Major Effort Underway To Protect Wissahickon Creek From Storm Damage

WHITEMARSH TOWNSHIP, PA — A major floodplain restoration project along the banks of the Wissahickon Creek has received a $1 million grant in Whitemarsh Township.

The work on the 11-acre project site has been underway for years after Hurricane Ida wrought extensive flood and wind damage in Sept. 2021. The floodplain was further damaged and stripped of vegetation during Nov. 2021 cleanup efforts.

The impacted area lies at the edge of Fort Washington State Park below Mather Mill and Skippack Pike, near the intersection with the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Rebuilding the streambank and natural drainage systems not only helps protect the health of the local ecosystem, but it helps all of the Wissahickon more effectively drain stormwater during heavy rains, limiting and even preventing flood conditions.

Montgomery County Commissioners, State Sen, Vincent Hughes, State Rep. Mary Jo Daley, and Whitemarsh Township Officials were at the Wissahickon on Monday afternoon for a forma presentation of the check. They're hopeful the project sets an example for similar efforts in the county and region.

"(This restoration) will serve as a highly visible Montgomery County demonstration restoration project with the potential to restore a vital floodplain, create needed habitats, and connect the public with a valuable aesthetic and educational resource," the county shared in a statement.

The funds come from the Pennsylvania Statewide Local Share Account (LSA), which works on similar community health and safety projects around the state.

The project remains in the preliminary planning stage. Construction is estimated to begin in spring of 2026.