NOTE: Recent testing has found elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria in Fry's Run, similar to results in past years. Swimming in water with high levels of these bacteria increases the chance of symptoms such as fever, stomach ache, nausea and ear ache. We recommend you wash thoroughly with soap, after contact with Fry's Run water. END NOTE

Fry’s Run is a tributary to the Delaware River located in the southern half of Williams Township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania.  The Fry’s Run watershed is a scenic, limestone valley surrounded and defined by ridges and characterized by a gently rolling landscape.  The watershed basin has a drainage area of 6.1 square miles and contains 16.3 stream miles.  There are no major population centers in the watershed; it is mostly agricultural land and low-density residential development.

The current Chapter 93 designation of Fry’s Run is a High Quality-Cold Water Fishery and a Migratory Fishery.  This designation requires that permitted discharges to the stream meet water quality criteria designed to protect a high quality-cold water aquatic community.  Fry’s Run is also listed on the 2006 Class A Wild Trout Waters list issued by the PA Fish and Boat Commission from “spring 1530 m upstream of the Delaware River to the mouth.”

The overall water quality of the stream is very good to excellent.  However, water quality concerns include lack of forested riparian buffer along the stream, high coliform bacteria counts detected in previous water quality investigations, and damage due to flooding.

Based on the findings in this report, the Fry’s Run Watershed Association will implement the following next steps to protect the watershed:

1.                  Develop and implement an environmental education and outreach program that will focus on supporting the proposed recommendations.

2.                  Perform macroinvertebrate assessment, additional coliform monitoring, and continue water quality monitoring to further determine the health f Fry’s Run and assess further protective measures that may be needed.

3.                  Support land preservation efforts that protect water resources and preserve ad enhance sense of place.

4.                  Pursue creative and innovative ways to encourage landowners to protect and restore/establish protective forested riparian buffers.   There are federal funding sources available through the USDA’s Natural Resource and Conservation Service for stream-bank fencing and restoration that may be used to compensate farmers for widening buffers.  The Fry’s Run Watershed Association will cooperate with the USDA’s Natural Resource and Conservation Service to work with the local farming community.

5.                  Support existing municipal ordinances that are protective of water quality such as the new stormwater ordinance recently adopted by the township.  Review the model floodplain and riparian buffer (currently in progress) ordinance put together by LVPC.

6.                  Pursue funding to implement the proposed recommendations.  Funding sources that will be considered include the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Program through PADEP or PADCNR, private foundations, and cooperating organizations.