HYDROGEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF CAMEL’S HUMP FARM IN BETHLEHEM, PA

Camel’s Hump Farm in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is a multifunctional area of land that contains a productive wetland and former peatland in which many species live, breed, and feed. While there is quite a bit of history to the land, including indigenous and political aspects, an understanding of the presence of the wetland area and how it continues to exist was not fully investigated in the past. Through historical geological maps, field hydrological investigations, and geophysical procedures, a more firm understanding of the area, and therefore more knowledge of the adjacent Monocacy Creek, was identified. Camel’s Hump, a large geologic feature comprised primarily of granitic gneiss, meets the natural carbonate karst topography of the area to create a variety of springs which feed the wetland on this study site. With the information collected in this study, the production of the farm and the quality of the wetland can be maintained in the most efficient and nonintrusive ways possible. Moving forward, the City of Bethlehem and the State of Pennsylvania will use this information to implement a storm water management plan that with both alleviate the surrounding area of flooding and will provide crucial habitats for species such as migratory birds and high quality trout.