The Growing Greener Program - PA Environment Digest Celebrating The 10 Year Anniversary

Growing Greener Success Stories

Citizens Compelled To Cleanup Aultman Watershed In Indiana County

Dr. Brian Okey - Aultman Watershed Association for Restoring the Environment

The Aultman Watershed Association for Restoring the Environment (AWARE) was started in February 2000 by concerned citizens from Indiana and southwestern Indiana County who felt compelled to clean up the Aultmans Run Watershed.

Nearly 30 square miles in extent, this area empties into the Conemaugh River behind the Army Corps of Engineers dam, and it has abundant potential as a habitat and recreation corridor. This potential has been threatened by pollution, hazards, and eyesores typical of historic mining activities, and by illegal dumping.

Montour Run Watershed Association Completes Fifth Abandoned Mine Drainage Project

Stan Sattinger - Vice President - Montour Run Watershed Association

The Montour Run Watershed Association protects and remediates the 37-square-mile Montour Run Watershed in western Allegheny County. Working with citizens' groups, businesses, local governmental agencies, elected officials, and the general public, we strive to bring about improvements in water quality.

Over the nine years of our existence, the MRWA has successfully conducted watershed assessment projects, public outreach and education projects, and stream improvement projects involving coordination and partnering with private and governmental landowners.

Blackleggs Creek: When An AMD Treatment System Becomes A Park

Blackleggs Creek Watershed Association and Trout Nursery

In August 2009, nestled into the rolling hills of southern Indiana County, a Memorial Park was dedicated to all the past volunteers and members of the Blackleggs Creek Watershed.

The events leading up to this dedication began decades ago and are filled with trial and error, as well as success for the Blackleggs Creek Watershed, and here is the story as told by one of the dedicated volunteers.

County Watershed Specialists Help Develop Watershed Protection Capacity

County Conservation District Watershed Specialists have been a vital force in Pennsylvania’s watershed movement for nearly 10 years, providing much needed environmental services in their counties and saving the state millions of dollars in project costs, in part by locating matching funding and in-kind contributions for environmental projects.

Whether it’s fighting Abandoned Mine Drainage, restoring streamside vegetation, or reducing water pollution caused by agricultural or urban runoff, our Watershed Specialists have been instrumental in many of Pennsylvania’s environmental successes.

As part of a campaign to increase awareness of our county Watershed Specialists, WPCAMR Video Diaries pays a visit to the Westmoreland Conservation District to talk to Watershed Specialist, Rob Cronauer about his work and the future of the Watershed Specialist positions.

The county watershed specialist program is funded by the Growing Greener Program that is due to end in 2010. Without a new source of funding, the good work done by these dedicated people could also end. Contact your House and Senate member to urge them to reauthorize the program.

Neshaminy Creek Stormwater Best Management Practices Demonstration Project

Susan Harris - Watershed Specialist with the Montgomery County Conservation District

In 2005, Montgomery County Conservation District was awarded Growing Greener funding to implement a stormwater best management practices demonstration site on the headwaters to the Little Neshaminy Creek in Montgomery Township. Montgomery Township is a suburban landscape in Montgomery County with high impervious cover.

In 2000, the Township was mapped with approximately 40 percent impervious, up from only 4 percent in 1970.

Ahead of the Curve – An Example of Foresight During the Early Years of Growing Greener

Kristin Sewak - Director - Natural Biodiversity

Three years before Governor Rendell signed Executive Order 2004-1, creating the Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council, the Department of Environmental Protection recognized the devastating impacts of invasive plants in riparian areas.

In 2001, the DEP awarded Natural Biodiversity, then termed the Invasive Species Control Program, a $62,800 Growing Greener grant to inspect invasive plants within the Conemaugh Watershed and restore riparian areas to a diversity of species.

Miller Run – from Impaired Waterway to Wild Trout Stream

Celina Seftas - Watershed Specialist

The Shoup’s Run Watershed Association has created a true success story from the Growing Greener Program. When the group started in 1998, both Shoup’s Run and its major tributary, Miller Run, were a mess.

Both streams had been listed on the state’s list of impaired waters and had problems with flooding and erosion, pollution from acid mine drainage and metals, and contained very little to no aquatic life.