Hoppy Road , Falls, PA 18615(Wyoming County)

The River was listed among the five best Smallmouth Bass rivers in the country. The River also produces trophy-size Muskie, Walleye, and Catfish. The River can be fished from canoe, kayak, and boats with outboard motors including a jet boat outboard which requires very little draft. Public access to the River is prohibited except to property owners and those with legal recorded easements to the River although the PA Fish Commission does provide public boat launches including one nearby at the Bridge.

Hunting

The Property has always sported great deer, bear, turkey, wild fowl, squirrel and rabbit hunting because of a spectacular mix of habitats on-site and on adjacent acreages. Including the Property, there are nearby acres of farm fields growing field corn; a dozen ponds; coldwater creeks; dozens of apple and crabapple trees; native stands of Eastern Black Walnut and hickorys; mature hardwood forest consisting of mast producing red, white, black and chestnut oak; dense hemlock evergreen forest; areas of native grassland; and early successional forest of young aspen and cottonwood, all combine to provide everything deer, bear, and other wildlife require. Huge flocks of ducks, geese, and turkeys sometimes numbering 50 , are attracted to the River and cornfields and also provide for great hunting. There is a healthy population of Doves and Ruffed Grouse.

Abundant Groundwater Available from Subsurface and the Susquehanna River for Irrigation and other uses:

Abundant groundwater is available on the Property. Ground water withdrawal for irrigation and other purposes or direct withdrawal from the Susquehanna River (the River) is subject to rules and regulations of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC). A surface water withdrawal from a surface source, such as the River, in excess of 100,000 gallons per day over a 30-day period requires the filing of a Surface Water Withdrawal Application for agriculture. In the River basin, all new (post-1970) consumptive uses that are greater than 20,000 gallons per day for any consecutive 30-day period are subject to the SRBCs consumptive use make-up regulation. Agriculture is currently exempt from the SRBCs consumptive use restrictions. SRBC regulations are subject to change and the above should not be relied upon in making any decisions on water availability. Property will come with a deed restricting water withdrawal from the Susquehanna River except for residential on-site use.

Timber

The Property hosts a very diverse mix of tree species including most or all of the following: Black Walnut; Red, White, Chestnut, and Black Oak; Tulip Poplar; Aspen; Eastern Cottonwood; White Pine; Hemlock; Hackberry; Gray, White and Black Birch; White and Green Ash; Black Cherry; and soft (red) and Silver Maple; Serviceberry; Black Locust, and other species.

Wyoming County History, Geography, Geology and Vegetation [The following excerpts are taken from A Natural Inventory of Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, 1995, by The Nature Conservancy.]

Wyoming County, an area of almost 400 square miles, is a rural county located in northeastern Pennsylvania. The Susquehanna River flows through the middle of the county from northwest to southeast and most development is concentrated within its corridor. The southwestern plateau is forested and mostly within state game lands; much of the rest of the county is given over to a mix of agriculture, forest and small villages. In 1990, the population of the county was just over 28,000 (1990 census) and appears to be growing. Both Scranton and Wilkes-Barre are within commuting distances of much of the county. Wyoming County is also approximately 150 miles from New York City and Philadelphia, allowing easy access for vacationers and tourists.

The Endless Mountains, the lakes and creeks, and the pastoral scenery attract many people to the county; these natural qualities are important to both the economic and social well-being of county residents. Second home developments exist around Lake Carey and Lake Winola while hunting and fishing camps are found primarily in the southwestern corner. The rugged hills and forests of the southwest do not lend themselves to development or agriculture but they attract hunters, hikers, and winter sports enthusiasts. The many trout streams that drain this region attract fishermen while the forests of this region provide timber for the wood products industry. The Susquehanna River is a major recreational and scenic resource. Agriculture, although declining in acres, is still an important economic component of the county.

Glaciers have modified the landscape throughout the county. Deposits of rock, sand, clay and silt left directly by the glacier are called unstratified deposits or glacial till. Some of these deposits are as much as 300 feet thick. As a result of the glaciers, many of the soils that developed on till are too stony or wet for cultivation. Many wetlands have formed in the depressions that were the result of glacial scouring and the deposition of ice blocks (kettleholes), as well as glacial deposits that blocked drainage channels and altered stream flow. Stratified sands and gravels deposited by glacial meltwaters are located along many of the major rivers and creeks. The area known as Jayne Bend on the Susquehanna River is a glacial river terrace. Sand and gravel mining operations occur on some of the larger stratified deposits.

The vegetation of Wyoming County reflects the environmental conditions (geology, topography, soils, climate) and disturbance history, both natural and anthropogenic. On a broad scale of vegetation patterns, Wyoming County is located within two major forest types Appalachian Oak Forest and Northern Hardwood Forest (Kuchler 1964, Bailey 1980). A broad band of Appalachian Oak Forest, somewhat analogous to Brauns (1950) Oak-Chestnut Forest, follows the Susquehanna River valley. The river, at elevations between 660 feet where it enters the county in the northwest and 580 feet as it leaves the county in the southeast, is much lower than the surrounding hills and mountains. Oaks predominate where the land has not been cleared on the well drained soils of the sand and gravel terraces and on the steep, south-facing slopes above the river. Black, red, white and chestnut oaks may be dominants or codominants depending on soil moisture and fertility. Other tree species include red maple, black cherry, gray and black birches, white pine, pitch pine, juniper and aspens. Shrubs include species of blueberries, huckleberries and other dry forest species. Northern Hardwood Forest is found in two large blocks separated by Appalachian Oak Forest. The forest in the northeastern portion of the county is highly fragmented by agriculture. The block in the southwestern corner on the Allegheny High Plateaus Section is largely intact. Sugar maple, red maple, yellow birch, hemlock and white pine are common canopy species along with red spruce in some places. [The above excerpts are taken from A Natural Inventory of Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, 1995, by The Nature Conservancy.]

Birdwatching

The Property is loaded with migrating songbirds that enjoy the mix of young and mature woodlands, open areas, and brushy cover. Several dozen bird species including many warblers, Indigo Bunting, Orioles, Tanagers, Flycatchers, and several species of woodpeckers congregate in Spring and Summer along with numerous species of resident birds.

Survey: The Property has been surveyed.

Zoning: The Property is zoned Rural Agricultural (RA). In an RA zoning district, minimum acreage to build a single-family home is 1 acre; to build a two-family home, 1.5 acres. Buyer should verify this information.

Oil and Gas: Seller to retain subsurface oil and gas. A deed restriction will prohibit any above ground gas related appurtenances. There is presently no gas drilling in Falls Township. Shale gas is prolific in northwest Wyoming County but not in southeast Wyoming County. Projected gas reserves decrease to the south and east the closer one gets to coal country where shale gas deposits were compressed into coal.

Solar : The Property will contain a restriction against solar panel installation to prevent solar glare onto the River.

Property Taxes (2020) : $250.75. This parcel is not currently enrolled in Pennsylvania Clean & Green.