Brandywine Creek || Christina River || Naamans Creek || Red Clay Creek || Shellpot Creek || White Clay Creek
Red Clay Creek
Background ▲ The Red Clay Creek watershed is one of four major watersheds in the Christina Basin. The Christina Basin is part of the Delaware River Basin. The Red Clay Creek watershed is located in southern Chester County (PA) and northern New Castle County (DE). It flows into the White Clay Creek (in the vicinity of Stanton, DE) and the combined flow empties into the tidal Christina near Churchmans Marsh. Except for the very lower reaches, which are tidal, the Red Clay Creek is a free-flowing stream. Land use within the Red Clay Creek watershed is split among three major land use categories: agriculture, forest/wetland, and urban/suburban. Collectively the White Clay, Red Clay, and Brandywine creeks and Christina River are used to supply drinking water to more than 50% of New Castle County's population. The Red Clay Creek watershed serves as a source of drinking water supplies with one reservoir (Hoopes) and several public water supply wells that provide water supply to parts of Chester and New Castle counties. Four surface water intakes and numerous wells are located within the watershed for commercial and community water supplies. Six municipalities of Pennsylvania and unincorporated areas of New Castle County, Delaware are located within the watershed.
Water Quality ▼
Plants and Wildlife ▼
Recreation and Culture ▼
Further Resources ▼ ![]() View of a flowing Red Clay Creek Photo credit: Vergil Perry | Quick facts ▲ Square Miles (total): 54.5 Square Miles (DE): 21.1 Population (total)*: 48,280 Population (DE)*: 25,043 States: DE, PA Counties: DE: New Castle PA: Chester *Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2019.
Land cover (total)† ▲
Land cover within Delaware† ▲ †Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office for Coastal Management. 2016 C-CAP Regional Land Cover. Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) Regional Land Cover.. |