The latest issue of DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Healthy Waters newsletter highlights recent accomplishments, available funding opportunities, county clean water projects and much more.

Tioga River Stabilization

The Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy, the Tioga County Conservation District, and Trout Unlimited, as well as other partners, worked together to stabilize approximately 300 feet of riverbank along the Tioga River in Blossburg’s Island Park in Tioga County.

Several trout streams flow into the Tioga River, and though the river is currently impacted by abandoned mine drainage, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and DEP are designing an active treatment plant to address this. Biologists expect there to be fish in the Tioga River within a year of the active treatment plant starting operations.

Innovative Stormwater Permit

On August 27, 2024, the Conservation Innovation Fund, and Kennett Township (located in Chester County) announced that Kennett Township was issued a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit.

The NPDES MS4 permit is the result of a successful four-year partnership between the Conservation Innovation Fund and Kennett Township to develop a municipal stormwater compliance strategy, in collaboration with AECOM, Hicks Brothers IV, Longwood Gardens, and Mowery Environmental.

Tree Planting At Lancaster High School

Three recipients of the 2023 Mira Lloyd Dock Partnership Diversity Award, presented by the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, and coordinated by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will lead a November tree-planting effort at McCaskey High School in Lancaster.

The award winners, Marlisa Yoder-Bontrager and twin sisters Keisha and Tarsha Scovens, each will receive $5,000 for the planting and $1,000 for maintenance of the trees. Additional funding support will come from a $4,000 Healing the Planet grant from the GIANT Company and funding from the Frank Albrecht Memorial Fund (Frank Albrecht was a long-time employee of the School District of Lancaster).

The trees will filter and absorb polluted runoff before it reaches the Conestoga River, which travels directly through the City of Lancaster.

Clean Water Collaboration In Lancaster

Lancaster Clean Water Partners recently shared a video, Lancaster Clean Water Partners – The Backbone of an Amazing Network, describing the role of their partnership in bringing various organizations together with the common goal of advancing clean water projects throughout Lancaster County.

The video features several of the many projects being pursued by the partnership organizations including tree buffer planting at Overlook Park in Manheim Township, Conewago Creek floodplain restoration in Londonderry Township, and Long’s Park wetlands to clean runoff.

The video was made possible through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with support from Chesapeake Bay Trust, Chesapeake Bay Funders Network and Chesapeake Bay Program.

Franklin County Farm Tour/Awards

On July 30, 2024, Franklin County Conservation District (FCCD) held a Summer Conservation Farm Tour and Luncheon at the Lurgan Lions Club.

FCCD took the opportunity to present the 2024 Conservation Farmer of the Year award to the Scott Kiskaddon Family of Orrstown, PA.

The grant funding for this event came from a Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini Grant and enabled FCCD to provide important education on the benefits of reducing nonpoint source pollution with best management practices (BMPs) to approximately 100 attendees.

Tour participants visited the Kiskaddon’s beef farm and observed various conservation practices such as manure storage facilities, pasture management, concrete barnyards with nutrient runoff control, no-till, and grid soil sampling.

All of these practices reduce potential pollutants from entering the waterways and help to prevent soil erosion.

Stream Upgrades In Juniata County

In August, the Juniata County Conservation District (JCCD), Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, HRG Inc., and Resource Restoration Group (RRG) completed stream upgrades on Delaware Creek at the Thompsontown AMVETS Post 122 property.

Since the 1970s, Thompsontown AMVETS’s section of Delaware Creek has been designated as a place to fish for children and disabled persons.

This project featured 300 linear feet of stream work continuing restoration efforts on Delaware Creek that were installed in 2012 in partnership with the AMVETS, JCCD, and PFBC.

With the improvement to the stream, the AMVETS boasts more accessible areas and better fishing conditions.

The restoration work completed provides environmental benefits that include habitat protection, streambank stabilization, stream bed stabilization, overhead coverage for fish and the creation of feeding lanes.

JCCD has also recently completed approximately 2,200 linear feet of stream restoration located on Lower Lost Creek on private property.

Stream restoration efforts provide stream bank and bed stabilization while creating habitat critical to aquatic organisms such as trout and aquatic insects.

Floodplain connectivity is also important to reconnect wetlands to the stream corridor.

Funding for both projects was provided through a DEP Countywide Action Plan (CAP) Implementation Grant.

Click Here to read more about these projects and the entire Health Waters newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own copy.

Visit DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed webpage to learn more about cleaning up rivers and streams in Pennsylvania's portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates on Pennsylvania’s progress.

How Clean Is Your Stream?

The draft 2024 report has an interactive report viewer that allows you to zoom in to your own address to see if the streams near you are impaired and why.

Click Here to check out your streams.  Click Here for a tutorial on using the viewer.

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- NRCS-Pennsylvania Announces Sign-Up For Conservation Easement Programs  [PaEN]

-- USDA NRCS-PA: Farm Conservation Funding Opportunities For FY 2025

-- 200+ Attend Delaware River Watershed Forum In Bethlehem - The Power Of Collaboration  [PaEN]

-- Choose Clean Water Coalition Now Accepting Applications For Young Environmental Professionals Of Color Mentorship Program  [PaEN]

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Healthy Waters Newsletter Highlights Funding Opportunities; County Clean Water Projects; Accomplishments  [PaEN]

-- PA American Water Celebrates Source Water Protection Week With Education Program  [PaEN]

-- PA Environmental Council Will Start Accepting Applications Oct. 21 For Protect Your Drinking Water Grants In Southeast PA Funded By Aqua Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition Receives Grant To Rehab De Sale Passive Mine Drainage Treatment System;  Participates In WV Mine Drainage Conference; Learn More About Datashed.org  [PaEN]

-- US Forest Service Watershed Forestry Team Hosts Webinar On Riparian Forest Buffer Success And Innovation Begins Oct. 10  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts Oct. 23 Webinar On Identifying Environmentally Sensitive Areas On The Farm - Wetlands  [PaEN]

-- Public Comments Invited On Draft Juniata River Watershed Conservation Plan By Western PA Conservancy [PaEN]

-- Western PA Conservancy, Partners Invite Residents Of French Creek Watershed To Comment On Conservation Plan At Oct 22 Meeting In Saegertown, Crawford County  [PaEN]

-- Conservation District Invites Pike County Citizen Scientists To Participate In Study Of Microplastics  [PaEN]

-- Watershed Success Spotlight: Allegheny Land Trust + Chalfant Run-Thompson Run Watershed Assn., Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- Stroud Water Research Center Receives $141,000 Grant From Green Mountain Energy Sun Club For New 55-Kilowatt Rooftop Solar Energy System  [PaEN]

-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy Announces Winners Of Confluence: Land, Water, Wildlife Photo Contest; ARTery Gallery Exhibition  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Chesapeake Bay Cleanup At A Crossroads; New Path Or Stay The Course?

-- StateCollege.com: Adam Smith, US Fish & Wildlife Service Biologist, Named Outstanding Coldwater Conservationist Professional By PA Council Of Trout Unlimited

-- Episcopal News Service: Lancaster Clean Water Partners Grant Will Help Manheim Church Do Its Part To Clean Up Chesapeake Bay 

-- Altoona Mirror: Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, PA Interfaith Power & Light  Volunteers Prepare To Give Away 4,500+ Native Plants Requested By Individuals

-- Pottsville Republican Herald Guest Essay: Riparian Buffers Necessary In Age Of Stronger Storms - By Alliance for The Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

-- Susquehanna University: Grant From Richard King Mellon Foundation To Support Freshwater Research Institute

-- The Daily Item: Susquehanna University Receives $600,000 Mellon Foundation Grant To Fund Freshwater Research

-- KYW: Philadelphia Water Dept. Rebukes Report Claiming Stormwater Management System Is Overwhelmed By Climate Change

-- Rep. Owlett Introduces Stream Cleaning Bill To Help Protect Against Flooding [But Do These Bills Make The Problem Worse?  Read real story here]

-- WNEP: Schuylkill County Conservancy Hosts 100 5th Graders For Outdoor Learning Day

-- KYW: Delaware RiverKeeper Files Lawsuit Against EPA for Failing To Protect Atlantic Sturgeon

-- Delaware RiverKeeper Oct. 4 RiverWatch Video Report

-- Delaware RiverKeeper Aquatic Plant Survey [Video]

-- AP: Push To Map Great Lakes Bottom Gains Momentum Amid Promises Effort Will Help Fishing, Shipping

[Posted: October 1, 2024]

10/7/2024