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Hello partners for water quality!
We have much news to share on progress by state, local, and sector partners to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution and improve water quality in Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
For more details on the Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan 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 and make connections with your county team! Also, please share this newsletter with your networks and encourage them to subscribe to our monthly newsletter!
— 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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Plain Sect Outreach Webinar Held
On May 7, 2025, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division held a Webinar Wednesday session titled, “Amish Liaison Program,” which provided a summary of the program detailing outreach to Plain Sect communities in the Octoraro Creek watershed to promote upstream agricultural best management practices (BMPs) on farms in Lancaster and Chester Counties. The presentation was led by Tyler Shenk with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), Alexandra Neumann with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Jeremy Weaver with Weaver Environmental Consulting. The webinar can be found on the Clean Water Academy: Engaging Plain Sect Communities in Watershed Conservation: Outreach and Agricultural Best Practices.
Additional webinars are planned for 2025 including a June 4 webinar about perspectives on CAP Program Administration involving the request for proposal and contracting process as well as a July 2 webinar about buffer programs. Anyone interested in receiving an invitation to the webinars can contact Jim Spatz at jspatz@pa.gov.
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Programs and Projects by Local, State, and Federal Partners
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DEP Celebrates Earth Day at Swatara Creek Restoration Project Site
On Earth Day (April 22, 2025), the Schuylkill County Conservation District hosted an event celebrating the opening of DEP’s Growing Greener Plus Grant Program. The event showcased a floodplain restoration project along Swatara Creek in Pine Grove Borough, which previously experienced frequent flooding events, including during Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The project received a $2.55 million Growing Greener grant in 2017. That same year, the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) awarded another $3 million to the community as part of disaster recovery efforts. Because of the numerous partners and cost-effective bids, those combined funds were able to cover all three phases of the project from design to construction.
The project created over 20 acres of restored floodplain, over eight acres of wetlands and over 8,000 linear feet of stabilized streambank. Multiple partners were engaged in project development and construction including the Schuylkill County Conservation District, the Northern Swatara Creek Watershed Association, the County of Schuylkill, the Pine Grove Joint Treatment Authority, Pine Grove Borough, Guilford Performance Textiles by Lear, Roots Farm, Inc., Philip Riehl, DEP, DCED, and others.
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Acting DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley addresses the audience at the site of Schuylkill County’s successful floodplain restoration project in Pine Grove Borough.
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Secretary Joins Lancaster Clean Water Partners to Celebrate the Blue Green Connector Project
On April 23, 2025, DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley and members of Lancaster Clean Water Partners (LCWP) gathered at the Blue Green Connector Project to celebrate stream and floodplain restoration investments along Little Conestoga Creek as part of DEP’s Earth Week events. The project is advancing through the ongoing work of an innovative partnership led by the Little Conestoga Creek Foundation and the Steinman Foundation. It is a prime example of how sustained investments through programs like Growing Greener are restoring watersheds, reducing pollution, and increasing outdoor recreational opportunities across Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Acting DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley and project partners offered remarks and toured the stream restoration site as part of DEP’s Earth Week events.
The Shapiro Administration invested more than $4 million in the ongoing environmental restoration work in the Little Conestoga watershed, including more than $3 million in Growing Greener grants, which helped secure matching federal funds, and a CAP Block Grant of $440,000 (the Little Conestoga Creek is a priority watershed identified by Lancaster’s CAP). DEP also provided technical assistance and streamlined permitting oversight for the project. Currently, 50 percent of the restoration planned for the Little Conestoga Creek along the Blue Green Connector has been completed to date. The ongoing Blue Green Connector project includes the restoration of 25 acres of floodplain and wetland along 1.3 stream miles; the removal of 112,000 cubic yards of legacy sediment, which are soils that eroded from upstream areas; the planting of native vegetation and habitat creation for wildlife; and the annual reduction of 4 million pounds of sediment, 1,541 pounds of phosphorus and 7,752 pounds of nitrogen from the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
In addition, the Blue Green Connector will include over three miles of multi-modal, accessible trail, linked to the fifteen-mile Greater Lancaster Heritage Pathway and five miles of existing trails, serving 225,000 residents in the Lancaster metropolitan area. A trailside environmental learning lab with interpretive stations, demonstration areas, outdoor learning spaces, and public art is also planned.
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Allyson Gibson, CAP Coordinator with Lancaster Clean Water Partners, addresses the crowd at the event and connects the work being done on the Blue Green Connector Project with the planning embodied by Lancaster’s Countywide Action Plan.
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Clean Water Academy Celebrates 50,000 Course Completions
During the reporting period from January 1, 2018 through March 1, 2025, the Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy (CWA) celebrated reaching more than 50,000 course completions. Of those, 45 percent were completed by conservation district staff. CWA is an online training library for DEP staff, conservation district staff, sewage enforcement officers, and the public. It serves as both an onboarding resource for new conservation district employees and a training platform for existing staff. It is funded by a grant from DEP. In collaboration with DEP, the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) supports the administration, development and management of CWA by updating existing content and developing new courses and training programs. CWA offers over 800 digital courses and training programs.
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DCNR Announces New Way to Support Tree Planting
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) celebrated Arbor Day (April 25, 2025) with the announcement of a new online donation option for the Keystone Tree Fund. Through the online form, Pennsylvanians can now make electronic donations to the Keystone Tree Fund, which supports grants for tree plantings in communities and along streams as buffers. In 2024 alone, DCNR invested $10.5 million in grants for tree planting and lawn-to-habitat conversions. The Arbor Day celebration was a reminder of how trees benefit the environment by addressing climate change through capturing carbon, reducing energy costs, slowing water runoff after storms, reducing noise, and attracting birds and wildlife.
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DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn and Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams visit with second-grade students at Melrose Elementary School.
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Lancaster’s Long’s Park Project Wins Top Honors at 10th Annual BUBBAs
The Long’s Park Wetlands project in Lancaster City received top honors at the 10th annual Best Urban BMP in the Bay Awards (BUBBAs), winning both the Habitat & Streams category and the prestigious Grand Prize. Presented by the Chesapeake Stormwater Network, the BUBBAs recognize innovative, sustainable solutions to stormwater challenges across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Led by Lancaster City’s Molly Deger, P.E., Angela Brackbill, Travis Good, and supported by colleagues including Daniel Wible, Susan Beck, Allison Lewis, P.E., and Leah Rominger, the project stood out for its creative, low-maintenance design that enhances water quality. Judges praised its innovative use of natural treatment systems and strong public accessibility. This project improves the water quality leaving Long’s Park, which flows to the Little Conestoga Creek and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. It was designed to treat over 16 million gallons of water per year, and its design incorporates visitor education and engagement in one of the city’s most heavily used parks. Funding support came from DEP’s Growing Greener program, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), Lancaster Clean Water Partners’ (LCWP) large and small implementation grant funding and the SRBC. The full project submission with associated documents for this award can be found here.
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Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Plants 13,750 Trees Near Octoraro Reservoir
This spring, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay reforested former hay fields owned by the Chester Water Authority. The Chester Water Authority was interested in turning the land back to forest to help with water quality and reduce the amount of nutrients and sediments ending up in the Octoraro Reservoir nearby. More than 200,000 Chester Water Authority customers in Chester and Delaware Counties get their drinking water from the reservoir.
The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay financed the 53-acre planting of 13,750 trees through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and an Alliance revolving fund. They hired Williams Forestry & Associates to source the material and do the planting. The project cost $464,000 to cover planting and three years of maintenance. Native tree species were used including American sycamore, tulip poplar, black cherry and various oaks. The land will stay forested for at least 25 years.
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A view of the former hay fields now planted with native tree species protected by shelters (Provided by Neil Andrews of Williams Forestry & Associates).
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Monitoring in Small Watersheds Used to Better Understand Relationship Between BMPs and Water Quality
Computer modeling of nutrient pollution trends affects policy decisions and investments in BMPs. While the models often align with monitoring data for large rivers, in some areas there is still a discrepancy between what is expected from modeling compared to what is monitored. When samples are taken from a site representing a large watershed area, there can be a complex interplay of land use activities that could cause upward or downward trends. Due to this, the USGS is partnering with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to begin monitoring five very small agricultural watersheds in the Bay region – typically 10 square miles or less – to get a better handle on the water quality trends in those areas. The watersheds include Hammer Creek and Little Conewago Creek in Lebanon County, PA; War Branch in Rockingham County, VA; Buck Branch in Sussex County, DE; and Sams Creek in Frederick and Carroll Counties, MD. The use of BMPs will be targeted in these areas to better understand their connection to water quality results.
York County’s leadership in water quality monitoring in partnership with the USGS provided direct inspiration for this effort. Since 2019, York County has contracted with USGS to monitor six streams in the county (covering over 80 percent of the county). Two of the sites target very small watersheds dominated by agricultural operations and can provide insight into how actions taken by farmers affect the flow of nutrients to streams.
Another partner in Pennsylvania’s conservation landscape, the Pennsylvania office of the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), will add to the overall effort by supporting similar monitoring on five additional small agricultural watersheds in the state (with three of those falling within the Chesapeake Bay watershed). The NRCS worked with the USGS to document existing BMPs in each watershed and plans to support increased conservation measures in coming years.
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New Video on Nutrient Management and Manure Injection Produced
The Manure Injection Partnership released a video about the benefits of pairing manure injection with nutrient management. Injecting manure into the ground instead of spreading manure over the field conserves nitrogen for crop uptake and reduces the amount of nutrient pollution ending up in local waterways. Nutrient management techniques coupled with manure injection provide environmental benefits and reduce fertilizer input costs for farmers. Sustainable Chesapeake, the PA 4R Alliance and The Nature Conservancy produced the video.
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A screenshot from the Nutrient Management Manure Injection video (Provided by The Manure Injection Partnership). | |
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Pasa launches Dairy Grazing Video Series
Pasa Sustainable Agriculture launched a dairy grazing video series called, “Grazing for Good” during this year’s Earth Week. The series shares the many environmental, financial, and animal welfare-related benefits of rotational dairy grazing and explains the roadmap and timeline for transitioning from conventional methods to rotational grazing through Pasa’s dairy grazing projects. Sustainable, rotational grazing practices improve grass root systems and increase organic content in the soil, which help to filter and retain rainfall benefiting local water quality.
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A view of the pasture used by Matt Bomgardner’s dairy cattle at Blue Mountain View Farm (Provided by Pasa).
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Pennsylvania Leads Dam Removals in 2024
In 2024, Pennsylvania removed 27 dams making it the leading state for dam removals. These dam removal projects benefit rivers by improving fish passage and by making navigation safer for paddlers and swimmers. Across the country more than 2,528 miles of river were reconnected in 2024.
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Bascule Gate Dam on Codorus Creek was removed in 2024 (Provided by Silas Chamberlin, York County Economic Alliance).
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Funding for Drinking Water and Wastewater Projects Approved
On April 23, 2025, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) approved funding for seven drinking water and three wastewater projects within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These projects total $54,166,952 in low interest loans and $18,411,748 in grants.
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Secretary of Agriculture Visits Local Middle School FFA Chapters
Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture, Russell Redding, recently visited the Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters at Mountain View Middle School and Eagle View Middle School, where he had the opportunity to engage with students about their agricultural education programs. The students shared what they are currently growing, discussed the skills they are developing and explained how their projects contribute to the community. Both chapters focus on hands-on learning, from crop cultivation to community outreach, fostering a deeper understanding of agriculture. Joined by Chris Davis, Executive Director for the Commission for Agriculture Education Excellence, the visit highlighted the importance of agricultural education in shaping future leaders. It also underscored the valuable role these programs play in promoting community involvement and preparing students for careers in agriculture.
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A collection of photos from Secretary Redding’s visit to local middle school FFA chapters (Provided by Cumberland Valley School District).
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Pennsylvania’s Rural Population Revitalization Commission Seeks Grant Support for Rural Communities
Pennsylvania’s Rural Population Revitalization Commission identified grants as a necessary vehicle for delivering funding to local government. However, they recognize that local governments often struggle to find qualified staff. Without staff who can navigate complex grant applications and award administration, rural governments may choose not to try to pursue those sources of funding.
Michigan’s Community Development Fellowship Program could serve as a model for Pennsylvania communities to meet grant writing and other staffing needs. The program is administered by the nonprofit Community Economic Development Association of Michigan, which selects 10 communities and supplies each of them a full-time fellow for 15 months. The issues that programs like these are designed to address have been at the forefront of conversations in Pennsylvania. They were highlighted at the January 2025 Clean Water Gathering where clean water project implementation partners noted that regional approaches to grant administration and technical assistance could help ease staffing burdens at small county conservation district offices.
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Grow PA Grants Program Designed to Build the Workforce in PA for In-Demand Occupations
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is offering a Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program to support Pennsylvania’s workforce. In response to a declining workforce within certain in-demand occupations, the Pennsylvania General Assembly established the program to provide financial assistance to students who meet qualifying criteria and who will commit to living in Pennsylvania and working within an in-demand occupation for the number of years equal to the number of years in which they received the grant. Increasing the capacity of the environmental workforce to handle a high volume of water quality improvement projects was a major theme at the January 2025 Clean Water Gathering. Team members introduced recommendations on how to address this issue. Recommendations included assessments of workforce needs, job advertisements and hiring practices. Clean water action teams are currently meeting to act on these recommendations.
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The Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program 2025 Now Open for Proposals
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is currently accepting applications for their Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program. This program awards grants to voluntarily restore and sustain healthy forests, rivers and streams that provide habitat for diverse native bird and aquatic species populations. The overall goal of the program is to improve the quality and connectivity of forest and freshwater habitat to increase the distribution and abundance of birds, fish, and other wildlife. Grant requests must range from $75,000 to $500,000, and the full proposal is due July 17, 2025.
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Eligible areas for Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program funding.
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DCNR’s Wild Resource Conservation Program Now Accepting Applications
DCNR’s Wild Resource Conservation Program is now soliciting grant applications through July 7, 2025. This program offers grant funding to support the conservation of the Commonwealth’s native flora and non-game fauna. Applications can be submitted through DCNR’s online grant portal.
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Cumberland and Luzerne County Conservation Districts Hold Rain Barrel Workshops
Both Luzerne County Conservation District (LCCD) and Cumberland County Conservation District (CCCD) held rain barrel workshops this spring. LCCD had 37 attendees at two of their events in March where participants learned about stormwater and nonpoint source pollution. CCCD had 30 participants build rain barrels to take home at a Mechanicsburg Earth Day Event. Because the workshop took place during an Earth Day event, the CCCD staff were able to educate those who signed up for the workshop and answer questions and educate the public attending the festival. They noted that the rain barrels created a lot of curiosity, questions and interest from passersby. Financial and other support for these projects was provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts through a grant from DEP under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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Participants with their painted rain barrels at LCCD's workshop (Provided by LCCD), and participants building their rain barrels at CCCD's workshop (Provided by CCCD).
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Lancaster County Church Dedicates New Biochar-Infused Rain Garden
On March 26, 2025, the congregation at Hope Episcopal Church in Manheim, PA dedicated a new biochar-infused rain garden and honored the partners involved in the project. This functional garden will filter water running off the church parking lot through various layers of soil to allow sediment and pollutants to settle out of the rainwater before it enters nearby Shearer’s Creek. Incorporating biochar (organic material such as wood or crop residue heated in a low-oxygen environment and then added to the soil) further increases the ability of the garden to retain moisture and pull-out pollutants from surface water runoff through adsorption. The native plants will also provide habitat for birds and animals.
The church received support from The Center for Watershed Protection and the Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake to apply for grant funding to install the rain garden. LCWP provided funding for the installation as part of a larger grant to them from NFWF. This project was aligned with LCWP’s goal of restoring the 1,400 miles of contaminated streams within Lancaster County.
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Hope Episcopal Church dedicates their newly installed biochar-infused rain garden.
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Lancaster Clean Water Partners Hold Spring Meeting and Feature CAP Coordinator Video
The Lancaster Clean Water Partners held their Full Partners Meeting on April 29, 2025 to celebrate progress in clean water efforts and the growing strength of their network. The meeting was held at the Olde Village Mill along the banks of the Pequea Creek and featured a tour of a new streamside buffer, updates from 2024 and plans for 2025. Additionally, the meeting included a CAP Coordinator video, a Data Dashboard demo and revisions to the Common Agenda, which is the network’s shared vision for impact and joint commitment to advancing toward that vision through aligned priorities, strategies, and collective action.
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Watershed Alliance of York Builds Capacity with New Executive Director Position
The Watershed Alliance of York (WAY) is a key conservation partner working to implement projects that support nutrient pollution reduction efforts throughout York County. They were recently able to hire Emily Neideigh as a full-time staff member serving as Executive Director, a newly created position. This opportunity originated with WAY’s work alongside Dani Beam as part of a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. The capacity-building grant allowed WAY to gain the tools they needed to develop this position. They were able to reach their goal of bringing on an Executive Director in nine months. As Executive Director, Emily will drive the development and execution of an annual plan for WAY and will also lead the organization in growth by generating revenue and transitioning it from volunteer-only to an established non-profit organization.
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Wildflower Meadow Blooms with Purpose in Chiques Creek Watershed
In the Chiques Creek watershed, a local landowner transformed three acres along Dellinger Run into a vibrant wildflower and grass meadow—proving that stewardship, sustainability, and beauty can go hand-in-hand. This newest phase builds on a 2018 stream restoration and riparian buffer project that protected the site during severe flooding later that year. With support from the Lancaster Buffer Establishment Support Team (BEST) Program, the landowner continued to care for the trees and expand conservation efforts.
Inspired by the success of an earlier half-acre planting, the landowner installed a larger meadow in 2022, funded in part by the Clean Water Fund. The project, coordinated by the Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center and the Chiques Creek Watershed Alliance, included pollinator-friendly mixes and road-tolerant species to maximize ecological benefits. Beyond restoration, the site has become an educational resource. It hosted scholars from the Lancaster Watershed Leadership Academy and a community science event using the First Investigation of Stream Health (FISH) protocol to track ecosystem health.
This project now serves as a model for integrating meadows and buffers—creating low-maintenance, resilient landscapes that support clean water, pollinators, and community learning. For more on this project, read the blog.
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A view of the meadow and buffer protecting water quality along Dellinger Run (Provided by Lancaster Clean Water Partners).
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“DEP is proud to be part of the ongoing effort to restore Little Conestoga Creek, reduce pollution, improve flood resiliency, and create the Blue Green Connector. This project will provide environmental education in a recreational setting, strengthening the community's connection to nature. Children who have meaningful environmental experiences become better stewards of our natural resources as adults, so it was fitting to visit this project serving an Environmental Justice area as we celebrate Earth Week.”
- Jessica Shirley, Acting Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection
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Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
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