16 Pa. Stat. § 5717
The board of commissioners, for the purpose of protecting any county bridge or bridges, the abutments thereof and approaches thereto and any public highway adjacent to the same from the incursions of floods or waters of any creek, rivulet or other stream, and so as to prolong the life of said structures, may erect and maintain dykes, banks, causeways and sluiceways over, on and across any creek, rivulet or other stream not navigable, and which creek, rivulet or other stream is affected by the rise and fall of the tide, floods or waters of any creek, rivulet or other stream, and secure a right of way for proper ingress and egress thereto, and in connection with such activities, to take, injure and destroy any necessary land or property, in accordance with Article XXVI. Any such change in an existing stream channel under the provisions of this or the preceding section shall first be approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.
16 P.S. § 5717