The Agricultural TMDLs and the Evolution of the Fishing Creek Alternative Restoration Plan webinar provides an explanation of agricultural TMDL development as well as introduces the new TMDL Alternative approach to watershed restoration. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) are required to be developed under the Clean Water Act for impaired stream segments. Nonpoint Source pollution (NPS) TMDLs, including agriculture, are challenging to implement after being developed. Thus, TMDL Alternatives are creative new approaches to restoring NPS impaired watersheds and are described here using the Fishing Creek Alternative Restoration Plan in Lancaster County as an example.
30 minute video of Lunch and Learn presentation in RCSOB
This is a story about the long-term, piece-by-piece restoration of Turtle Creek in north-central Pennsylvania. It’s also a story about the power of partnerships, innovation, the environmental stewardship of landowners, and the resiliency of natural systems. It’s a success story suggesting broader opportunities for Pennsylvania’s waters, and for the Chesapeake Bay.
This course is created in ESRI StoryMap
The wide and majestic Susquehanna River is one of the oldest rivers in the world. Despite its beauty, the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay downstream has been facing the detrimental effects of excess nutrients. This new YouTube video provides a unique synthesis of the story of nutrient water quality in the Susquehanna watershed. With few exceptions, trends in stream nutrient loads at long-term monitoring sites have been improving, but a considerable percent of the short-term monitoring sites show degrading trends. Resource managers have varying control over the intricate blend of factors that affect nutrient delivery to the river such as physical factors (geology, climate, and hydrology), source inputs (atmospheric and land use) and legacy storage of nutrients (dams and groundwater) that remain a challenge toward meeting water quality goals.
Recorded as part of the Section 319 Virtual Watershed Planning and Implementation Meeting on May 22-23, 2023, this presentation provides a 40-year history of the efforts made to rehabilitate streams impacted by Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) in Broad Top Township, Bedford County, PA. Hear stories on how Township officials leveraged funding and engaged partners to remediate AMD and improve water quality in Six Mile Run, Sandy Run, and Longs Run.