SSM GROUP, INC. | Engineering and Environmental Services

• Lyn O’Hare, Water Resources Specialist | lyn.ohare@ssmgroup.com

Over 2,770 miles of streams and creeks are in 11

counties

Berks makes up 40% of the entire

watershed

Berks County

BERKS COUNTY

Agriculture is the

main industry

accounting for 36%

of land use.

Lake Ontelaunee

and Blue Marsh

Lake are the two

largest drinking

water sources in the

area.

Agricultural Workgroup

STRATEGY 1: Support implementation of projects that demonstrate Agriculture BMPs in priority areas.

STRATEGY 2: Provide a forum for partner and agency communication around Ag impacts.

STRATEGY 3:Promote Ag BMPs via education and outreach.

STRATEGY 4:Monitor impacts of Ag BMPs on water quality.

SAN Progression (Growing Greener II)

SWIG projects in the Maiden Creek Watershed

• Small Project Fund ($2,500) for Berks County Farmers.

• Partnership between the Berks Conservancy and SSM Group.

• Businesses and other organizations make donations to sustain fund.

Donations can be made through Lorri Swan at the Berks County ConservancyLorri.Swan@berks-conservancy.org

• Surface Water Assessment ––Berks County Conservation District conducted chemical and biological sampling for 20 sites in Tulpehocken and Maiden Creek watersheds.

• Bacteria sampling annually (BCCD/ Del Riverkeepers/Maiden Creek Watershed Association).

• Ongoing WQ grab sampling and macro studies in 12 Maiden Creek sites (MCWA).

• Protect 1 mile (5,300 feet) of stream via restoration and vegetative buffers

• Complete or update 20 conservation and/or nutrient management plans by the Conservancy and the Conservation District; 50 plans through the Natural Resource Conservation Service

•Revisit 3 previous project sites for an updated macroinvertebrate study

•Develop 5 Comprehensive Farm Management plans through Natural Resource Conservation Service

Several water systems have participated in the Source Water Protection Technical Assistance Program, funded by the PA Department of Environmental Protection.

This program is available to all Community Water Systems state-wide.

• The most cost-effective method to ensure safe drinking water is to protect the source from contamination.

• Treatment alone cannot always be successful in removing all contaminants.

• Improve public perception of the safety of drinking water.

• Because safe drinking water is essential to the public health and economic well-being of communities.

ICVWA

Plan for the future

Choose water protection strategies

Review Potential Sources of Contamination

Create Protection Zones for water sources

Form a Steering Committee

• Serves approximately 25,000 customers in several municipalities

• Blue Marsh Lake has multiple uses

• Lake is controlled by US Army Corps of Engineers

Zone A( 5-hr TOT)

Zone B(25-hr TOT)

Zone C(Over 25-hr TOT)

• Agriculture practices can contribute animal waste or sediment from crop fields.

• Local roads can add salt, dirt, and vehicle fluids to the rain or snow melt.

• Recreation – Swimming, boating, organic plant and wildlife waste, and litter can affect the lake.

WBWA Protection Strategies

Water Quality Monitoring Program Partners with Albright College for continuous monitoring events

Schuylkill Action NetworkMember of the Agricultural Workgroup

Watershed Forum Plans on hosting a Watershed Protection conference for Berks County water systems

Education

WBWA has teamed up with two local high schools to paint murals on their building.

• Source water protection zones

• Communities served by the water system.

Source Water Protection

Implementation Strategies

Reading Area Water Authority

• Lake Ontelaunee TMDL completed in 2004

• Lake Ontelaunee included on Pennsylvania’s 303(d) list

• Completed a Source Water Protection Plan in 2007

• Source water supply is Lake Ontelaunee, located north of Reading

• Provides water to 125,000 residents in and around the City of Reading

Lake Ontelaunee Management Strategies Data Collection

Water Quality Monitoring Program• Development of a consistent, comprehensive water quality monitoring program• Coordination with others conducting sampling in the watershed• Nine monitoring locations selected throughout the watershed.• Parameters: Total coliform, E. Coli, Ortho Phosphate, Total Phosphorus,

Nitrogen (Nitrate), and Total Suspended Solids monitored monthly

Water Quality Database• Development of a database for watershed

water quality data• Current partners include RAWA,

watershed industries, watershed municipalities, the Schuylkill Action Network, and watershed groups

Lake Ontelaunee Management Strategies Education

Steering Committee• Meets annually to advise RAWA

Cooperation with Emergency Management Officials• Both Berks County and Lehigh County

staff consulted

Educational Brochures• Funded development of stream buffer

brochure developed by the Maiden Creek Watershed Association

Water Supply Area Signs• 13 signs placed on state roads• 6 signs placed on township roads

• Schuylkill Action Network

• Active member of the Agricultural Workgroup

• Agriculture Restoration Projects

• Assists SAN, the Berks County Conservation District, and the Berks Conservancy with exotic species removal on restoration sites.

• Contributes funding to stakeholders for the development of conservation plans on watershed farms.

Lake Ontelaunee Management Strategies Agricultural Restoration

• Land Preservation

• RAWA has purchased land in the protection zones to keep it in a natural state.

• Reforestation

• RAWA staff plant approximately 1,000 trees on city property around Lake Ontelaunee each year.

Lake Ontelaunee Management Strategies Watershed Protection

SSM GROUP, INC. | Engineering and Environmental Services