THE CONEWAGO CREEK INITIATIVEPartners working together for clean water

and healthy lands

Matt Royer

Director, Lower Susquehanna Initiative

Agriculture & Environment Center

Penn State Cooperative Extension

Science.

Policy.

Partnerships.

Goal Build partnerships and pool resources to establish a “discovery watershed” for PA

Conewago Creek Collaborative Conservation Initiative A Targeted Watershed

• LOCAL– Conservation Districts – Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon

– Tri-County Conewago Creek Association

– Municipalities – S. Londonderry Township

– E-town College

– Residents

• STATE– Penn State

– PA DEP

– NRCS – PA

– Chesapeake Bay Foundation

– PDA

– PA DCNR

The Conewago Initiative

• NATIONAL– USDA NRCS

– US EPA

– National Fish & Wildlife Foundation

– Susquehanna River Basin Commission

– USGS

– USDA ARS

• PRIVATE SECTOR– ZedX

– ECC

Practices

People

Impact

Place

Conewago Initiative :4 Pronged Approach

The Watershed Community:THE most important partners of all

• Create a vision for the watershed• Build an action plan for getting there

BMP ImplementationAgriculture community

• Conservation District farm surveys• Conservation Districts, NRCS, local watershed

group, Cooperative Extension: point of entry and relationships

• Baseline compliance for every farm

BMP ImplementationNon-agricultural community

• Revise WIP to reflectall sources through help of Tetratech

• Develop program for homeowners, businesses, municipalities

• Address all sources, across sectors: A WATERSHED INITIATIVE,

NOT AN AG INITIATIVE

A Watershed Community

“The Conewago Watershed Community has envisioned a future that establishes the restored Conewago and its tributaries as a centerpiece of pride and a treasured asset in a rural landscape.

This vision includes a strong agricultural community and productive farmland, community recreation areas, and vibrant, well planned communities. Pristine landscapes will be protected while providing sustainable uses of natural resources, clean water and streams, and educational opportunities for generations to come.”

Funding for the Conewago Creek Initiative provided by:National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds