From Where the Beaver Flows

WPC Ecologist Robert Coxe has put together a series exploring the life, history and future of watersheds in Lawrence County. Look for more from Robert on the next five Wednesdays.

The Beaver River begins at the confluence of the Mahoning River and the Shenango River just downstream of New Castle in Lawrence County. The headwaters and tributaries of the river drain parts of northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania, including most of Lawrence, Mercer, southwestern Crawford, Beaver and Butler Counties. Historically, the river served as an economic engine for the region with the Erie Extension Canal running along its banks. As a reflection of its economic importance, it was named for the beaver, the pelts of which were the main revenue source in the area.

The Beaver River has been damaged by the pollution from the Mahoning River and, to a lesser extent, the Shenango River. Many fish and freshwater mussels that inhabited the river in the early 1900s have disappeared. Although the river does show signs of recovery, it may never achieve the level of diversity that it did prior to industrialization. However, WPC's Lawrence County Natural Heritage Inventory recognized a number of areas affiliated with the river as important ecological areas in the county:

• The Beaver River Islands Biological Diverstity Area (BDA)
• Beaver River Floodplain BDA
• Rock Point BDA

For more information abut this study, contact the County Natural Inventory Staff at WPC or the Lawrence County Planning Commission. The Lawrence County Natural Heritage Inventory will be available on our web site in the near future.

Pictured today is the confluence of the Shenango and Mahoning Rivers. Photo by Robert Coxe.

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