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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 to receive the newsletter monthly!
— 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’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division Publishes 2024 Annual Report
On September 30, BWRNSM’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division completed their 2024 Annual Report titled, “Pennsylvania’s Clean Water Progress.” The 2024 Annual Report includes highlights from successful projects and programs that have invested in clean water quality work throughout Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The report provides an overview of the large monetary investment made throughout the Pennsylvania portion of the Bay watershed between 2020 and 2024 and shows how that investment translates to acres of conservation projects and thousands of trees planted. The report discusses Pennsylvania’s rapid delisting strategy, DEP’s Clean Water Progress Teams initiative, and what to expect moving beyond 2025 (a notable milestone year for the Phase 3 WIP). Additionally, the report features CAP-funded projects that improve water quality in various sectors: agricultural, natural, and urban. The 2024 Annual Report can be accessed on the Phase 3 WIP’s Annual Report webpage along with previous editions.
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DEP Awards $17.7 Million in 2026 Countywide Action Plan (CAP) Coordinator and Implementation Grants
On December 12, DEP awarded $17.7 million in 2026 CAP Coordinator and Implementation Grants to county teams across Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These grants provide foundational support for the Commonwealth’s shared progress in reducing nutrient and sediment pollution to restore the health of local streams, rivers, and lakes. The 2026 CAP Implementation Grant application round resulted in 222 approved projects that counties may complete over the next 12 to 24 months, resulting in an estimated reduction of more than 113,493 pounds/year of nitrogen, 28,816 pounds/year of phosphorus, and 11.8 million pounds/year of sediment delivered to the Chesapeake Bay. Pennsylvania has reduced more than 10 times the amount of nitrogen in the past five years than in the previous decade, and water quality monitoring data shows significant improvements in nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment levels.
The grants include $9.5 million from the state Environmental Stewardship Fund and $6.2 million in federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including $1.1 million in Local Government Implementation (LGI) funds for project implementation in the Octoraro Creek watershed in Chester and Lancaster counties. The LGI projects will be reported to support pollution reduction goals under the multi-jurisdictional Conowingo Watershed Implementation Plan, which aims to reduce pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay from the Conowingo Dam reservoir.
Through an innovative new arrangement, the block grant funding model of the CAP Implementation Grant has enabled DEP’s Bureau of Clean Water to provide $100,000 of federal planning funds under Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act to Mifflin County in support of restoration of the Town Run watershed and $114,000 of federal Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant funding through DEP’s Bureau of Watershed Restoration and Nonpoint Source Management for restoration efforts in the Hammer Creek watershed. This is the first time the 604(b) Clean Water Act planning funds have been targeted through a partnership between DEP programs toward the Countywide Action Plans.
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DEP’s BWRNSM Awards $3.1 Million to Eight Counties to Improve Water Quality and Restore Impaired Watersheds
On November 18, DEP’s BWRNSM awarded $3.1 million in Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Grant Program funds to eight counties for water quality improvement and impaired watershed restoration projects. EPA provided the funds, and DEP selected the projects. The grant program supports projects that address nonpoint source pollution, with special consideration for projects in Pennsylvania’s share of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Nonpoint source pollution is water pollution that doesn’t come from a single specific discharge point, such as a pipe from a factory, but rather from diffuse sources, such as stormwater runoff, mine drainage, and farm fields. Around 53% of the water-quality-impaired watersheds in Pennsylvania are affected by nonpoint source pollution. Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Grants focus on reducing:
- Nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution from agricultural activities, urban stormwater runoff, and streambank and shoreline erosion
- Iron, aluminum, and acidity pollution associated with energy resource extraction and acid mine drainage (AMD)
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Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division Holds Webinar Wednesday on Lawn to Habitat Conversion
On November 5, BWRNSM’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division held a Webinar Wednesday session to highlight lawn to habitat (also known as lawn to meadow conversion) projects. This webinar defined the terms “lawn to meadow” and “conservation landscaping.” The presenters, Josh Clark with HRG, Inc. and Kelsey Mummert with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), shared how this best management practice (BMP) benefits soil health and improves water quality. They shared implementation strategies including site preparation, seeding, and maintenance after installation. Kelsey also introduced DCNR resources that can help fund the implementation of these projects. A recording of the webinar is available on DEP’s Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy: Webinar Wednesday – Lawn to Habitat Conversion.
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A screenshot of a slide presented by DCNR representative Kelsey Mummert defining meadow habitat in connection with lawn to meadow conversion projects.
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Programs and Projects by Local, State, and Federal Partners
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Chesapeake Bay Executive Council Approves Revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and Names Governor Shapiro as Chair
For the first time in 20 years, Pennsylvania will lead the multi-state collaborative effort responsible for restoring the Chesapeake Bay and improving the health of local waterways across the watershed. On December 2, Governor Shapiro was unanimously elected to lead the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council. Joining the Governor at the meeting were Pennsylvania’s Cabinet Secretaries leading key environmental and agricultural efforts: DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley, Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, and DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn.
Members of the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council also approved a revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement at the meeting. The council adopted updates to the 2014 agreement, establishing new goals through 2040 focused on creating a thriving habitat, fisheries, and wildlife; ensuring access to clean water; protecting healthy landscapes; and strengthening community engagement. Many of the goals and outcomes of the previous agreement had suggested completion dates of 2025. This revised agreement builds on what has already been achieved while using the latest science and elevating conservation as a key focus.
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Delaware Governor Matt Meyer (left) looks on as Maryland Governor Wes Moore (center) transfers leadership of the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council over to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (right).
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Chesapeake Bay Program Influenced by Agricultural Advisory Committee
Bill Fink, Director of Agriculture Operations at Country View Family Farms, is the Chair of the newly created Agricultural Advisory Committee, which is one of several committees advising the Chesapeake Bay Program. The 14-member committee is made up of two members from each state in the watershed and Washington, D.C. Consisting of farmers, agribusiness representatives, and technical professionals, it joins three other advisory committees in the Bay Program: Stakeholders, Local Government, and Scientific/Technical. The committee was created in 2023 with their first meeting held in March 2024. Since that time, the committee has had the opportunity to help shape the 2025 revised Bay agreement. They were able to directly influence language regarding agriculture as part of the solution for water quality in the Bay, and they also lobbied for inclusion of agricultural education.
Bill’s prior experience working with the Chesapeake Bay Program as part of the Stakeholders’ Advisory Committee helped to inform him about the challenges that the agricultural community faces throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. He has noted that the concerns of oyster farmers in Maryland are not too different from those of producers in Pennsylvania’s portion of the Bay. He also noted that despite future funding concerns, there is cause for optimism in Pennsylvania’s Bay restoration efforts due to the adoption of no-till farming, cover cropping, and smart manure handling that he is seeing in Pennsylvania and throughout the watershed.
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Draft 2026 Integrated Water Quality Report Available for Public Comment
On November 29, DEP published notice of the Draft 2026 Pennsylvania Integrated Water Quality Report in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The report includes both a narrative description of the Commonwealth’s water quality and waterbody-specific lists depicting the assessment status of surface waters. The public comment period is open through January 27, 2026. Comments can be submitted through DEP’s online eComment system.
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DEP Improves Permitting Efficiency with Chapter 105 General Permits
On October 16, the Division of Wetlands Encroachment and Training (DWET) in DEP’s Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands announced the updated General Permit 8 (Temporary Road Crossings) Sample Drawings published on DEP’s eLibrary. The drawings were updated to be cleaner and include form-fillable spaces for registrants to provide details. This update will enable registrants who are proposing structures as designed and shown in the drawings to utilize these drawings, complete the information on the drawings, and submit them with the GP-8 Registrations. DEP anticipates this update will provide efficiency for registrants and reviewers alike. Updating these drawings was a recommendation of the Chapter 105 Workgroup of the Agriculture Permitting Roundtable that DEP convened in 2024. DWET is actively working on updating the sample drawings for its other general permits as well, and they will be posted to each GP eLibrary folder when completed.
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DEP Releases New Training on Common Wetland Plant Identification
The Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands’ DWET, in collaboration with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, has released Wetland Determination: Identification of Common Wetland Shrubs, Saplings and Woody Vines of Pennsylvania available in DEP’s Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy. The training is designed to provide participants with essential skills in plant identification within wetland ecosystems. This comprehensive module covers fundamental aspects of woody vine, sapling, and shrub identification, equipping participants with the knowledge to distinguish key characteristics. Participants will learn essential terminology and acquire practical techniques for accurately identifying 20 common species found in Pennsylvania's wetlands.
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DEP Releases Hydrology Indicator Exercise
The Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands’ DWET, in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has released Wetland Determination: Wetland Determination Hydrology Indicator Exercise available in DEP’s Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy. This wrap-up for wetland hydrology is designed to reinforce and test wetland hydrology indicator knowledge acquired through previous trainings. Participants will be presented with scenarios across five sites and will use interactive content to learn and practice identifying hydrology indicators. These trainings will be used by DEP staff, conservation districts, industry, higher education, and other state and federal agencies.
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DEP Releases Historic and Breached Dams Dataset
The Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands has released the PA Historic and Breached Dams dataset on the DEP Open Data Portal, PA GeoDataHub, and Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access (PASDA). Historic dam locations were digitized from 15-minute Dam Inventory U.S. Geological Survey quadrangle maps. Previously, the Dams Inventory contained locations for only 1,463 (26%) of the 5,556 breached dams. This effort increased that number to 5,002 dam locations, accounting for 90% of breached dam locations. Access to this information will: provide critical information for watershed alterations and future restoration projects; improve locational completion in the Old Dam Safety Inventory; assist the Dam Safety Division in identifying locational discrepancies; increase public knowledge; and ensure public health and safety.
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Pennsylvania Legislators Tout Local-First Investments Along the Susquehanna River
Pennsylvania State Senators Gene Yaw and Scott Martin recently authored an editorial titled, “Pennsylvania’s Clean Water Comeback.” In the editorial, Senators Yaw and Martin, who both serve as members of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, noted that:
- Strategic, local-first investments are yielding results in Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna River, which is key for restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay since the Susquehanna River contributes about 50% of the Bay’s freshwater.
- The creation of Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams Fund in 2022, now backed by a $50 million annual recurring investment – Pennsylvania’s largest ever commitment to address non-point sources of pollution like runoff from agriculture, acid mine drainage, and stormwater – including the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) which empowers local conservation districts to work with farmers, sharing costs for practices that reduce sediment and nutrient runoff.
- Over the past two decades, more than 967 miles of Pennsylvania streams have been restored to health, with 58 streams across seven counties prioritized for intensive investment, and nearly half of the best practices needed to restore those streams already in place.
- The upper Bay, fed primarily by the Susquehanna River, recently earned its best grade in over 20 years and continues to score higher than most other areas of the Bay – a result of Pennsylvania’s deliberate, data-driven approach to watershed restoration.
- Pennsylvania's approach demonstrates the importance of investing locally, empowering the agriculture community, and building partnerships that deliver results.
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Shapiro Administration Invests $130,000 to Plant 700 Trees Along York County Stream to Improve Local Water Quality and the Chesapeake Bay
On October 23, DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn joined Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay CEO Kate Fritz and local stakeholders to help plant 700 trees along Orson Run in York County at a dairy farm. Orson Run is located within the Muddy Creek watershed – a key tributary of the Susquehanna River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay.
The dairy farmer supplies milk to Land O’Lakes, and through the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Corporate Sustainability Initiative, the nonprofit works with agricultural companies and farmers to accelerate conservation practices across the Bay watershed. This tree planting event established a 2.5-acre streamside forest buffer with a variety of tree species including hackberry, sycamore, and swamp white oak, as well as others. This planting is also part of a larger 10.35-acre project that will eventually establish 2,700 trees across the farm.
Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, Pennsylvania has planted 7,700 acres of forest buffers across the Chesapeake Bay watershed in the past two years, adding 1.5 million new trees that strengthen ecosystems, capture carbon, and safeguard clean water. In 2024 alone, the Shapiro Administration invested $10.5 million in grants for tree planting and lawn-to-habitat conversions.
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DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn and State Forester Seth Cassell joined Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay CEO Kate Fritz and local stakeholders in planting 700 trees (left) and attendees work to plant trees as part of a dairy farm’s riparian buffer (right) (Photo by Emily Damiano).
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Shapiro Administration Assists Tree Planting in Harrisburg Neighborhood
On November 14, DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn participated in an urban street tree planting effort alongside the Mayor of Harrisburg Wanda Williams, staff, and other volunteers. They planted 33 trees including oaks, serviceberry, and eastern redbuds. The trees were provided by the TreePennsylvania Bare Root Tree Program and the City of Harrisburg. This fall, the program provided 1,100 trees to 51 communities through a combination of a $500,000 DCNR grant, private donations, and federal funds. The trees will add shade, reduce stormwater runoff, and make communities more appealing places to live.
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DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn (left) and Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams (2nd from left) plant urban street trees in the Cloverly Heights neighborhood in South Harrisburg.
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ACAP Funding Helps Farmers Grow a Riparian Buffer Food Forest to Improve Conservation on Their Farm
Wyoming County farmers Jay Jadick and partner Jordan Delzell operate Twofold Farm and Studio and met with Wyoming County Conservation District staff in 2023 to brainstorm ways of addressing erosion along Bowman’s Creek and an unnamed tributary stream on their property. Jadick first tested a concept by direct-seeding 50 chestnuts to gauge survival and also established perennial groundcover on what was part of a former cornfield. In Fall 2023, he received Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) funds to plant three acres of bare root trees and shrubs in the buffer followed by 12 acres of direct-seeded and bare root chestnut tree planting in 2024.
The buffer now includes 30 species of trees and shrubs. While 12 acres are planted in chestnut trees, an additional three acres are interplanted with pawpaw, Asian pear, asparagus, and a diverse mix of other fruit and nut species. In the future, the couple hopes to expand the buffer by an additional four acres. ACAP funds provided over $29,000 in assistance with another $6,000 in funding coming from Wyoming County funds, and Jadick and Detzell contributed countless hours of sweat equity. The project reduces erosion, improves soil health, and protects Bowman’s Creek, which is located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
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Chris Faux, Wyoming County Conservation District staff member (left), and Jay Jadick (right) walk by Twofold Farms’ multifunctional buffer (Photo by William Hynes).
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PENNVEST Approves Funding for Various Clean Water Projects in the Chesapeake Bay
During its October 15, meeting, the PENNVEST Board of Directors approved funding for 30 drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and nonpoint source projects across 23 counties. Of those projects, three drinking water and eight wastewater projects are located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed totaling $231,109,702 in low-interest loans and $27,213,687 in grants.
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Lancaster Conservancy Announces Acquisition of Eagle View Nature Preserve along the Susquehanna River
Lancaster Conservancy recently acquired 180 acres in Chanceford Township, York County, with healthy forests and panoramic views of the Susquehanna River. The property, which will be called Eagle View Nature Preserve, is directly adjacent to the regional Mason-Dixon Trail and is part of the viewshed for the Enola Low Grade Trail in Lancaster County. The upriver view from the new nature preserve is vast and captures one of the wider sections of the river. Visitors will be able to enjoy a view of the Conejohela Flats, an important birding area; Highpoint County Park; the Wrightsville Bridge; and the towns of Columbia and Wrightsville.
At the preserve, healthy mature forests, which are increasingly rare in this area, surround a stone house and guesthouse. The woods, rich with a variety of oak species as well as hickory, sweet birch, and yellow poplar, were at risk of being clear-cut due to their high quality when this property went up for sale. The Conservancy’s acquisition of Eagle View will protect this critical piece of habitat along the river while providing public access to nature and an unparalleled view of the Susquehanna River.
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Photo of the forest and Susquehanna River taken by drone from Eagle View Nature Preserve (Photo by Andrea Campbell).
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American Rivers Produces Case Studies Highlighting Nature-Based Restoration Projects in Pennsylvania
American Rivers recently produced a document titled, “Restoring Pennsylvania’s Rivers for People and Nature – Success Stories from the Keystone State.” This document features eight case studies examining how Pennsylvania municipalities have successfully implemented nature-based solutions to address flooding, lack of nature access, pollution, and habitat loss. The case studies were developed through conversations in 2024-2025 between American Rivers staff and local leaders involved with the projects. Each case study is meant to provide a summary of a successful nature-based solution, including how it came about, problems it was meant to solve, how it was funded, and what sort of benefits have been experienced by the local community.
Of the eight case studies featured, CAP funds contributed to a portion of the funding for three of the projects. Half of the projects featured in the case studies also relied on Pennsylvania DEP’s Growing Greener Program for funding. Additionally, six of the eight projects featured are located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed and are contributing to pollution reduction efforts for the Bay while improving local water quality.
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Mussel Restoration Effort Indicates Improved Water Quality in Pennsylvania
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership recently highlighted improving water quality in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River allowing mussel restoration efforts to take place. In the 1970s, the West Branch had almost no aquatic life; however, a combination of conservation efforts including mine and coal remediation, reforestation, riparian buffer programs, stream restoration projects, and water quality policy have led to a positive change in the health of the river, which now supports smallmouth bass, walleye, and other fish species.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Lock Haven University, and other partners are leading the mussel restoration effort, funded in part by a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant (Chesapeake WILD). Mussels are filter feeders, and reestablishing their presence is important because they can each filter gallons of water per day. Part of the restoration effort involved demonstrating that juvenile mussels could survive and grow in protective “silos” in a section of the West Branch.
A hurdle preventing recolonization of mussels is due to downstream dams. American eel are not able to freely transport the mussel larvae that they host throughout the watershed. Currently, scientists and students at Lock Haven University are taking eels captured in the lower Susquehanna, placing them in tanks containing mussel broodstock, and then transporting them to sections of the river upstream of the dams to release them. The intent is for the juvenile mussels living on host eels to mimic natural processes and develop before dropping off the eels into the river to create new populations.
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A variety of freshwater mussel species (left) and a view of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River (right) (Photo provided by Jim Kauffman).
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Kettle Creek Restoration Work by the Kettle Creek Watershed Association is Improving Water Quality and Brook Trout Habitat
The upper Kettle Creek watershed in northcentral Pennsylvania is a destination known for its natural beauty and fly fishing recreation, but it experiences negative impacts in the lower portion of the watershed from legacy logging and mining. In the late 1990s, a volunteer organization called the Kettle Creek Watershed Association (KCWA) formed to address those challenges to stream health while partnering with organizations like Trout Unlimited (TU), a national nonprofit focused on improving habitat for trout.
Throughout the 2000s, KCWA and TU installed Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) remediation projects. Over the years, the organizations installed nine different treatment systems raising the water’s pH level. The pH level increased from three (very acidic) to seven on Twomile Run (part of the lower Kettle Creek watershed) because of their efforts.
In 2016, a partnership developed to address aquatic habitat connectivity along Little Lyman Run where an undersized culvert prevented fish from accessing upstream spawning sites and cooler water temperatures. They installed a large open-bottom culvert reconnecting eight miles of streams in the watershed, doubling the number of spawning sites per kilometer upstream.
In 2023 and 2024, TU and KCWA addressed the effects of stormwater runoff and timber harvesting at their Oxbow project site. They installed log structures to channel water away from eroding streambanks and planted a forest buffer to reduce erosion, filter water, and provide shade. These interventions and partnerships are helping to improve the lower Kettle Creek watershed and increasing the aquatic life found in its streams.
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Pennsylvania Seedling Cooperative Grows Native Trees for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The Pennsylvania Seedling Cooperative formed from connections made between volunteers at tree-planting events with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay in York County. Indian Rock Nursery has become the main hub in the cooperative for Master Watershed Steward volunteers and other community members. The cooperative is a joint project between Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Penn State Extension to increase tree growing capacity for tree-planting projects. In 2025, over 50 individuals contributed their time to growing 5,650 trees at the nursery comprising a variety of native species including sycamore, tulip tree, black gum, silver maple, hickory, oak, and others. Together, the three nurseries in the cooperative raised 13,000 trees for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Penn State Extension, and other organizations. The cooperative came very close to their annual goal of growing a total of 15,000 trees and are focused on achieving that goal next year.
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Tree seedlings grown by the Pennsylvania Seedling Cooperative (Photo by Rob Winslow, York Master Watershed Steward).
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Registration Open for DEP-Sponsored Aquatic Resource Restoration Conference
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Penn State Extension Offers Free Virtual Webinar on Soil Health Practices for Clean Water
On January 28, 2026, Penn State Extension will offer a free virtual webinar titled, “Water Cooler Talk: Soil Health Practices for Clean Water.” With support from nonprofits, conservation districts, technical assistance providers, and federal programs, farmers can adopt soil health practices that safeguard their land and local water resources. This webinar will examine these practices, exploring their benefits, challenges, and prevalence across Pennsylvania farms. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how agricultural stewardship upstream sustains water quality downstream.
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This photo - featured in Penn State Extension’s webinar announcement – prominently features soil resources and their importance to farm function (Photo from Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay).
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Mid-Atlantic 4R Science Symposium Occurring in January 2026
The Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association is a non-profit with the mission of providing education to farmers on the economic and environmental benefits of implementing 4R nutrient stewardship practices, which will accelerate progress toward clean water and habitat goals and to communicate to non-agricultural audiences by documenting on-farm 4R successes and environmental outcomes. 4R is a management concept that seeks to match nutrient applications, such as fertilizer and manure, as closely to crop needs as possible referring to the right nutrient source, at the right rate, at the right time, in the right place. The Mid-Atlantic 4R Science Symposium is a free event with registration now open and will be held on January 26, 2026, in Lancaster.
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This section features opinions, editorials, or briefings from selected partners about collaborative, locally focused, watershed restoration efforts in Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed that promote innovation and statewide restoration and conservation.
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This month’s partner contribution comes from Bobby Hughes, Executive Director of the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR). He has over 30 years of experience in abandoned mine land reclamation, watershed restoration, and abandoned mine drainage (AMD) cleanup throughout northeastern and northcentral Pennsylvania. He’s an environmental educator of youth of all ages in our most underserved coalfield communities, a community organizer, a grant writer, and a manager of programs and projects to reclaim and restore our watersheds impacted by legacy abandoned mine pollution.
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Bobby Hughes and son, Ethan, at a recent EPCAMR tire clean-up event at Little Wapwallopen Creek, a trout stream and cold water fishery located in Dorrance Township, Luzerne County. The stream is a tributary to the Wapwallopen Creek flowing to the Susquehanna River. Ten volunteers hauled out over 300 illegally dumped tires in partnership with the Luzerne County Conservation District, AmeriCorps, Conservation Legacy, Stewards Individual Placement Program, The Tire Guys, AmeriCorps VISTA, and the Amazon Community Fund.
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EPCAMR is a regional non-profit committed to addressing the legacy impacts of historic coal mining across 16 counties in northcentral and northeast Pennsylvania. Chartered in 1995 and operating since 1996, the organization will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026. Its mission is to encourage the reclamation and redevelopment of land and water degraded by pre-1977 mining practices throughout the anthracite and bituminous coalfields.
EPCAMR’s work centers on four focus areas:
Water Quality Improvements: EPCAMR conducts comprehensive watershed assessments and cold water conservation plans with partners including Conservation Districts, Trout Unlimited chapters, watershed groups, local governments, and state agencies such as the PA Game Commission, PA Fish and Boat Commission, DCNR, and DEP. These studies guide recommendations for restoration and BMP projects.
Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD): EPCAMR addresses major nonpoint source pollution issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds — sedimentation, acid deposition, and streambank instability — through water quality monitoring, biological surveys, culvert assessments, habitat evaluations, and operation and maintenance of AMD treatment systems.
Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation (AMLR): EPCAMR works to return abandoned mine lands to productive use, eliminate hazards, reclaim culm banks and silt basins, and support local economic revitalization. Technical services include GIS and mine mapping, mine pool modeling, and feasibility studies that assist businesses, industries, and renewable energy projects.
Education and Outreach: EPCAMR engages communities through AMD Tie Dye workshops, STEM programs, cleanups, plantings, trainings, watershed tours, and the annual Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conference. An exhaustive Educational Streamside Hub for teachers and youth can be accessed at www.education.epcamr.org.
Serving as a key liaison among agencies, communities, and industry, EPCAMR advances a collaborative watershed approach to restore natural resources, support environmental justice communities, and strengthen regional economies. EPCAMR remains grateful for long-standing support from the PA DEP 319 Nonpoint Source Program and the EPA.
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A view of the educational materials EPCAMR uses to teach about acid mine drainage and stream health (Provided by Bobby Hughes).
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DCNR Launches New PA Community Tree Assistance Program
Through the Pennsylvania Community Tree Assistance Program, eligible communities, local governments, and nonprofits can request fully funded support for:
- Planting new trees and caring for them as they grow
- Pruning and maintaining existing trees to keep them healthy
- Conducting tree inventories and developing long-term management plans
- Inspecting and addressing tree hazards to improve public safety
Priority areas can be viewed in the layers tab on DCNR’s PATreeKeeper map. Applicants are encouraged to contact DCNR Urban and Community Forestry staff for assistance and to discuss the project before applying. Once a project is approved, DCNR will manage the contracting process and hire pre-qualified arborists, foresters, and landscape professionals to complete the work.
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Adams County Completes Slate of 2025 CAP Projects
Adams County has completed all of their 2025 CAP projects. The most recent completion was a stream restoration project on Toms Creek restoring 550 linear feet of streambank and installing 10 structures along the stream to provide both fish habitat and erosion control. The district also finished up a supplemental planting of an additional 500 trees adding to a spring tree planting project for a total of 20 acres. Implementation totals for 2025 CAP projects include 20 acres of agricultural land retirement planted with trees, two acres of riparian forest buffer, and roughly 2,200 linear feet of stream restoration.
The CAP Coordinator also helped lead an event at the Fly Stretch Conewago Stream Restoration project site in partnership with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and attendees included representatives from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as well as representatives from DEP, EPA, Adams County Trout Unlimited, and other state and federal agencies. Adams County has also applied for over $650,000 in 2026 CAP Implementation funds to potentially complete up to nine projects including stormwater basins, stream restorations, and streambank fencing.
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Bedford County Completes Stream Stabilization Project
The Fort Bedford Chapter of Trout Unlimited (FBTU) recently completed the Town Creek — Hartsock Streambank Stabilization Project. The project addressed approximately 1,030 feet along the western bank of Town Creek Buffalo Run exhibiting high, vertical banks causing erosion concerns. Town Creek is a high-quality cold water fishery in Southampton Township. The land adjacent to the west bank of the project is used for pasture and hayfields for a small beef operation.
Volunteers from FBTU and a contracted equipment operator, with technical assistance from Bedford County Conservation District staff, installed fish habitat enhancement structures approved by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, reinforced the bank toe, and reshaped banks to a stable slope with the purpose of reducing streambank erosion and reconnecting the stream channel to the floodplain, while also improving aquatic habitat in Town Creek. Construction was completed on August 7, 2025. Live stakes, purchased from Ernst Conservation Seeds, were installed in late October. The total cost of construction was $126,608 and was reimbursed by the CAP Program.
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Fulton County Conservation District Funds Demonstration BMPs on Office Grounds
In January 2024, the Fulton County Conservation District (FCCD) allocated $122,000 in CAP funds to demonstrate conservation BMPs on their office grounds. The project aimed to promote responsible environmental stewardship and to serve as a model for Fulton County residents. By showcasing effective methods for improving soil and water quality, FCCD hoped to inspire local homeowners and farmers to adopt similar practices on their properties.
To bring this vision to life, FCCD formed a collaborative workgroup made up of board and staff members, farmers, master gardeners, and landscape designers. Together, they developed a comprehensive plan that integrated both agricultural and urban BMPs, with implementation scheduled to occur in phases. By Fall 2024, the first phase of the project was completed. This phase featured conservation landscaping, including the planting of native trees and shrubs. Key components involved establishing a hedgerow of white pine, creating a screening area with hazelnut and serviceberry, developing a riparian buffer, planting a native pollinator meadow, and adding larger oak trees.
At the end of 2024, FCCD secured additional funding for the second phase, which was completed in Fall 2025. This phase included the installation of permeable pavers, grass pavers, a rain garden, and further enhancements to conservation landscaping. In addition to the BMPs funded through the CAP, FCCD also developed five acres of demonstration plots on the property. Using the plots, staff members have been experimenting with and showcasing a variety of cover crop mixes for farmers and homeowners.
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A view of newly established plantings surrounding the FCCD office (left) and a view of the permeable pavers installed at their parking lot allowing stormwater to infiltrate (right).
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Watershed Alliance of York Completes Phase 1 of the Codorus Creek Tributary at Lake Lehman Floodplain Restoration Project
In Fall 2024, after working closely with LandStudies on design, the Watershed Alliance of York obtained a permit for the Codorus Creek Tributary at Lake Lehman Floodplain Restoration Project. The scope of the project includes restoring approximately 4,500 linear feet of stream with legacy sediment removal as well as the restoration of 10 acres of floodplain and seven acres of historical floodplain wetland. The site is situated where the previous Lake Lehman and dam were located before the dam was breached and the lake drained.
The project was split into three phases to better tackle funding challenges. In October 2025, Phase 1 was completed utilizing Flyway Excavation as the contractor. This phase included the installation of 9.2 acres of riparian forest buffer, restoration of 2.5 acres of floodplain wetland, and restoration of 1,220 linear feet of stream channel with legacy sediment removed. Phase 1 received $1,098,360 in CAP funding as well as funding from the York County Conservation District, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the Kinsley Foundation, the Warehime Foundation, and the York County Community Foundation. The total project cost is estimated to be $2,697,576. The purpose of the project is to remove legacy sediment and restore the floodplain to conditions that resemble as close to an approximation of pre-settlement conditions as reasonably possible. Removing the legacy sediment from this system will eliminate a substantial sediment and nutrient source from the Codorus Creek watershed improving local water quality as well as the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
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Before and after photos of the conditions at the Codorus Creek Tributary at Lake Lehman Floodplain Restoration Project (Provided by Rachel Stahlman).
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“As the Chesapeake Bay Program revises its watershed agreement for the next decade, Pennsylvania's model offers a compelling blueprint: invest locally, empower the agriculture community and build partnerships that deliver results. We still have work to do, but Pennsylvania is proof that real progress is possible."
- Pennsylvania State Senators Gene Yaw and Scott Martin
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Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
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