As part of the eastern boundary of the borough of Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, the Little Chiques Creek also surrounds a 24-acre municipal park, forming a slow-moving, horseshoe-shaped oxbow section of stream. This portion of the creek had been modified in the past with a levee on the inside curve of the stream to prevent flooding. Although well-intentioned, this levee constricted the creek and caused accelerated erosion of the outside bank. A flash flood event along this stretch of the creek in 2018 caused more than a million dollars in damage to surrounding properties and the park itself.
To prevent further damage to the banks, and the properties of nearby homeowners, a stream restoration project was designed to be completed in three phases as grant funding allowed.
Project Goals
Three main goals were identified for completion in Phase 1:
- Improve stream health and fish habitat
- Restore the creek’s access to its floodplain to reduce flooding elsewhere
- Improve access to fishing and recreational areas along the creek
Flyway’s Involvement
To implement Phase 1, Flyway Excavating was hired to execute the engineering plans drafted by Rettew Associates. We had a short timeline for completion, as work in this part of Little Chiques Creek is prohibited between March 1 and May 1 for trout stocking and fishing.
Flyway began by removing thick, undesirable vegetation that had grown along both banks of the creek. Where they had once been made into levees, banks were amended to allow high water to spill onto the creek’s floodplain again, controlling flooding and protecting homeowners’ properties.
Additionally, we placed limestone boulder structures at strategic locations in the stream to create flow diversity, bank stabilization and fish habitat. The rock structures, as well as levee cuts, corrected previous alterations that caused the waterway to carve away the banks and deposit soil into the creek bed, which had adversely affected the ecological health of the creek. We also planted 20 species of native saplings, including maple, birch, oak, and eastern white pine, to anchor the banks and attract native species of birds and other wildlife.
The Result
Phase 1 was completed in early May 2025, earning accolades from the municipality, birders, nature lovers, and the fishers who eagerly cast from the shores of the creek on the opening day of trout season.
Flyway was again hired to fulfill Phase 2, which is scheduled to begin in June 2025. This work, which will further enhance the health of another portion of the stream and its ecology, is projected to be completed by the end of July. A provision of the contract is that Little Chiques Park remain open during this work, a request that Flyway is experienced at accommodating.
The third and final phase recently received needed grant funding and is being planned for 2026.