Restoration & Protection
Our Watershed Conservation Program works to restore, protect, and enhance surface and groundwater resources throughout Venango County. We assist landowners, farmers, businesses, and other stakeholders with solving our county's critical resource concerns. We do this by providing technical assistance which can involve project planning, grant funding procurement, and permit application assistance.
Combating nonpoint source pollution is a collaborative fight, as partnerships with landowners, community organizations, government agencies, farms, businesses, and others are crucial to ensuring that clean water remains for wildlife, recreation, and consumption for generations to come. Below lists types of source water protection projects that our district has been involved in. |
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Riparian Buffers
A riparian forest buffer is an area adjacent to a stream, lake, or wetland that contains a combination of trees, shrubs, and/or other perennial plants and is managed differently from the surrounding landscape, primarily to provide conservation benefits. Buffers are used in agricultural, row crop, range, suburban, and urban settings. They can deliver a number benefits including filtering nutrients, stabilizing eroding banks, filtering sediment from runoff, providing shade and food for aquatic wildlife, providing wildlife habitat and corridors for terrestrial organisms, and reducing flood damage. Many streams throughout the county are void of these important buffers. Often times, we introduce riparian buffers in cooperation with other streamside projects, or landowners request our assistance with completing an individual buffer project on their property.
Streambank Stabilization
Streambank erosion occurs when the hydraulic forces of the water in the stream are stronger than the bank's ability to withstand it. An increase in stormwater runoff can escalate the water's velocity, and the loss of streamside forests can weaken the bank's ability to remain in place. Erosion can cause an increase of sediment into waterways, loss of fish habitat, and stream migration. Many streamside landowners report property damage due to a destabilized stream. Our district assists in identifying these problem areas and seeks funding opportunities to design and construct streambank stabilization devices. We work carefully with landowners, businesses, and organizations to address their concerns and improve the environmental quality of our counties surface waters for future generations to enjoy.
Acid Mine Drainage Treatment
AMD is the number one water pollution problem in Pennsylvania. It is formed when water travels through abandoned coal mines and reacts with exposed minerals, thus altering the water's pH and introducing metals into surface waters. Contaminated water pollutes drinking water sources, corrodes bridges and other infrastructure, and is toxis to fish, amphibians and other organisms. Today, there are over 5,500 miles of streams in the Commonwealth that are impaired due to AMD. Remediation can be achieved through passive or active treatment. Many streams throughout the southern portion of Venango County are affected by AMD. Water monitoring is important to not only identify problem areas, but also to understand the severity of stream impairment and to assess the effectiveness of treatment strategies.
Orphaned & Abandoned Well Plugging
Grant Programs
Cost-share programs focused on watershed management not only can protect property and infrastructure, but they also ensure that clean water is available to all through the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs). Our Watershed Specialist assists landowners of Venango County by applying for federal, state, or local grants to solve critical water quality problems. Below lists some of the grant programs that we have been involved with.