Did You Know?   The headwaters of the Lehigh River and all of its lakes and tributaries are considered special protection waters because of their high water quality.  Many of the waters are great trout fisheries.   Over 40% of the watershed is owned by the Commonwealth and managed as State Forest, Park or Game Lands.  These include the Lackawanna State Forest, Gouldsboro State Park , Game Land 135, and portions of State Game Lands 91, 127 and 312.   In 1993, The Nature Conservancy named the Pocono Plateau and surrounding mountaintop ridges one of the world’s “Last Great Places.”  The area, which includes the headwaters of the Lehigh River, harbors the highest concentration of globally rare plants, animals and habitats in Pennsylvania. This designation makes the Pocono Plateau 1 of less than 100 sites worldwide to receive such a distinction.   The land area that drains into the headwaters of the Lehigh River, known as its watershed, covers more than 91 square miles.  It is located in 9 townships in 4 different counties.  This includes parts of Clifton, Covington and Thornhurst townships in Lackawanna County, Coolbaugh and Tobyhanna townships in Monroe County, Lehigh and Sterling townships in Wayne County and Bear Creek and Buck townships in Luzerne County.   Although the townships are largely rural, Coolbaugh Township in Monroe County is the fastest growing township in the State and Wayne County is the second fastest growing county in the State.

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Copyright © 2005 North Pocono Citizens Alert Regarding the Environment
Last modified: 01/22/08