Neshaminy Creek

[[Image:Neshaminy Creek.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Throughout [[Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bucks County]], the Neshaminy Creek runs mainly through wooded areas.]] '''Neshaminy Creek''' ({{IPAc-en|icon|n|ɨ|ˈ|ʃ|æ|m|ɪ|n|i}}) is a {{convert|40.7|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} [[stream]] that runs southeast through [[Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bucks County]], [[Pennsylvania]]. Neshaminy Creek proper rises south of the borough of [[Chalfont, Pennsylvania|Chalfont]], where North Branch Neshaminy Creek and West Branch Neshaminy Creek meet.[http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/N/N02061-neshaminy-creek.html] Neshaminy Creek flows lastly between [[Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bristol Township]] and [[Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bensalem Township]] before emptying into the [[Delaware River]]. The name "Neshaminy" originates with the [[Lenni Lenape]] [[First Nation]], and is thought to mean "place where we drink twice". [http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/newsresources/factsheet.asp?ID=34] This phenomenon refers to a section of the creek known as the Neshaminy Palisades, where the course of the water slows and changes direction at almost a right angle, nearly forcing the water back upon itself. [http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/newsresources/factsheet.asp?ID=34] These [[cliff|palisades]] are located in [[Dark Hollow Park]], operated by the county, and are flanked by [[Warwick Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Warwick Township]] to the south and [[Buckingham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Buckingham Township]] to the north. [http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/factsheets/dhd_factsheet_2_dhpark.html][http://www.heritageconservancy.org/news/pdf/forks.pdf] ==Statistics== [[Image:LakeGalena.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Lake Galena in [[Peace Valley Park]], in [[New Britain Township, Pennsylvania]], one of the ten [[dam|impoundments]] along Neshmaniny Creek and its tributaries]] The [[drainage basin|watershed]] of the Neshaminy Creek covers an area of approximately {{convert|236|sqmi}}, 86 percent of which is located in Bucks County and 14 percent in [[Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Montgomery County]]. It is part of the greater [[Delaware River]] watershed. The creek's course runs mostly through [[suburb]]an areas to the north of [[Philadelphia]]. That said, the course of the creek does run through a few sections of rural and semi-rural terrain, and some forested areas remain. Neshaminy Creek passes through two state parks, [[Tyler State Park (Pennsylvania)|Tyler State Park]] and [[Neshaminy State Park]]. ==Adjacent municipalities== *[[Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bensalem Township]] *[[Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bristol Township]] *[[Buckingham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Buckingham Township]] *[[Chalfont, Pennsylvania|Chalfont]] *[[Doylestown, Pennsylvania|Doylestown]] *[[Doylestown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Doylestown Township]] *[[Hatfield, Pennsylvania|Hatfield]] *[[Hulmeville, Pennsylvania|Hulmeville]] *[[Ivyland, Pennsylvania|Ivyland]] *[[Langhorne, Pennsylvania|Langhorne]] *[[Langhorne Manor, Pennsylvania|Langhorne Manor]] *[[Lansdale, Pennsylvania|Lansdale]] *[[Lower Southampton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Lower Southampton Township]] *[[Middletown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Middletown Township]] *[[New Britain, Pennsylvania|New Britain]] *[[New Britain Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|New Britain Township]] *[[Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Newtown]] *[[Newtown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Newtown Township]] *[[Northampton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Northampton Township]] *[[Penndel, Pennsylvania|Penndel]] *[[Plumstead Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Plumstead Township]] *[[Upper Southampton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Upper Southampton Township]] *[[Warminster Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Warminster Township]] *[[Warwick Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Warwick Township]] *[[Wrightstown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Wrightstown Township]] ==Flooding== Like other rivers and streams, the Neshaminy Creek poses a [[flooding]] threat to neighboring areas in times of rapid downpours. The waters of the creek have been known to rise more than {{convert|10|ft|0}} above their normal level during severe storms, such as [[Hurricane Floyd]], which hit the area on September 16, 1999. In 2005, the [[Natural Resources Conservation Service]] earmarked $3 million for [[Flood#Flood defenses, planning, and management|flood mitigation]] programs along the Neshaminy Creek. The creek was the site of significant flooding again from June 25 through July 5, 2006 during the [[Mid-Atlantic United States flood of 2006]]. ==Sources and external links== *[http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/current/?type=flow U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stations] *http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/factsheets/neshaminy.html *http://fitzpatrick.house.gov/News/DocumentPrint.aspx?DocumentID=36389 *[http://www.heritageconservancy.org/news/pdf/forks.pdf Map of the Forks of the Neshaminy (showing the nearly right angle in the creek within Dark Hollow Park)] *[http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/factsheets/dhd_factsheet_2_dhpark.html Dark Hollow Park Fact Sheet] {{coord missing|Pennsylvania}}