Strategy Description:

A sustainable community uses its fresh water supplies efficiently and provides adequate protection to guarantee the resource’s future abundance and quality. Responsible stewardship of the region’s water resources is the focus of this strategy. It addresses a number of key factors including water quality monitoring, water consumption monitoring, developing strong conservation education programs, specifying county-wide efficiency standards for water fixtures in all new development, and forming a regional water authority.

Key Components:

• Establish a watershed baseline and determine a set of water protection goals and specific management objectives for each of the region’s subwatersheds for use in municipal and multi-municipal planning and growth and land use management efforts.

• Develop baseline data to include the following information:

• Definition of watershed and subwatershed boundaries (completed as part of the Vision 2020 Project)

• Identification of possible stakeholders

• Measure of existing impervious cover (completed based on 1995 land cover as part of the Vision 2020 Project)

• Estimated assessment of pollutant loads (completed by Penn State University’s Environmental Resources Research Institute – (ERRI). ERRI provided an assessment of pollutant loads for subwatersheds of the of the Mid-Bald Eagle Creek watersheds using a GIS-based watershed modeling tool called AVGWLF. The model gives a useful comparison of water quality in subwatersheds and is based on measurable properties of soils, land cover, and topography. This model provides a tool to evaluate potential impacts of future land use scenarios on water quality.

• Assemblage of historical monitoring data

• Assessment of existing mapping resources

• Audit of existing local watershed protection capabilities at the municipal level. The last element of the watershed baseline, the audit, examines whether existing local programs, regulations, and staff resources are capable of implementing various tools for water protection. In essence, it helps to address areas that need to be improved to help meet the goals and objectives.

• Work with affected communities to obtain consensus on the most important water resource goals and specific objectives for the area. A basic goal of all subwatersheds would be to apply land use planning techniques to redirect development to low impact areas, preserve sensitive areas, and to manage the overall percentage of impervious cover within a given subwatershed.

• Set an impervious cover cap in the subwatershed
• Maintain existing pollutant loads
• Preserve 75% of existing woodland within the subwatershed

• Explore effective planning and design techniques (see Strategy27: Land Development Audit, and Strategy 28: Sustainable Design Toolkit) to achieve the goals and objectives, such as:

• Overlay zoning
• Incentive zoning
• Performance zoning
• Designated growth boundaries
• Infill/community redevelopment incentives
• Limiting infrastructure expansion in key areas
• Transfer of development rights (TDRs)
• Best Management Practices

• Expand existing water quality and quantity monitoring efforts operating in the Spring Creek Watershed to include the subwatersheds in the Bald Eagle watershed. The Water Resources Monitoring Project established by the Spring Creek Watershed Community includes a network of 12 monitoring stations to monitor baseflow conditions. Data collection occurs continuously through in-stream monitors for flow level and stream temperature, and monthly through sampling for water quality. Establishing a region-wide monitoring program to include Bald Eagle Creek will provide baseline water quality and quantity data that can support watershed management efforts developed for the entire region. Data collected from a region-wide water monitoring network will provide much needed information for tracking progress by both individual subwatershed communities within the region and the region as a whole in protecting water resources. The region, therefore, needs to be alerted to watershed issues related to water quality and quantity and to the opportunities for input and involvement.

• Develop a Data Confidence Plan

• Adopt the existing "Spring Creek Watershed Water Sampling Protocol" which describes quality assurance and quality control guidelines (QA/QC) for data collection and reporting to produce data of known integrity by all monitoring groups. A data confidence plan should cover all facets of data collection including sampling, analysis, data management, and storage. Aspects of a QA program include standard operating procedures for each parameter, calibration procedures, documentation, training, equipment servicing, evaluation, reporting, and quality control (QC). QC is the system of activities whose purpose is to measure and control the quality of the data.

• Make the data more useful for natural resource management agencies
• Maintains the image of the "Vision 2020 volunteer network" filling in the gaps of professionally collected data
• Provides the program with the ability to seek sponsorship dollars from state and federal agencies

• Validate and manage data. The verifications and storage of the data should include some check of new data against either long-term data at the site, or normal expected ranges for a parameter before data is entered onto the database.

• Keep records. Records ensure that data results are traceable and errors in equipment can be detected and addressed early on. Possible documents that should be maintained as part of a central records folder include:

• Group monitoring plans
• Calibration records for monitoring equipment
• Equipment servicing procedures and service record forms
• Field data recording sheets
• Monitoring group training logbooks

• Organize the Volunteer Network

• Promote the project through the region’s schools, Penn State’s Center for Watershed Stewardship, and non-profit environmental organizations such as watershed associations, Trout Unlimited, the Sierra Club, etc. Schools and local environmental groups working together would be developed into an important feature of this program.

• Develop education and training programs and materials.

• Partner with state agencies. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (DCNR) watershed education program is a hands-on, educational, interdisciplinary model for students and teachers, which includes a framework for investigating the chemistry and life of streams and lakes and provides opportunities for stewardship and networking. Professionals from the Bureau of State Parks provide training and support a host of publications to educate students and teachers. The DCNR Bureau of State Parks program includes a website for uploading and viewing the results of monitoring by other schools across the state (www.watersheded.dcnr.state.pa.us).

• Create a resource book that contains teaching ideas and popular environmental activities for students and community groups. The resource book would assist teachers and community groups in teaching about water resources and associated environmental issues in the Vision 2020 region. A list of existing resources includes:

• Saltwatch – A Resource book for Schools (www.saltwatch.org)
• Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks Watershed Education Program
• Waterwatch (www.waterwatch.org)
• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Educational Materials (www.dep.pa.state.us)
• Spring Creek Watershed Community (www.springcreekwatershed.org).

• Develop a monitoring plan. Groups need to prepare a monitoring plan so that the right information gets collected and the monitoring meets the desired outcomes for data use.

• Develop Water Monitor Training Workshops. Hold technical training workshops for all interested monitoring coordinators, groups and individuals that will address protocols and methods. Training suggests more qualitative steps to ensure the components of the data confidence plan are implemented effectively. The skills and knowledge that coordinators require in order to support group monitoring projects and that monitoring groups require in order to implement monitoring programs should be included. This could be coordinated through DEP local watershed coordinators as designated by DEP’s Environmental Futures Planning Process (EFP2).

• Provide training on sampling and measurement techniques. Address training on the methods and the tools used to monitor water quality and quantity and the ways to reduce risk of error. The training should include the necessary QC checks needed for each parameter tested and specific procedures for using equipment.

• Continue to use the AVGWLF watershed simulation model on a periodic basis to evaluate changes in subwatershed water quality. The Pennsylvania State University’s Environmental Resources Research Institute (ERRI) provided an assessment of pollutant loads generated within sub-areas of the Spring Creek and Bald Eagle Creek watersheds using a GIS-based watershed modeling tool called AVGWLF (a technical memorandum on modeling results is available from ClearWater Conservancy). The model gives a useful comparison of water quality in subwatershed areas and is based on measurable properties of soils, land cover, and topography. This model can be used to evaluate potential impacts of future land use change.

• Establish a web-based system for public access and community tracking of environmental data. This system would include all data associated with this strategy including water quality monitoring data, subwatershed development status (percent impervious cover), indicator tracking information (i.e. monthly water consumption rates), and information on conservation education. Elements of the system:

• A credible repository for community data and accessibility to the data by monitoring groups, the public and others for data analysis and interpretation. Possible partnering opportunities with existing providers of environmental data include ERRI, the Spring Creek Watershed Community at www.springcreekwatershed.org, PASDA ,and DCNR’s Bureau of State Parks Watershed Education Program.

• An interactive watershed map of the region showing each of the subwatershed boundaries in the Mid-Bald Eagle Watershed. Users could click on the map to access the entire subwatershed database including existing land cover, percent impervious surfaces, average daily water consumption, rainfall information, data from groundwater and surface water monitoring stations within the watershed, etc.

• The ability to identify street addresses on a web site map, receive results of nearby water quality monitoring stations, and obtain a water quality report on drinking water.

• Reports on various conservation efforts by municipality. For example, updates to municipal ordinances that foster protection and conservation of water resources.

• Community awareness and promotion of other environmental initiatives implemented by private and public sector businesses within their organizations, such as Environmental Management Systems and ISO 14001 certification.

• Adopt and update ordinances to include efficiency standards for water fixtures for new development.

• Form a regional multi-municipal authority to oversee all aspects of building and maintaining the region’s sustainable water supply, including watershed planning, resource monitoring, conservation education programming and Act 167 plan enforcement. As recommended in previous studies in the region (i.e. The 1996 International Countryside Stewardship Exchange and the Act 167 Stormwater Management Plan for the Spring Creek Watershed), this plan also recommends the formation of a regional multi-municipal entity to take a leadership role in advancing and coordinating projects and programs related to this strategy. An authority would provide a single unified agency for implementation of the strategy and could provide a level of involvement in the land development review process for municipalities. For example, the authority could provide review and comment on development activities proposed in unprotected sensitive land areas (identified as part of actions under Strategy 13: Open Lands Prioritization and Maintenance ) where there is a potential impact to important groundwater recharge areas.

Several components of this strategy (establishment of a regional entity) are applicable to the entire region and will need to be addressed as a cooperative effort between all municipal entities. The Spring Creek Watershed is already taking a leadership role in advancing and coordinating projects and programs in the Spring Creek Watershed. The Spring Creek Watershed Commission could play a pivotal role in facilitating cooperative efforts among all municipalities in the Vision 2020 region to establish an authority as proposed.

Other components of this strategy (i.e. water quality monitoring) could be implemented individually by interested groups or schools prior to the organization of a region-wide coordinated effort being in place. Adequate information and technical support exists through Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Department of Conservation of Natural Resources (DCNR) programs to move this component of the strategy forward at any time.

Implementation:

A regional task force or "council of governments" level citizen advisory group is recommended to administer this strategy. The task force should be multi-disciplined consisting of municipal officials, county and regional planning personnel, existing water authorities, private sector developers, engineers and designers, educators, and environmental and architectural experts. The group should establish a working relationship with PA’s DCNR and DEP to tap into resource materials, technical training, and financial support available through various Growing Greener initiatives.

Clearwater Conservancy was awarded funding for the development of a Watershed Plan for Spring Creek. Initial efforts of this project will focus on organizing and fostering cooperation of watershed stakeholders. This group of individuals and organizations should be part of the larger Mid-Bald Eagle task force described herein.

Indicators:

• Total and per capita water consumption
• Stream temperature
• Dissolved oxygen measurements
• Nitrate concentrations
• Groundwater quality as measured by VOC and nitrate concentrations in public wells.
• Total percentage of impervious cover reported by subwatershed.

• Pennsylvania Growing Greener State Funds
• EMPACT (Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking) http://www.epa.gov/empact/apply.htm.
• EPA Watershed Site (http:// www.epa.gov/adopt/index.htm.)
• Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants – Watershed Catalog
• Environmental Education Grants Program – watershed catalog CFDA #66.950