Location
The Yellow Breeches is a watershed primarily located in Cumberland and York Counties, with tributaries in Adams County, in South-central Pennsylvania. The main stem of the river is approximately 49 miles long and serves as the border between Cumberland and York counties for about 21 miles. The Yellow Breeches watershed consists of over 360 miles of rivers and streams, encompassing a total area of 219 square miles. The headwaters of the main stem starts west of a town called Walnut Bottom (Cumberland Co.), located about 6 miles from Shippensburg, and just north of Michaux State Forest, and flows eastward until it meets up with the Susquehanna River in New Cumberland (York Co.).
Surrounding Area
The Yellow Breeches Watershed can be separated into five categories of land use.
1. Open Water/Wetlands
2. Agriculture
3. Forested
4. Grasslands
5. Developed/Urbanization
Although this area continuously grows in population, agriculture is still one of the primary land uses. Not only does agriculture account for over 40% of Cumberland County’s land use, but it is also a significant contributor to the local economy. Agricultural land use accounts for about 28.27% of the Yellow Breeches Watershed area.
Like many other watersheds, agriculture has a variety of impacts on the watershed
-Pesticide/fertilizer runoffs into water
-Runoff from farms makes its way to the Chesapeake Bay area
Agriculture
Forested Area (57.65% and 0.49% grassland)
The largest contributor to the Yellow Breeches Watershed is forested area. About 57.65% of the Yellow Breeches watershed is forested area, including state, county, and local parks, forests, and nature preserves.
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The Michaux State Forest is a large state forest area that encompasses over 85,000 acres in the South Mountain area of Cumberland, Adams, and Franklin Counties. The area is managed by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Forestry as a “working forest”. The forest is managed for sustainable timber production, natural gas, and water resources, along with plant and animal habitat and recreation. The forest is named after the French botanist, Andre Michaux, who discovered and named many plant species during the 18th century. The forest is also home to one of the first forestry schools in the country, Mont Alto. Michaux State Forest accounts for about 46 square miles of the watershed.
Throughout the Yellow Breeches Watershed there are many local and community parks. These community parks encourage recreation like; hiking, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, skiing (water and snow), swimming and ice skating and many more.
Kings Gap State Park and Environmental Education Center:
The King’s Gap State Park is a state park designed specifically for environmental education, conservation, and recreation. The 2,500-acre state forest is located in the South Mountains area in Cumberland County. The park offers over 25 miles of hiking trails, along with a variety of environmental programs. The King’s Gap State Park is one of the protected areas within the Yellow Breeches Watershed
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Developed Area (11.36%)
Cumberland County is one of the fastest growing counties in Pennsylvania. With an ever-increasing population, the demand for development and resources is growing as well.
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Wetland/Open Water
The Yellow Breeches is one of the most popular fishing streams in the state. The creek is fed by cold limestone springs and freestone tributaries. Fishing is open year-round as the PA Fish and Boat Commission and the Yellow Breeches Anglers Club stock almost the entire length of the watershed. Wild trout populations are sustained due to the excellent spawning habitat. In 1992, the Yellow Breeches was designated as a Scenic River by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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The Yellow Breeches flows through multiple municipalities in Cumberland County and is a water supply for more than 200,000 homes in the area. The Yellow Breeches supplies drinking water for Camp Hill, Lemoyne, Mechanicsburg, Mt. Holly Springs, New Cumberland, and Shiremanstown Boroughs; along with the townships of Cooke, Dickinson, Hampden, Lower Allen, Monroe,Penn, Southampton, South Middletown, and Upper Allen.
The Yellow Breeches has historically been an important resource for the surrounding area. There is evidence of a variety of Native American tribes that settled along various parts of the river before the settlement of Europeans. The river was an important water and fishing resource, as well as an easy transportation route. The Native American tribes had multiple names for the Yellow Breeches, including Callapus-Kinck, Callapus-Sink, Callapatscink, Shawna and Shawnee Creek, but the origin of the name is still unknown.
The first permeant settlers of the area consisted primarily German farmers. They settled in the area quickly when they found that the soils were rich and fertile. The Yellow Breeches was an obvious power source for new mills and the area exploded with development. Many mills were built along the Yellow Breeches, and with them, new dams were built. As the population in the area grew, the Yellow Breeches was needed as a drinking water source and later, sewage disposal. As quality of life started increasing, the area around the Yellow Breeches quickly developed.
