The Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy has released two new free educational courses on Principles Of Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration and using the new 2024 Integrated Water Quality Report viewer.

Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration

DEP's Division of Wetlands, Encroachments, and Training in the Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands developed the Introduction to Guiding Principles of Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration training.

Please note that this multi-part training is intended to be an introduction or overview presentation and DWET is developing additional more intensive content to cover many of the topics that are introduced.

For example, a more in-depth or Deep Dive discussion on Legacy Sediments will be available in several forms (i.e., Oil Creek Case Study).

This is intended to be an introduction to a series of trainings addressing issues related to aquatic resource restoration that will be developed over the next few years.

This introductory training will cover several important aspects of the guiding principles that are important to the execution of highly successful restoration projects.

The training is presented in four parts: Introduction, Basic Watershed and Ecosystem Functions, Watershed Alterations and Effects, and finally Project Considerations.

Completion of this training will provide a good foundation for future trainings that will dive deeper into the topics, research, and DWET program development efforts.

Over the past 15 years this approach has been applied to restore numerous aquatic ecosystems buried by legacy sediment.

The mitigation banking industry in Pennsylvania has successfully applied these principles to other causes of resource degradation successfully.

This approach has wide applicability to understanding and responding to a variety of watershed alterations, not just legacy sediment.

2024 Integrated Water Quality Report

This course is a screen recording demonstration of the various features of the 2024  Integrated Water Quality Report Viewer that will be released with the 2024 report when it is available for public comment.

Pennsylvania's integrated water quality monitoring and assessment report satisfies the requirements of sections 305(b) and 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA).

Section 303(d) requires states to list all impaired surface waters not supporting uses even after appropriate and required water pollution control strategies have been applied.

The 303(d) list includes the reason for impairment, which may be one or more point sources, like industrial or sewage discharges, or nonpoint sources, like abandoned mine lands or agricultural runoff and the pollutant causing the impairment such as metals, pH, mercury or siltation. 305(b) is the narrative report.

For more information on online educational opportunities, visit the Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy website.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter, sign up for DEP Connects events, sign up for DEP’s eNotice, visit DEP’s Blog,  Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

NewsClips This Week:

-- PA Capital-Star: PA House Committee Hears Testimony On Riparian Stream Buffer Bill

-- Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council, Partners: October Is Riparian Buffer Month!  Join Special Events Near You! Build Awareness. Share Tips, Facts!

-- WVIA: Earth Conservancy Receives EPA Funding To Restore Abandoned Mine Lands In Espy Run Creek In Luzerne County

-- USGS Study: Floodplains In Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Watersheds Provide $124 Million+ In Annual Water Quality, Sediment Trapping Benefits

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Tree Cover Declines, Pavement Spreads Across Chesapeake Watershed, Lancaster, Chester, Cumberland, York Counties Included

-- Williamsport Sun: Williamsport Council Approves Consent Order With EPA On Following Stormwater Discharge Regulations

-- LancasterOnline: Mountville Holds Community Watershed Event Oct. 7

-- Erie Times: Will Proposed Gannon University Great Lakes Research & Education Center Be Housed In Blasco Library?

-- Warren Times: Warehouse Growth Worrying PA Environmental Groups

-- Delaware RiverKeeper Oct. 6 RiverWatch Video Report

Related Articles This Week:

-- Stroud Water Research Center Honors Laura Turner Seydel Of Captain Planet Foundation With Freshwater Excellence Award  [PaEN]

-- House Committee Hears Benefits Of Forested Stream Buffers-- Increasing Property Values, Water Quality Improvements, Reduced Impacts From Flooding; Builders, Republican Chair Worried About A ‘Taking’ Of Property  [PaEN]

-- Agencies Celebrate Eastern Hellbender License Plate Recognizing PA’s Clean Water Ambassador; Shale Gas Development On DCNR Land Threatens Habitat  [PaEN]

-- Maryland's Conowingo Pay For Success Program Funding Now Available In PA’s Susquehanna River Watershed For Projects To Reduce Nutrient Pollution  [PaEN]

-- Apply Now For Climate-Smart Agriculture Grants From Penn State College Of Agricultural Sciences, Partners  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension: New Program Offers Free Technical Assistance To Transition To Organic Production Agriculture

-- Could Your Land Benefit From A Forested Riparian Stream Buffer?  Contact The Western PA Conservancy  [PaEN]

-- Coalition For The Delaware River Watershed: 300+ Attend 11th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum Uniting Hundreds Of Conservation Advocates, Constituents And Organizations  [PaEN]

-- PA Assn. Of Environmental Professionals Host Oct. 24 Webinar - Science Meets Community Engagement: The Delaware River Watershed Initiative  [PaEN]

-- Pike County Conservation District: What Is The Conservation Districts' Role?  [PaEN]

-- The Allegheny Front: Three Rivers Waterkeeper Citizen Monitoring Finds Plastics Maker Styrenics LLC Discharging Plastic Nurdles Into Ohio River, Threatens Lawsuit To Stop Them  - By Reid Frazier  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Students Join Others At Chesapeake Bay Foundation Student Leadership Summit To Take Action On Climate Change  [PaEN]

[Posted: October 5, 2023]

10/9/2023