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Hello partners for water quality!We have much news to share on progress by state, local, and sector partners to improve water quality by reducing nutrient and sediment pollution in Pennsylvania waterways that eventually flow to the Chesapeake Bay.
For more details on Pennsylvania’s Phase 3 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (Phase 3 WIP) and Countywide Action Planning, visit the Phase 3 WIP website. For a broader educational look at nutrient and sediment pollution in local streams, rivers, and lakes in the watershed, including tips and success stories, visit Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities.
Please consider how you might join in or help support this work. Check out each county’s Phase 3 WIP Countywide Action Plan (CAP) and make connections with your county team. Also, please share this newsletter with your networks and encourage them to subscribe!
— DEP Bureau of Watershed Restoration and Nonpoint Source Management
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DEP Bureau of Watershed Restoration and Nonpoint Source Management (BWRNSM)
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DEP Staff Recognized with Governor’s Awards for Excellence for Efforts on Watershed Restoration Projects
Ten Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) staff members were honored with Governor’s Awards for Excellence from Governor Josh Shapiro for their work on projects that exemplify DEP’s efforts to protect Pennsylvania’s air, land, and water resources and to provide for the health and safety of its residents and visitors.
“Every day, DEP’s nearly 2,800 dedicated public service professionals come to work ready to uphold our mission to protect Pennsylvania’s environment and people,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. “The work these ten DEP employees receiving awards did on Blue Green Connector and the Cocalico Creek Watershed projects serves as the example of the types of public servants we all aspire to be.”
The Watershed Restoration Coordination Team is made up of members of DEP's Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands (BWEW), Bureau of Watershed Restoration and Nonpoint Source Management (BWRNSM), and Bureau of Permit Coordination (BPC).
Shelby Reisinger, Kevin White, David Goerman, Michael Luciani, Shane Kleiner, Christina Fesler, Natahnee Miller, Rebecca Albert, Kathryn Beats, and Bruce Naylor were recognized for their collaborative work on two projects that will result in cleaner water, flood resiliency, habitat improvement, and vibrant farms and communities with enhanced recreational opportunities. The group’s innovative Watershed Scale Restoration Permit, coupled with streamlined and flexible funding programs, allowed for faster reviews of project designs and accelerated implementation of two projects – the Blue Green Connector and the Cocalico Creek Watershed projects in Lancaster County.
The team used the knowledge and experience gained with the Blue Green Connector project and applied it to the Cocalico Creek Watershed project to restore streams and floodplains in the watershed, which will improve local water quality and help restore the Chesapeake Bay.
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DEP staff members received Governor’s Awards for Excellence from Governor Josh Shapiro.
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Programs and Projects by Local, State, and Federal Partners
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PA Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) and State Conservation Commission (SCC) Joint Annual Conference Held in August
The DEP and Department of Agriculture joined conservation districts in August at the PA Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) and State Conservation Commission (SCC) Joint Annual Conference. Deputy Secretary Jill Whitcomb and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding highlighted the strength of our partnerships and celebrated recipients of awards for excellence in conservation leadership.
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Deputy Secretary Whitcomb shares information with Joint Annual Conference attendees.
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PACD Releases Annual Report
During the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference, PACD released its 2025-26 Annual Report. The report features program highlights and a financial overview. Click here to view the report.
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Interagency Basic Wetland Identification Workshop Conducted in July
Staff from the DEP Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands Division of Wetlands, Encroachment, and Training (Division) assisted in providing a workshop on wetland identification on July 28 – 30 at Bald Eagle State Park. The workshop was led by staff from the Division, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Environmental Protection Agency Region III (EPA), approximately 35 staff attended from county conservation districts, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA, and NRCS. The training was provided in response to a DEP Ag Workgroup recommendation, and it was successful in reaching county conservation districts as DEP continues to work cooperatively with them to address training needs.
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How clean are Pennsylvania's waterways? A new DEP report breaks down water quality
How healthy are Pennsylvania’s rivers, streams, and lakes? That’s the question the DEP seeks to answer every two years through its Integrated Water Quality Report. On The Spark, hosted by WITF, Jill Whitcomb, Deputy Secretary for Water Programs, and Dustin Shull, Assessment Section Chief with the Bureau of Clean Water, explained how the report helps Pennsylvanians better understand the condition of the waterways they fish in, swim in, and rely on for drinking water.
“This report really tells Pennsylvanians how healthy their streams are,” Whitcomb said. “The water that’s flowing in their backyard, the water they might go out to go fishing in, or the water they drink from—how healthy that is—that’s really the point of this entire report.”
“We have millions of data points that go into our 85,000 stream miles in Pennsylvania,” Shull said. “It’s a letter to Pennsylvanians talking about the quality of our rivers and streams.”
This year’s report also includes encouraging news. Whitcomb said more data than ever before was submitted by partners across the state, and several waterways have improved enough to be removed from Pennsylvania’s impaired waters list.
“Every time we see more restored streams, or streams that have impairments that are delisted, that’s a good thing,” Whitcomb said. “We have some success stories… including Presque Isle Bay in Erie and streams within the Chesapeake Bay watershed that are seeing incremental improvements.”
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Shapiro Administration Announces $13 Million in REAP Tax Credits to Help Farmers Improve Water and Soil Quality
The 2026-27 budget Governor Josh Shapiro signed this month continues record support for farm conservation and invests $10 million in the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program to drive innovation, plus $13.8 million to fully fund the Pennsylvania Farm Bill to support business planning and infrastructure.
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding encouraged Pennsylvania farmers to apply for $13 million in tax credits available to help them improve soil health and water quality on their farms. During Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance’s Soil Health Field Day at Flinchbaugh’s Orchard, Secretary Redding highlighted tax credits available through Pennsylvania’s innovative conservation financing program, Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP).
REAP tax credits can be combined with other state funding, including the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program and Conservation Excellence Grants, in addition to federal funding, to help pay for farm enhancements that protect the environment and the farmer’s bottom line, as well as their ability to pass a sustainable farm down to the next generation. Pennsylvania’s State Conservation Commission, a partnership between the Department of Agriculture and DEP, is accepting applications for REAP tax credits from agricultural producers who implement best management practices or purchase equipment to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff, enhance soil health, and improve water quality across the mid-Atlantic region.
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NRCS-PA: Family Conservation Easement Protects Critical Working Lands in Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape
Dairy farmers John and Megan Donmoyer have made a lasting commitment to conservation by protecting their 136-acre century old farm in Lebanon County. Recognizing the importance of their land, they entered into a conservation easement to ensure its preservation for future generations. The easement on the Donmoyers’ property is especially important because of its prime location in the landscape. Nearby is Fort Indiantown Gap (FTIG), a 17,000-acre military installation that ranks as the busiest National Guard training center in the U.S. for all branches of the military.
Due to its relatively small footprint, FTIG has limited options for relocating high-noise training. Preserving open space and reducing urban encroachment pressures are vital to sustaining mission readiness and ensuring compatible land use across the broader military landscape (Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape Strategic Implementation Plan). Additionally, restricting development near the base helps preserve the dark skies necessary for nighttime training activities. This area, near the National Guard Training Center, known as the Kittatinny Ridge, also has ecological benefits. The Kittatinny Ridge is among the most biodiverse regions in eastern North America and serves as a vital corridor for wildlife, clean water, and carbon sequestration.
The Donmoyer family’s dedication to conservation stands as a powerful example of how private landowners can play a pivotal role in protecting both natural resources and national interests. By working with a diverse group of partners and leveraging federal, state, and local programs, their efforts ensure that their farm will safeguard critical habitats, support military readiness, and remain a productive landscape for generations to come.
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USDA Invests $3 Million for Wetland Mitigation Banking Projects to Support Producers and Protect Wetland Ecosystems
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $3 million to support the development of wetland mitigation banks for agricultural producers. Through the USDA’s Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP), wetlands are restored, created, or enhanced, generating credits that can be purchased by producers looking to compensate for unavoidable impacts to wetlands at another location. WMBP awardees work with NRCS to develop a mitigation banking instrument that provides details for developing, establishing, and operating a mitigation banking program. Priority will be given to banks in states with significant numbers of individual wetlands, wetland acres, and conservation compliance requests. Based on NRCS data, these states are Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
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Lawn Conversion Training Held in Cumberland County
PACD partnered with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to offer lawn conversion training to conservation district staff. A webinar training was held via Zoom on June 24. In-person training was held on July 15 at the Cumberland County Conservation District in Carlisle. Ryan Davis, Associate Forests Program Director at the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, was the instructor for both trainings. He discussed the importance of lawn conversion practices, provided tips for installing them, and shared some lessons learned along the way. The Lawn Conversion Program for Conservation Districts is partially financed by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Environmental Stewardship fund, under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.
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Future Master Watershed Steward Club at York Academy Growing Next Generation of Watershed Stewards
The Future Master Watershed Steward Club at York Academy Regional Charter School exists to help students discover that environmental stewardship is more than a lesson in a classroom, it's an experience. Throughout the 2025–2026 school year, nineteen students in grades 10–12 immersed themselves in hands-on investigations, field experiences, and stewardship activities that connected the science they learn in school to the waterways flowing through their own communities and ultimately to the Chesapeake Bay. Club meetings introduced students to stream ecology through aquatic macroinvertebrate investigations, water chemistry and salinity testing, watershed decision-making activities, fish printing, and discussions about the interconnectedness of Pennsylvania's waterways.
Students also explored digital watershed modeling through WikiWatershed while learning how everyday decisions influence local water quality. These hands-on activities encouraged students to think critically about the challenges facing our watersheds and the role they can play in protecting them. The success of the Future Master Watershed Steward Club is a testament to the power of collaboration between Penn State Extension Master Watershed Stewards (Stewards), community partners, and educators.
By providing meaningful hands-on experiences, the Stewards are not only teaching environmental science, but they are also helping to cultivate the next generation of informed citizens and future conservation leaders who understand that healthy watersheds begin with local action.
As they look ahead to this school year, they are grateful to everyone who helped make this program possible and look forward to continuing the Stewards mission of inspiring students to explore, appreciate, and protect Pennsylvania's waterways.
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The Dam Question
The Maryland Sea Grant published a story map explaining the important impact of Conowingo Dam in their magazine The Chesapeake Quarterly. The Conowingo Dam lies 10 miles up the Susquehanna River from the Chesapeake Bay. Behind the dam, a 9,000-acre reservoir has been steadily filling with sediment, which flows over the dam and into the Bay during heavy storms and floods. Researchers are studying the dam’s impact on the Chesapeake Bay, as well as the role of the Susquehanna Flats in filtering these flows.
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Screenshot of The Dam Question story map about the Conowingo Dam.
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Bedford County Conservation District Acquires Interseeder
The Bedford County Conservation District has expanded its conservation equipment fleet with the addition of an Interseeder, providing local farmers with another tool to improve soil health, protect water quality, and enhance long-term crop productivity. With the assistance of PA NRCS and Associate Professor Heather Karsten, PhD of the Department of Plant Science at the Pennsylvania State University, the Conservation District acquired the Interseeder from Pennsylvania State University Southeast Agricultural Research Center in Landisville. The Interseeder is designed to plant cover crops directly into growing row crops, allowing producers to establish vegetation earlier in the season. By giving cover crops more time to grow before harvest, the practice can increase biomass production, reduce soil erosion, improve water infiltration, and help retain valuable nutrients.
District officials say they are currently conducting trials in several test plots to become familiar with the equipment and will be available to area producers through the district’s equipment rental program next year, making advanced conservation practices more accessible and affordable for farms of all sizes. Cover crops play an important role in protecting farmland by reducing erosion, suppressing weeds, improving soil structure, and increasing organic matter. The addition of the Interseeder supports the district's ongoing efforts to encourage sustainable farming practices throughout the region.
The Conservation District plans to provide guidance and technical assistance to producers interested in using the new equipment, including recommendations on timing, crop selection, and best management practices. Farmers interested in reserving the Interseeder or learning more about the equipment rental program are encouraged to contact the Conservation District for availability, rental requirements, and scheduling information. The acquisition reflects the district's continued commitment to supporting local agriculture while promoting conservation practices that benefit both producers and the environment for generations to come.
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Collaborative Efforts Benefit the Borough of Mercersburg Community with Improvements to Johnston Run in Franklin County
In April, the Franklin County Conservation District partnered with the PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC), and the Borough of Mercersburg to complete a stream habitat restoration of the Johnston Run, a warm-water fishery. This 675-foot stretch of stream, which lies adjacent to the Johnston Run Streamside Trail, had highly eroded steep banks which were contributing to a decrease in water quality as well as a decrease in ecosystem health. The District used CAP Block Grant funding to cover the $39,000 implementation costs in conjunction with the PFBC donated design, time, and labor. Newly established Habitat Restoration & Management, LLC was contracted to coordinate materials, provide equipment operators, and assist the PFBC with the placement of 27 fish habitat structures which will also aid with bank stabilization and an overall reduction in sediment in the stream channel. This weeklong project was another great example of successful collaboration as we continue to meet the goals of the Countywide Action Plan and seek to improve the waters in our communities.
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(Left) Stream and bank conditions before any construction. (Center) Stream and bank conditions 1 week after construction. (Right) Stream and bank conditions 3 months after construction during rain event.
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Lancaster County: A Decade of Conservation in Action
Meaningful water quality improvements rarely happen through a single project. They are built over time through collaboration, commitment, and continued investment. A Warwick Township livestock farm offers a powerful example. For more than a decade, the farm has worked with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lancaster County Conservation District, TeamAg, Inc., and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to implement conservation practices that protect water quality while improving the farm’s operations. The journey began in 2012 with an application for assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Since then, the farm has installed a comprehensive system of practices, including stormwater basins, grassed waterways, underground outlets, a roofed manure stacking facility, stabilized animal walkways, fencing, and pasture plantings. Together, these practices reduce erosion, keep clean water away from manure areas, and improve grazing management.
The commitment did not stop after the initial projects were completed. Nearly a decade later, the farm enrolled in another conservation program, adding thousands of feet of fencing and a new 3,600-square-foot barnyard roof with gutters. Additional manure storage, stormwater controls, livestock watering systems, and other improvements are now underway. This story demonstrates what long-term stewardship can accomplish. When farmers, conservation professionals, engineers, and funding partners work together over time, individual projects become part of a larger system that benefits farms, communities, and Lancaster County’s waterways.
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Warwick Township livestock farm
Photo Credit: Natural Resources Conservation Service
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Lancaster County: More Than 100 Partners, One Goal
Lancaster County’s water challenges are too complex for any one organization to solve. That is why Lancaster Clean Water Partners recently celebrated a major milestone: more than 100 organizations working together toward clean and clear water by 2040. The growing network brings together partners from agriculture, local government, conservation, education, business, nonprofits, and other sectors. Each brings different expertise, resources, relationships, and perspectives to the work of protecting and restoring Lancaster County’s approximately 1,400 miles of streams.
Collaboration makes that collective capacity possible. Partners can share knowledge, coordinate projects, reduce duplication, identify new opportunities, and connect efforts happening across the county. A municipality addressing stormwater, a farmer implementing conservation practices, an organization restoring a stream, and a volunteer monitoring water quality may have different roles, but their work is connected. The 100+ Partner Celebration at Sickman’s Mill provided an opportunity to recognize those connections and the relationships that make collaboration possible. More importantly, it reinforced that reaching 100 partners is not a finish line. It is an indication of how much more can be accomplished when people and organizations work toward a common vision.
Clean water requires action across the landscape and sustained commitment over time. With more than 100 partners at the table, Lancaster County has a stronger foundation for turning shared knowledge, resources, and action into measurable progress for its waterways.
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100+ Partner Celebration at Sickman’s Mill
Photo Credit: Lancaster Clean Water Partners
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Restoring a Stretch of Susquehecka Creek in Snyder County
The Northcentral Stream Partnership recently wrapped up a streambank stabilization project in Snyder County. Here, the landowner owns nearly half a mile of Susquehecka Creek, where erosion had taken a serious toll on the streambank. In some places, there was nearly a six-foot drop from the top of the bank to the stream below. The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) and Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC) combined grant funds to address the entire stretch of stream for the landowner. SCCD’s Program Administrator and Watershed Specialist coordinated with the landowner and arranged for all the necessary materials to be delivered to the site. The PFBC’s Stream Habitat Division handled the design and construction oversight for the entire project.
Once the project was complete, SCCD compiled the bills, and NPC used a Growing Greener grant from the DEP to cover their share of the project costs. The project included installing mudsills to address active erosion and help reconnect the stream to its floodplain. Now, the streambank slopes back instead of dropping sharply toward the water. During high water, this gives the creek more room to spread out across its floodplain. That helps slow the water down and allows more water to soak into the ground.
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The Northcentral Stream Partnership works to stabilize a deeply eroded streambank on Susquehecka Creek in Snyder County.
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The Team installed mudsills to help stabilize the streambank and reconnect the creek to its floodplain. The gentler slope gives high water more room to spread out, helping slow the flow and reduce erosion.
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Tioga County Fallbrook Mined Land Reforestation
In April, approximately 60 people assisted with a volunteer planting on 200 acres of the Fallbrook mine reforestation site. This project will prevent the increased runoff as well as increase the evapotranspiration as the vegetation matures into a functioning forest ecosystem. The native plants and trees that were used for this project will allow the area to return to the forest cover type that existed prior to mineral extraction. A key aspect of the project was the ability to work with both public and private landowners cooperatively to re-establish the forest in an unfragmented state.
Project partners included Green Forests Work, Tioga County Conservation District (TCCD), DCNR, Tioga Forest District, Ward Manufacturing, REPSOL, Commonwealth University-Mansfield Campus, and the Reinfried Family. Primary funding was provided by TCCD through a DEP grant from the Countywide Action Plan (CAP). Match was provided by Green Forests Work, REPSOL, DCNR Nursery, and the DCNR PA Outdoor Crew.
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Volunteers planting trees at the Fallbrook reforestation site.
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York County CAP Funds Implement Floodplain Restoration Project in Hanover Borough
In partnership with Hanover Borough and the Borough of Hanover Stormwater Authority, two unnamed tributaries to Slagle Run have been restored. This project was supported with funding from the York County Stormwater Consortium and the York CAP grant. The project work included the removal of approximately 3,500 cubic yards of legacy sediment and other historic fills from the floodplain, restoring of approximately three acres of natural/historic wetlands, and restoring of approximately 1,665 linear feet of unnamed tributaries to Slagle Run.
Additional restoration activities included the placement of rock stream and valley grade control structures, log sills, woody debris, and other aquatic habitat structures within the restoration areas. Trash racks were added to the intake piping to assist with minimizing trash that could enter the restored area due to its urbanized setting. Modifications were made to an existing stormwater outfall structure, for the purpose of avoiding and minimizing adverse effects of stormwater discharges to the restored natural resources. The project reach is located within a publicly owned land parcel on Wilson Avenue in Hanover Borough. The location of the project is parallel to Eisenhower Drive and is behind the ModWash car wash.
We thank Hanover Borough for their partnership and great work accomplished!
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Before Slagle Run Restoration
Photo Credit: York County Planning Commission
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During Slagle Run Restoration
Photo Credit: York County Planning Commission
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After Slagle Run Restoration
Photo Credit: York County Planning Commission
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Oil Creek Restoration Project in York County Earns State Honors
The York County Rail Trail Authority’s project to restore the Oil Creek floodplain along the Hanover Trolley Trail in Heidelberg Township has earned a 2026 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. The awards are announced annually by the DEP and the Governor’s administration to honor innovative efforts that are improving air and water quality, reducing pollution, restoring ecosystems, and building healthier, more sustainable communities throughout Pennsylvania. The Oil Creek project was completed in coordination with the York County Conservation District and York County Planning Commission, as part of work to construct a new section of the rail trail. As a result of the project, approximately 3,800 linear feet of stream channel in the Oil Creek was restored, creating 11 acres of wetlands. The restoration of the stream required more than 80,000 cubic yards of nutrient-rich sediment to be removed from the bottom of the creek. That sediment was spread throughout adjacent farmlands, helping to improve crop productivity through environmentally sustainable practices. The York County project was among 26 honorees for this year’s Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence, presented in Harrisburg, PA, on June 25, 2026.
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York County Wins National Award for Water Quality Monitoring Program
Congratulations to York County on winning the National Association of Counties 2026 Achievement Award for its innovative Water Quality Monitoring Program. The program won the County Resiliency: Infrastructure, Energy, and Sustainability Award. York County is a leader in collaborative water quality improvement to meet federal Chesapeake Bay pollutant reduction requirements through stormwater and agricultural practices. Numerous local public meetings were held to determine best practices, and the most significant takeaway from those meetings was the desire for real pollutant numbers, instead of computer-modeled numbers.
The York County Commissioners heard the public and committed to a partnership with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to fund the installation and operation of six state-of-the-art, real time, water quality monitors. York County’s Water Quality Monitoring Program allows the USGS to calculate pollutant base loads (what's in the water now) and trends (how the water is changing). Through continuous monitoring for nitrogen, sediment, and phosphorus, and scientific analysis, they are determining the quality of the streams, whether the pollutant levels are changing, and strategically improving our streams for local residents and the Chesapeake Bay.
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“More than ever, Pennsylvania farmers are investing their own resources in cleaner water and productive soil to sustain us in the future. Their dollars, multiplied by support from historic levels of investment under the Shapiro Administration, are paying off in the form of healthier waterways and a greener future for Pennsylvania farms and communities.”
- Russell Redding, Secretary
PA Department of Agriculture
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Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
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