

• SHACOG Study: The plan identified six approaches to flood hazard mitigation as
defined by the PEMA including: flood problem prevention and/or reduction (using
ordinances, codes, storm water management, drainage system maintenance),
property protection (building removal, relocation, modification, and flood
insurance), emergency planning and services, structural projects (stream
modifications, storm sewers, diversions, levees and flood walls, dams and
storm water detention facilities, improvements to existing drainage facilities),
natural resource protection (preserve or restore flood mitigation characteristics of
natural areas through increased infiltration, flow retardance, and erosion
protection), and public information programs.

• Combined Sewer Overflows: Two CSO structures were identified during the
watershed assessment field work. One (comprised of two structures separated
by approximately 1,200 feet) is located along the main stem of Streets Run in
Pittsburgh near the Sand Castle parking lot. The other is located along the
Brentwood tributary near the intersection of Brentwood and Shutte Roads.

• Army Corps of Engineers: Two studies have been completed by the USAGE:
The Report of Streets Run Flood Problems and Inventory of Damages (October
1995) and the Streets Run Watershed Section 905(b) (WRDA86) Analysis
Reconnaissance Report (September 2003). The first report found that most of the
flooding that occurs in the watershed occurs downstream of 1965 Streets Run
Road and continues to the confluence with the Monongahela River. The flooding
is due to rapid urban runoff, collected storm water drainage, and inefficient
infiltration to groundwater in the upper portion of the watershed. The combination
of fast runoff in the upper watershed and the encroachment of the lower
watershed, the water over tops the stream banks at lower flows than would occur
in an undisturbed watershed. The second Corps study was to determine if the
USAGE would participate in a "costs shared feasibility-phase study to develop
solutions to local flooding problems." The USAGE recommended against
construction of the detention facilities. The USAGE also recommended that
stream and riparian habitat degradation could be addressed under the USAGE
Section 206 Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration program.

• PADEP Benthic Studies: Four benthic macro invertebrate studies have been
conducted in the watershed. Two studies were done in relation to the U.S. Steel
South Taylor Environmental Park facility and the third was done in relation to the
WHEMCO facility. A fourth study was recently completed by PADEP as part of the
statewide surface water assessment program.
Streets Run Watershed Restoration Plan
Harry Readshaw,
PA State Representative:
www.pahouse.net/readshaw/index.htm
Recommended Links
Restoration Plan
Pennsylvania Department of
Conservation and Natural
Resources
www.dcnr.state.pa.us
Western Pennsylvania
Conservancy
www.paconserve.org
Management Agency
www.fema.gov