Closely tied to vegetation, climatic change can influence the characteristics of a stream over time. More or less precipitation in the region affects the hydrology. The amount of water delivered to the stream influences the stream's competence. In the past, Horsepen Run may have been able to more efficiently transport the sand and gravel deposits from the upper reaches of the stream. Human effects may have strongly influenced the efficiency of moving water and sediments downstream.
Road crossings can tend to dam the stream.
This is evident at Route 655. The culverts are undersized, which limits the discharge through the pipes. This results in eddies, decreasing velocities and the stream dumping its bedload upstream of the culverts. The stream may be aggrading, changing the local base level and affecting all areas upstream. There are no mapped faults in the study area.