Red Clay Creek Watershed
Watershed Description
Red Clay Creek near the Pennsylvania stateline
Red Clay Creek is one of the Piedmont watersheds in Delaware and is tributary to White Clay Creek. Mount Cuba Center is located in the middle of the watershed as well as some of the covered bridges in Delaware.
Watershed Area: 13,635 acres (5,518 hectares)
Location: Northern New Castle County in northern Delaware between White Clay Creek on the west and Brandywine Creek on the east.
Flow Direction: South towards White Clay Creek, then to Christina River and Delaware River.
Characteristics: Urban watershed in lower section and rural in the upper sections. Terrain has steep slopes and hills in Piedmont area.
Major Vegetation Communities/Land Covers
Cultivated lawn covers about a third of the watershed and ranks #1. Its associate, impervious surface ranks as #2. Northern Piedmont Mesic Oak-Beech Forest ranks as #2. Northeastern Old Field ranks as #4. Northeastern Modified Successional Forest finishes the list at #5.
| Red Clay Creek Watershed Vegetation Community/Land Covers (Top 5 for 2007) | ||
| Vegetation Community/Land Cover | Acres | Hectares |
| Cultivated Lawn | 4,688.00 | 1,897.00 |
| Northern Piedmont Mesic Oak-Beech Forest | 2,105.00 | 852.00 |
| Impervious Surface | 1,999.00 | 809.00 |
| Northeastern Old Field | 1,967.00 | 796.00 |
| Northeastern Modified Successional Forest | 1,282.00 | 519.00 |
*The table above is subject to change with more watershed mapping.
Managed Lands
- Ashland Nature Center (Delaware Nature Society)
- Auburn Heights (Delaware State Parks)
- Brandywine Springs Park
- Flint Woods Nature Preserve
- Mount Cuba Center
Links of Interest
Vegetation Community/Land Cover Maps Available
One vegetation community/land cover map based on 2007 aerial imagery is available in .pdf format. The map is in the process of completion and is provided “as is” for informational purposes. Email robcoxe@baccharisconsulting.com for shapefile requests.