Penn State Partners with Community to Renew Chiques Creek Watershed

Smart Use of Ag Buffers Leads to Improved Water Quality

The Conewago Creek Initiative, a diverse coalition of over thirty public and private partners funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and facilitated by the AEC, has succeeded in significantly increasing outreach and implementation of land management practices to improve water quality in the Conewago watershed. A similar approach is now getting started in the Chiques. Other communities across the state face similar challenges.

Matt Royer, director of the Agriculture and Environment Center at Pennsylvania State University, found the answer to the issues facing the Chiques Creek Watershed by looking to its neighbor to the west.

“We are modeling our work very closely after what we have done in the Conewago,” said Royer. “The watersheds face similar nonpoint source challenges that require similar, collaborative approaches.”

Agricultural and stormwater runoff from nearby farms and urban areas are referred to as “nonpoint sources” of runoff because they are distributed throughout the surrounding area. There is no shutoff valve or leaky pipe to plug. In short, there is no easy fix.

In the Chiques, like the Conewago, good local momentum already exists. The Chiques Creek Watershed Alliance, a local watershed group, has spearheaded outreach and education initiatives and several major stream restorations.

After several bouts of flooding and water quality issues in places like the borough of Mannheim, Pennsylvania, community leaders recognized that something needed to be done to improve area watersheds. Municipalities and businesses have come together to consider concerns about these issues.

“Having local leadership is key to success,” said Royer. “We are looking to enhance the good work which is already happening locally in the watershed.”

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation awarded $500,000 to the University to facilitate the public / private partnership program in Chiques. This grant also complements Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s pilot alternative watershed restoration approach that encourages a proactive, voluntary process to reach water quality improvement objectives.

“We call it community based watershed engagement. It’s replicable in other watersheds, and it’s what we’re bringing to the Chiques. We are providing the organizational framework for everyone to come to the table, identify and offer their strengths and expertise, and collectively do some amazing things,” said Royer.

Partnership teams have been formed around watershed planning, monitoring, agriculture and stormwater. Initial meetings have been held and many ideas and efforts are already being advanced.

Among the assets Penn State will bring to the table are students studying Environmental Resource Management (ERM) with a passion for restoring watersheds. This past April, fifteen Penn State students converged on the Chiques for a live stake planting in partnership with the watershed alliance.

“We learn about the importance of planting riparian buffers in the classroom,” said Madolyn Klein, a senior majoring in ERM. “Now we have had the opportunity to help plant one, and be part of a major restoration effort in a priority watershed. That’s fun and exciting, and a great way to learn. I’d love to go back to the area 10 years from now and see how the trees and shrubs have grown up and how they're protecting the creek.”

Madolyn and her classmates are lending their hands to an effort that, when all is said and done, will likely involve thousands.

by Mike Smith

Writer for National Fish & Wildlife Foundation

Photo credit: Matthew, W. Kofroth, Watershed Coordinator, Lancaster County Conservation District