Octoraro Watershed
Octoraro Watershed Association Founded in 1967.
Celebrating 55 years of preserving and protecting the natural and historic resources of the Octoraro.
Location
The Octoraro Watershed is located on the eastern margin of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, with its headwaters in Lancaster and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania, and an outfall into the Lower Susquehanna in Cecil County, Maryland.
The headwaters of the East Branch begin near Christiana, PA, in Sadbury Township. The East Branch flows south along the Lancaster/Chester County border until it meets the West Branch to form the reservoir. The watershed contains 154.4 stream miles. The major tributaries to the East Branch of Octoraro Creek include Leech, Muddy, Coopers, Bells, Knight, Valley, and Williams Runs, as well as Valley and Pine Creeks.
The West Branch begins in Bart Township, Lancaster County, PA. The watershed contains 76.1 stream miles and flows south until it meets the East Branch. Tributaries to the West Branch of Octoraro Creek include Meetinghouse Creek and Nickel Mines, Bowery, and Stewart Runs.
Octoraro Creek is dammed at the confluence of the branches, and Chester Water Authority operates a surface water intake from the reservoir.
The Mainstem effectively begins at the foot of the reservoir's dam and flows south-southwest along the Lancaster/Chester County border, crossing into Cecil County, Maryland, before entering the Susquehanna River just downstream of the Conowingo Dam.
34 miles of the East and West Branches have been designated a Scenic Creek in the Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers System.
Accomplishments
Over the past 45 years, OWA has accomplished the following:
Placed 34 miles of the East and West Branches and the Main Octoraro Stream into the Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Program and enabled the Octoraro Creek to be entered into the Pennsylvania River Registry. The Octoraro was the second river placed in the Scenic Rivers program.
Participated in the Octoraro Nitrates Taskforce which studies the problems of the watershed and makes recommendations to the townships and boroughs for stream corridor improvements.
Conducted a hands-on streambank stabilization project with the Solanco High School FFA.
Continued funding of the Solanco High School Environmental Water Monitoring Program.
Facilitated and participated in a series of wetlands and stream restoration projects with Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, PA Game Commission, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Lancaster, and Chester County Conservation Districts.
Created the John Evans Memorial Park on the Octoraro East Branch, which includes the reforestation of a flood plain and wet meadow, along with a self-interpretation trail and public fishing access.
Completed the outdoor Education Project at the Providence Elementary School.
Served as a model organization and community for the new EPA publication, Community Culture, and the Environment.
Installed “Entering Octoraro Watershed” signs across the watershed.
Received the statewide Watershed Protection award from the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts.
Continually designed, and revised new and innovative outreach projects to the Plain Sect community; including the distribution of environmental education curricula and tree seedlings to all Amish schoolchildren in the watershed, materials specifically designed for Amish women, and for those who work away from the farm. Recently all of the Amish school children in Lancaster County received new curricula that specifically address their relationship to the watershed, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
Designed a unique outreach project to the Plain Sect families, and delivered new material specifically written for Amish women, as well as handouts addressing farm health and safety.
Developed and written a completely new handout for the Amish farmers regarding Conservation plan writing, and the need to install Best Management practices on their farm.
Helped several other watershed organizations to get started
Each spring and fall we distribute over 500 newsletters.
For the last 3 years, OWA has worked with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other partners to install 6 miles of streambank fencing through the CREP project, and their Buffer Bonus program, as well as a conservation plan writing an implementation of BMPs. Documentation of these BMPs on record with our office as well as NRCS.
Since 2009, OWA has directly paid for 41 new conservation plans for Amish farmers in the watershed. Additionally, through referrals, OWA has facilitated the writing of 20 more plans with additional grant partners. We have also secured both government and private funding to continue to provide this service to the Amish Agricultural community in the watershed.
EPA Region 3 targeted 91 farms in the watershed for visits relating to compliance. By communicating with EPA, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. And the Conservation districts, OWA reduced the number of visits to four farms. OWA has clearly established a stronger relationship and partnership with EPA through this success story.
Our Focus
Address Key Issues & Needs
Water Quality Issues:
Encourage and assist farmers in implementing BMPs, Manure Management Plans, and Conservation Plans
Collaborate with interested parties on agricultural compliance efforts
Identify high priority restoration activities
Participate in targeted stream and stormwater management projects
Encourage water monitoring and support farm preservation efforts
Outreach Needs:
Provide workshops and updates to farmers and stakeholders through the website
Develop K-12 student initiatives and Plain Sect outreach
Educate community leaders on the Association's role in addressing watershed issues
Address Financial Support
• Develop and enhance an Association brochure that summarizes our successes
• Offer business donor perks for their public relations efforts when they contribute to the Association
• Strategize and prioritize which businesses to target and how to approach them
• Explore multi-tiered contribution levels for membership and sponsorship structure modification
• Document and publicize our successes with projects and programs
• Document and publicize our successes in generating grant and philanthropic funds
Testimonials