Download as PDF, PPTX
More Related Content
Similar to Improving Surface and Ground Water Quality via Agricultural Lands: Two Lancaster County Case Studies
Improving Surface and Ground Water Quality via Agricultural Lands: Two Lancaster County Case Studies
- 1. Improving Surface andGround Water Quality via Agricultural Lands: Two Lancaster County Case Studies Jeffery E. Swinehart Stephanie A. Smith Deputy Director Municipal Outreach Coordinator Lancaster FarmlandTrust Lancaster FarmlandTrust
- 2. Case Study #1 WestLampeter Township BMP (Best Management Practices) Assessment
- 3. The Context forthe Assessment Why is water quality at the forefront of the conversation? Lancaster CHESAPEAKE BAY CLEANUP
- 4. Lancaster County’s Impaired Streams WestLampeter Township West Lampeter is comprised of • Pequea Creek watershed • Mill Creek watershed • Slight portion of Conestoga River watershed
- 5. **From 2003 ComprehensivePlan** Case Study: West Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, PA
- 6. West Lampeter’s MS4Permit and TMDL Plan Notice of Intent for renewal of MS4 Permit Submitted to PA DEP in Sept. 2012 RequiresTownship to provide a MS4 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Plan to achieve the required reductions outlined inTMDL Plan for Pequea Creek (2006) o Phosphorus Reduction 57% o Sediment Reduction 83%
- 7. West Lampeter Township’sTMDL Strategy for the Pequea Creek Watershed West Lampeter’s MS4 Area is 629 acres • Developed Area 398 acres • Agricultural Area 231 acres
- 8. Long Term StormwaterManagement Costs UMD’s Environmental Finance Center completed the Lancaster County Municipal Stormwater Management Financing Feasibility Study in 2013 Worked with 6 Lancaster County municipalities (listed on left) The objective of this effort was to: - Identify the current level of stormwater service - Determine the future level of service needed to deliver a comprehensive stormwater management program - Highlight any and all opportunities to work collaboratively across the collective municipalities
- 9. Scope includes visitingall of West LampeterTownship’s ag-use properties 10 acres or more to get a baseline of the following: - In compliance? - Document BMPs - Listen and understand farmers’ concerns - Find opportunities for partnership between farmer and municipality What is the West Lampeter BMP (Best Management Practice) Assessment Project? A partnership betweenWest LampeterTownship and Lancaster FarmlandTrust to cost-effectively improve local water quality through baseline documentation, education and outreach toWest LampeterTownship farmers.
- 10. A New Modelto Improve Water Quality Farmers are implementing good practices! Just not documented. Green infrastructure BMPs happening all over Lancaster County West Lampeter’s current and future land use Rising maintenance costs for existing (and future) infrastructure Opportunities to build relationships with farmers Reinvest in region’s biggest industry, agriculture Agriculture can assist in alleviating water quality issues!
- 11.
- 12. West Lampeter TownshipBMP Assessment Timeline Jan 2013 Feb 2014 Farmer’s Meeting Feb 2013 Oct 2013 Nov 2013 Dec 2013 Jan 2014 Farm Assessments Data Analysis Report Results Mtgs.
- 14. Results Conservation Practices 2,582acres in no-till 1,316 acres of cover crops 2,619 acres of contour farming 38,103 linear feet of grassed waterways 107,487 linear feet of terracing Conservation Plans/Nutrient Management Plans • 47% have a Conservation Plan/Ag E&S Plan • 53% have Manure/Nutrient Management Plan About 50% of BMPs found were NOT documented in a conservation plan!
- 15. Streams on Farms •80% of properties have a stream • 63% of properties with a stream have buffer on at least a portion of the stream • 59 properties (63%) have 700+ feet of stream
- 16.
- 17. PHASE II: Planning,Compliance, and Implementation • Design possible BMPs to implement • LandStudies completed Big Spring Run floodplain restoration extension feasibility study • Follow up with farmers to have discussion about their future plans and implementation goals • Board of Supervisors approved to create local Conservation Plan cost-share program ($250/plan) • Match $$$ for partnerships: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) grant to get farmers in compliance AND go above baseline (CIP program)
- 18. Other Ways toUtilize Baseline Information Baseline information can be used for MapShed modeling (GIS-based watershed modeling tool) • To get accurate picture of ground conditions for better results and to identify best BMPs to implement • LFT using BMP Assessment information in East Cocalico to enter data into MapShed. LandStudies contracted to do the work. Agriculture – Animal Data (screen shot of model input)
- 19. A Model forReplication Municipality 3rd Party Verification/Outreach (Land Trust, Non-Profit) Engineer And/or Consulting Firm Landowner/ Specific Land Use (ie. Farmers)
- 20. Challenges/Barriers to Approach -How to quantify BMPs (how does a BMP not in a plan get counted? - How to monitor and maintain BMPs - BMPs happening outside of MS4 area but still drain into same watershed - change DEP’s offset policy?
- 21. Case Study #2 ELANCO (EasternLancaster County) Source Water Protection Collaborative
- 22. ELANCO Region • Thispart of Lancaster County historically has high nitrate levels (averaging around 8 ppm). Treatment levels for public water suppliers start at 10 ppm (maximum contaminant level - MCL). • Large conservative Mennonite community that is very closed off to outside organizations and agencies.
- 23. National Source WaterCollaborative Pilot Project Lancaster County chosen as one of three national pilot projects • Lancaster County, Pennsylvania • Sheridan,Wyoming • State of Wisconsin Objective To conduct outreach to farmers to promote conservation practices that reduce nitrate levels in the region
- 24. ELANCO Source WaterProtection – a True Collaborative • EPA Headquarters (Washington, DC) and Region 3 (Philadelphia • USDA/NRCS • Lancaster County Conservation District • ELANCO municipalities (East Earl Township,Terre Hill Borough, CaernarvonTownship, Brecknock Township, and Earl Township) • PA Department of Environmental Protection (Office of Drinking Water) • Pennsylvania Rural Water Association • WREN • Western HeightsWater Authority • Lancaster FarmlandTrust • Lancaster County Conservancy • Susquehanna River Basin Commission • Private consulting firms:Team Ag, SMS Group (did ELANCO SourceWater Protection Plan), LandStudies, Becker Engineering • Most importantly, representatives from the Mennonite Community • Amos Zimmerman (farmer) • Aaron Hurst (small business owner) Headed by Lancaster County Planning Commission, partners included:
- 25. Phase I: Educationand Outreach to Farmers Goal To conduct outreach to farmers to promote conservation practices that reduce nitrate levels in the region Education and Outreach Organized workshop at Shady Maple with Ray Archuleta, noted NRCS soil health expert. Local connections key! Used Mennonite hotline to get the word out about the event.
- 26.
- 27.
- 28. Ag Committee • LancasterCounty Conservation District • Lancaster FarmlandTrust • Team Ag Consulting • Jeff Stoltzfus,Adult Educator • DEP Office of Drinking Water • EPA Region 3 • Amos and Aaron, Mennonite Representatives Next Steps • Conservation District 1-on-1 visits • Focus groups • Pasture management • Manure/Pesticide Management • Free well water testing • Implementation assistance! Collaboration, open communication, and program streamlining key to keep consistent messaging!
- 29. STAY TUNED FORINITIAL RESULTS. COMING SPRING 2015.