Army Creek
View of Army Creek
Photo credit: Andrew Howard
Photo credit: Andrew Howard
Other watersheds in the Delaware Bay and Estuary Basin
Square Miles: 10.0
Population*: 20,684
States: DE
Counties: DE: New Castle
Land use† in Army Creek
Appoquinimink River • Blackbird Creek • Broadkill River • C & D Canal East • Cedar Creek • Delaware Bay Drainage • Delaware River Drainage • Dragon Run Creek • Leipsic River • Little Creek • Mispillion River • Murderkill River • Red Lion Creek • Smyrna River • St. Jones River
Background
The Army Creek watershed is located in east-central New Castle County. The 4-mile-long mainstem flows east-northeast toward its outfall to the Delaware River just below the town of New Castle. The stream is free flowing, however, a tidegate is located at the mouth, which only allows discharge to the Delaware River during low tides, such that there is no tidal influence in the creek.
The land uses in the watershed are dominated by urban areas. The city of New Castle, the only incorporated town, is situated in the northern portion of the watershed.
The land uses in the watershed are dominated by urban areas. The city of New Castle, the only incorporated town, is situated in the northern portion of the watershed.
Water Quality
There are nutrient and bacteria TMDLs for the Army Creek Watershed that require 40% reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus loads and 39% reductions in bacteria loads. There is one point source facility in the watershed but because of the outfall locations that do not discharge to Army Creek, there are only nonpoint sources of pollution in this watershed.
The designated uses set for the Army Creek watershed include primary recreation, secondary recreation, fish, aquatic life, and wildlife, and agricultural water supply in the freshwater segments.
This watershed has sites sampled for a consistent suite of environmental contaminants. These contaminants are broadly classified as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs), Pesticides, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Metals as listed using USEPA and DNREC defined standards. When sites are adjacent to water bodies sediment samples are collected to assess potential impact from a site on the health of the waters. Learn more information specific to this watershed from the DNREC Advanced Facility Search Tool.
The designated uses set for the Army Creek watershed include primary recreation, secondary recreation, fish, aquatic life, and wildlife, and agricultural water supply in the freshwater segments.
This watershed has sites sampled for a consistent suite of environmental contaminants. These contaminants are broadly classified as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs), Pesticides, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Metals as listed using USEPA and DNREC defined standards. When sites are adjacent to water bodies sediment samples are collected to assess potential impact from a site on the health of the waters. Learn more information specific to this watershed from the DNREC Advanced Facility Search Tool.
Plants and Wildlife
Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Division of Fish and Wildlife conducts on-going inventories of natural communities as well as rare and declining species, (e.g., state and globally-rare plants, birds, insects, mussels, reptiles, and amphibians). It maintains a database, both electronic and manual, of its findings throughout the state. Learn more about the wildlife and plant communities in this watershed from the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Programs.
In addition, the Division of Fish and Wildlife, working with the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration – Water Resources Center, maintains online databases about plants and plant communities in Delaware. Learn more about the plant communities in this watershed from the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife.
In addition, the Division of Fish and Wildlife, working with the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration – Water Resources Center, maintains online databases about plants and plant communities in Delaware. Learn more about the plant communities in this watershed from the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Further Resources
For more detailed information on this watershed, its water quality and resources, check out the following resources:
Delaware TMDLs
Delaware Whole Basin Reports
CCMP for the Delaware Estuary
Delaware TMDLs
Delaware Whole Basin Reports
CCMP for the Delaware Estuary
Army Creek
Army Creek quick stats
Square Miles: 10.0
Population*: 20,684
States: DE
Counties: DE: New Castle
*US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-year estimates, 2019
Land use† in Army Creek
†Land use source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 2024, Annual NLCD Collection 1 Science Products (ver. 1.1, June 2025): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P94UXNTS.