The Susquehanna River Watershed

A watershed is a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the Ocean, all land can be divided into watershed areas. Colgate and the Hamilton area are a part of the Susquehanna River Watershed, which stretches throughout northern Pennsylvania and into Southern New York. Our watershed is home to a variety of plant and animal life, most commonly known are species like the Back Bear, White-Tailed Deer, Eastern Coyotes, the Indiana Bat, and is also the only known home of the rare Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail. In terms of plant life, this watershed carries large populations of American Ginseng, Wild Lupine, Butternut, Lady’s Slipper Orchids, as well as forests of Appalachian Oak and pine, American Beech, Sugar Maple, and more. These are just some of the many organisms native to the Susquehanna River Watershed, and while there are protections in place, the wildlife of the area faces threats in the form of hunting, deforestation, and climate change.

Composition installed and designed by: Elise Kennedy, Destiny Sambrano, Alex Weimer