NEWS RELEASE

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kirk Felix
DCNR Assistant Press Secretary
(717) 772-9101

DCNR NAMES NORTHWESTERN PA.’S FRENCH CREEK ‘RIVER OF THE YEAR’

HARRISBURG (February 10, 2003) — Citing its biologically diverse habitat and bucolic recreational opportunities, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has designated northwestern Pennsylvania’s French Creek “River of the Year.”

“French Creek’s diversity and natural history make it ideal for scientific study as well as recreation,” said Richard Sprenkle, DCNR’s Deputy Secretary for Conservation and Engineering Services—the office that oversees the state’s rivers conservation program. “By choosing French Creek as the River of the Year, we are also honoring the work of many groups and individuals committed to keeping this river the ecological treasure it is.”

With its headwaters in Chautauqua County in western New York, French Creek flows 117 miles through Erie, Crawford, Mercer and Venango counties, where it empties into the Allegheny River.

The watershed, with nine major tributaries, encompasses 1,235 square miles, over 90 percent of which are in Pennsylvania's rolling hills and broad valleys of the Allegheny River watershed.

The creek is home to 89 species of fish and 28 species of freshwater mussels making it one of the most diverse waterways in Pennsylvania. Several species, such as the eastern sand darter, spotted darter, clubshell and northern riffleshell, are found on the state and federal endangered species lists.

In 1995, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Allegheny College formed the French Creek Project to study, protect and raise awareness of the creek. The Project has worked with DCNR to highlight French Creek’s importance through the completion of a rivers conservation plan for the watershed and by holding annual sojourns.

As DCNR’s Feature “River of the Year”, French Creek will be the subject of the June Rivers Month 2003 poster to raise awareness of the beauty and recreational, tourism and heritage values of rivers. It will also be Pennsylvania’s featured river sojourn as part of June Rivers Month. The recreational and educational float down French Creek will take place during the first week of June.

Last year’s feature river was the Delaware.

“The French Creek sojourn is the perfect kick off to this year’s June Rivers Month,” Sprenkle said. “Both DCNR and our partners at the French Creek Project invite conservationists and water enthusiasts to explore and enjoy this truly unique waterway.”

Once known by the French as “Riviere au Boeuf,” or “Beef River,” because of the herd of bison spotted nearby, French Creek was named in 1753 by a young George Washington as he journeyed to Fort LeBoeuf (now Waterford, Erie County) to warn the French that they were on British territory. His unsuccessful mission to get the French to leave the Western Pennsylvania region resulted in a military build-up by the British, which eventually led to the French and Indian War.

European settlers relied upon French Creek as a “water highway” for timber and other goods destined for places as far away as New Orleans during the late 1700s and early 1800s. By the 1830s, a canal had been completed between French Creek at Meadville and Erie Extension Canal. This proved to be the creek’s peak of commercial importance, as the rugged environs and the unpopular canal tolls soon reduced traffic on French Creek.

Today recreation is one of the river’s greatest values. Boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, viewing wildlife and camping are just a few of the outdoor activities enjoyed along the waterway.

For more information on French Creek, visit the French Creek Project’s web site at frenchcreek.allegheny.edu. For more information on DCNR’s Rivers Program, visit the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword “rivers.”

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2003