Background:

The Schuylkill Conservation District (SCD), located in the lower anthracite coalfield of Pennsylvania, serves all watersheds of Schuylkill County with the mission to protect, enhance, restore, and promote the responsible use of the county’s natural resources for future generations by partnering, coordinating, and fostering cooperation.  The SCD was created in 1955 to bring together public agencies, various community groups, and individuals to accomplish these goals.  Within Schuylkill County, there are currently 6 acid mine drainage (AMD) impacted watersheds, which includes the Upper Schuylkill River watershed, Catawissa Creek watershed, Mahanoy Creek watershed, Northern Swatara Creek watershed, Mahantango Creek watershed, and the Wiconisco Creek watershed.  Schuylkill County has a population of over 150,000 people.  Most of the eastern part of the county is in the Delaware River Basin; the western part and northeastern tip are in the Susquehanna River Basin. Within these borders lies a diverse mix of agricultural land, forested areas, and both urban and rural communities.  In the county, we have over 760 miles of streams and rivers flowing through the region’s many mountains, farmlands, and residential areas.  Because of the diverse land use, there are many different problems affecting water quality in the county.  Sewage straight-piping is a concern in the rural areas of the county. Water quality has been negatively impacted by various kinds of non-point source (NPS) pollution including stormwater and agricultural runoff and AMD, the result of over 100 years of resource extraction in the county. Schuylkill County is the headwaters of many of Pennsylvania’s major rivers; thus, poor water quality here affects everyone downstream, including the Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River.

Goals and Objectives of the OSM/VISTA

Our OSM/VISTA is helping the SCD and the watershed groups of the county to thrive through financial and infrastructural support that builds the member-base and capacity to complete relevant projects to improve their watersheds.  Part of this work will involve assisting local groups and the SCD in the preparation and submission of both public and private grant proposals to secure future funding for AMD remediation projects, water monitoring equipment, and future programs.  The OSM/VISTA will work with local watershed groups in marketing their message through newsletters, internet based resources, and through the coordination of various outreach events.  This will also involve the OSM/VISTA working with watershed organizations to create opportunities and activities to attract new members.  There will be a focus on outreach and education and water quality monitoring programs.

 The OSM/VISTA will also work with the SCD and local watershed groups to execute priorities identified in watershed-wide Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) based implementation plans.  There are currently implementation plans developed for the Catawissa Creek and Swatara Creek watersheds.  The OSM/VISTA will work with local watershed groups and the SCD to link water quality improvements with community revitalization projects.  Examples include recreation development, beautification projects, educational opportunities, illegal dump cleanups, and economic redevelopment opportunities.  The work of the OSM/VISTA helps the SCD to fulfill their goals of fostering cooperation and protecting, enhancing, restoring, and promoting the responsible use of the county’s natural resources.

The accomplishments of the first year OSM/VISTA included organizing a rain barrel workshop in coordination with the Master Gardener program and participating in the 2008 Schuylkill Leadership Class and Schuylkill River Sojourn.  Her involvement in the leadership class led to her and her classmates volunteering to plant trees in coordination with an AMD restoration project.  She assisted in the Bear Creek Festival, an annual watershed celebration, and aided the county environmental coordinator with his summer teacher workshop.  She also developed monitoring stations and protocols at various treatment systems throughout the county.  This involved coordination with watershed groups, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the United States Geological Survey, and the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation.

The current OSM/VISTA will work with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program to reorganize water monitoring effort to include priorities of the Conservation District in monitoring treatment systems.  They will present to the Master Gardeners about the work of the Conservation District and help to conduct a site tour for them.  The OSM/VISTA is currently working to develop a watershed education component that will be a part of Schuylkill VISION’s curriculum that will be available for the public schools.  The OSM/VISTA will help to coordinate volunteer activities for the local watershed groups and identify other methods of outreach and education.  They are also working grants to obtain water monitoring equipment and funding for the 2010 Bear Creek Festival.

           

Community Support and Grants

The Schuylkill Conservation District works with many local organizations, such as Pheasants Forever, Trout Unlimited, Schuylkill VISION, and the six watershed groups of the county to accomplish their goals.  The SCD often works with various state and federal agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (BAMR), United States Geological Survey (USGS), Pocono Resource Conservation & Development Council (Pocono RC&D), Environmental Protection Agency Region 3 (EPA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the Office of Surface Mining (OSM). 

The Schuylkill Conservation District has received almost eight million dollars in grant money through the Growing Greener Program, EPA Section 319, Chesapeake Bay Mini Grants, and various other foundations.  Politicians help by writing letters of support and citizens of the county contribute by donating their time and money to local watershed organizations.

Partnerships:

• Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
• Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (BAMR)
• Pocono Resource Conservation & Development Council (Pocono RC & D)
• United States Geological Survey (USGS)
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Office of Surface Mining (OSM)
• Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team (ACCWT)
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
• Farm Security Administration (FSA)
• Peasants Forever
• Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission
• Pennsylvania Game Commission