Rivers of Pennsylvania (Keystone Books)

An introduction to Pennsylvania's usable streams—45,000 miles of them—this book is designed to stimulate interest, enjoyment, and concern. Together with pleasurable reading, information is provided for the active or prospective canoeist, kayaker, boater, or rafter; the hiker or camper; the nature or history buff; the angler or conservationist.

Each chapter features the author's experience on a major stream in one of the Keystone State's three great river basins: the Susquehanna, the Ohio, and the Delaware—with notes on the peripheral Genesee, Lake Erie, and Potomac watersheds. Coverage is given of all significant streams, focusing on particular recreational features, historical events, or environmental issues.

A section at the back of the book gives practical suggestions for riverine recreation: where to go, what to expect there, and how to keep safe and comfortable. Topics covered are: places for canoeing, boating, and rafting; fishing sites; hiking trails; camping places; and tips for safety, health, and comfort. The entire book is illustrated with maps and photographs, including a section in color.

The general introduction to Rivers of Pennsylvania presents a geographical and geological overview, and a concluding chapter summarizes unsolved problems and challenges. The future of Pennsylvania rivers is shown to require responsible stewardship: a balancing of equally legitimate goals in the domains of industrial, agricultural, and residential development; health and recreation; and conservation not only of the streams themselves but also of their ecologically related fauna and flora.