Watershed Conservation Plan - Destination Erie

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Human resources available to facilitate the implementation of the conservation plan include government agencies that provide technical support and/or funding for conservation-related activities (Appendix C) and various community organizations focused on environmental issues (chapter 7, section 7.5). Key leadership for this endeavor will likely come from agencies such as the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PADCNR), the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), the Erie County Planning Department, the Erie County Conservation District (ECCD), Pennsylvania Sea Grant, and the Pennsylvania Lake Erie Watershed Association (PLEWA [http://www.eriewatershed.org/]). Threats to Aquatic and Natural Resources The most serious threats to maintaining high-quality aquatic and associated natural resources in the Pennsylvania Lake Erie watershed are non-point source pollution (NPSP), urban sprawl, and climate change. Non-point source pollution began with historic changes in regional hydrology accompanying deforestation, draining and filling wetlands, and the alteration/degradation of streams associated with the growth of local industry, transportation systems, and urban centers (chapter 4). Non-point source pollution affects important non-stream aquatic resources in the watershed, namely Lake Erie (chapter 5, section 5.1) and Presque Isle Bay (chapter 5, section 5.3). Chapter 5 (especially section 5.10.3) provides a detailed analysis of sources and effects of NPSP on the watershed's streams. Major concerns include: (1) substrate degradation due to development activities; (2) sediment, nutrients, metals, and hydrocarbons delivered to streams during storm events; (3) mercury and nitrate deposition from atmospheric sources; (4) pesticides from agricultural and urban areas; (5) unregulated organic contaminants known as PPCPs (pharmaceutical and personal care products) and EDCs (endocrine disrupting compounds) that enter our water through sewage treatment plants; and (6) bacterial (Escherichia coli) contamination of streams and the lake from both point and non-point sources in the watershed (section 5.10.5). Non-point source pollution affects most of the 75 miles of "non-attainment" stream segments in the Pennsylvania Lake Erie watershed (chapter 5, section 5.10.4), with small- and medium-sized streams in the built-up portions of the lake plain being most affected. Our watershed's small headwaters streams serve an important protective role as buffers against NPSP and adverse effects of climate change on groundwater supplies and cold water fisheries (chapter 10, section 10.3); however, headwaters are not vigorously protected by current regulations affecting development in our watershed. Urban sprawl is the second major threat to maintaining the quality of our watershed's aquatic and natural resources. The demand to continue the expansion of infrastructure to distribute surface withdrawn from Lake Erie to locations beyond the City of Erie (chapter 5, section 5.11) is expected to increase in the future (chapter 8). Increasing impervious surfaces relative to undisturbed natural vegetation results in increased runoff and siltation, which in turn degrades stream habitats for aquatic animals (chapter 5, section 5.10.4) and disrupts important habitat connections needed by amphibians in our watershed (chapter 6, section 6.1.3). Urban sprawl also harms people in our watershed, as it results in a redistribution of economic opportunities to the suburbs. This leads to increased poverty in urban and rural areas as well as huge hidden costs to the community, as shown by recent studies focusing on sprawl and poverty in Erie and other similar communities (chapter 8, section 8.2). Fortunately, the top-level leadership in Pennsylvania, namely Governor Rendell's Economic Development Cabinet, has set forth a policy and guidelines for sustainable development (chapter 8, section 8.3), which—if followed—will help to decrease the harmful effects of urban sprawl. The third major threat to the long-term integrity of our watershed's resources is ongoing climate change, mentioned in earlier sections of this summary. It may be impossible to prove with certainty whether the current climate change situation is due primarily to our modern society's excessive greenhouse gas emissions or the culmination of a natural change event that commenced more than 150 years ago (chapter 4). In either case, there are well-documented indications that the world is changing, and analyses by some of the country's best scientists provide reasonable forecasts of how natural resources in our region are likely to be affected by a warmer climate (chapter 6, sections 6.1.8 and 6.3.4). The most serious consequences include a challenge to our economically important cold water fisheries and threats to water supplies due to increased evaporation and reduced groundwater recharge. Prudent management of our water resources, careful planning of future vi
development, and pre-emptive conservation measures can provide the means for our community to adapt to the climate change problem. Plan Enactment Steps and Actions The first important steps that must be taken are to educate stakeholders—that is, the general public, environmental groups, and municipal leaders—about the needs and means for achieving the goals of this plan (see Table 10.2, Objectives 1–3) and to promote the formation of community partnerships to implement the plan. To facilitate broad-based partnerships through outreach, the Pennsylvania Lake Erie watershed has been divided into three different zones and eighteen distinct management areas (MAs) evincing shared topographic and resource features (chapter 10, section 10.4). Initial outreach sessions to introduce the plan to stakeholders will be held at five different locations central to multiple groups of management areas that cut across the boundaries of subwatersheds and municipalities. It is hoped that this will help to promote the formation of collaborations of watershed groups, municipalities, and interested private landowners to work together to implement the plan. A timetable and suggested names of groups to conduct outreach are identified in Table 10.3 of the plan. Specific outreach needs include: • Conduct outreach meetings with stakeholders to present major findings and recommendations of the Rivers Conservation Plan, to identify partners and roles for implementation, coordinated with Act 167 Phase 2 planning and/or other water-related regional planning activities. • Conduct outreach workshops with stakeholders regarding the importance of protecting headwaters, forests, and wetlands; provide information about conservation easements, BMPs, and programs providing funding or other assistance. • Conduct outreach workshops with stakeholders on sustainable lawn care and gardening practices, highlighting the potential impact of chemicals on aquatic resources, wildlife, and human health; provide practical guidance on sustainable lawn, garden, and farm management and applicable BMPs. • Conduct outreach workshops to prospective business and home owners, municipal officers, and developers about the importance of sustainable development for aquatic and natural resources; provide training on smart growth principles and practical guidance for implementation of conservation design as the new standard for development in suburban areas. • Conduct outreach workshops for school teachers and environmental educators regarding the utilization of local scenic streams, forests, and wetlands to increase public awareness of nature and conservation principles, and generate community support and ownership of the resources. • Conduct outreach workshops for school teachers and historical education organizations regarding the utilization of stream-associated historical resources (former mill and canal sites, etc.) to increase public awareness of the significance of these resources, and generate community support to improve historical education and preservation programs. • Conduct outreach workshops for school teachers and environmental educators regarding the importance of energy conservation, water conservation, and renewable energy, as fundamental means of mitigating for future climate change and promoting conservation of our aquatic and natural resources. • Conduct outreach workshops to government agency, and municipal leaders, as well as key leaders of organizations that manage resources likely affected by climate change (Port Authority, Water Authority, marina operators, fish and game managers, etc.) regarding the anticipated impact of future climate change on water-related community infrastructure and associated economic issues. Provide guidance on all available means to mitigate for the adverse effects of climate change, in addition to models of how vii
Page 1: Pennsylvania Rivers Conservation Pr
Page 4 and 5: land to development. Strong communi
Page 8 and 9: other communities, organizations, a
Page 11 and 12: TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures .
Page 13 and 14: 8.3 Sustainable Development and Gov
Page 15 and 16: Figure 5.14. Average summer phospho
Page 17 and 18: Figure 10.3. Management Areas propo
Page 19: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND PLAN AUTHORSHIP
Page 22 and 23: working with interested teacher and
Page 24 and 25: Figure 1.3. Perceived importance of
Page 26 and 27: 1.3 Watershed Plan Focus The primar
Page 28 and 29: Figure 2.2. Detail of the south-cen
Page 30 and 31: Figure 2.4. Physiographic provinces
Page 32 and 33: westward. Although the paucity of f
Page 34 and 35: via the Erigan River, a major river
Page 36 and 37: Warren and Whittlesey can be found
Page 38 and 39: evised paleoenvironmental picture,
Page 40 and 41: characteristic ground stone tools,
Page 42 and 43: phase represent the most common Lat
Page 44 and 45: including flexed and extended inhum
Page 46 and 47: with the appearance of European tra
Page 48 and 49: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania wa
Page 50 and 51: of $800 for the purchase of The Tri
Page 52 and 53: In addition to these townships, the
Page 54 and 55: Pittsburgh Railroad had reached New
Page 56 and 57:
Figure 3.3. Density of registered a
Page 58:
the Whittlesey and Warren III stran
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Table 3.3. Properties in the Study
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Table 3.3—continued Name Address
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Table 3.3—continued Name Address
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"Little Ice Age"), and the validity
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"massasaugies" (Eastern Massasauga
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eport (Col. John Fleeharty) lamente
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flowing streams. The starting point
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elow the park." Apparently the pump
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A submerged arching sand feature is
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of the lake plain and upland areas
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characteristics, and are important
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Lake section (see Figure 2.4). Nota
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Figure 5.2. Flow time series for Tw
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Figure 5.4. Flow time series for Co
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Figure 5.8. Flow per square mile pe
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area that have thicker glacial depo
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Table 5.4. Protected Water Uses for
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Stream Zone County 3—East Branch
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5.10.2 Permitted Discharges The two
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Figure 5.14. Average summer phospho
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Figure 5.15. Graphical analyses of
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Figure 5.17. Average summer nitrate
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Figure 5.19. Mercury concentrations
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Figure 5.20. Map showing locations
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Figure 5.22. Number of stream miles
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91 Figure 5.24. Results of Campbell
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Table 5.6. Range in Number of E. co
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Figure 5.26. Maximum E. coli counts
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The recent investigation completed
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Figure 5.30. Sources of known nondo
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6 NATURAL RESOURCES 6.1 Animal Life
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Rank Status Taxon Common Name Globa
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Table 6.2. Pennsylvania Vertebrate
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Table 6.3. Noted Occurrence of Spaw
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Figure 6.4. Water quality designati
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Figure 6.6. Fishing hours spent on
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Figure 6.7. Comparative analysis of
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Figure 6.9. Percentage breakdown of
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A small number of the birds listed
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phytoplankton by Dreissena allows l
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populations increase. Corbicula flu
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Rank Status Taxon Common name Globa
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Rank Status Taxon Common name Globa
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Two other forest wetland plant comm
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6.2.4 Emergent Wetlands Over half o
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alleghaniensis), sugar maple, red m
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Table 6.6.Percentage Composition of
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Figure 6.18. Detail of the largest
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Figure 7.1. Responses made by study
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Figure 7.3. Spatial distribution of
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Presque Isle State Park is connecte
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Table 7.2. Number of Recreational O
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lakefront recreational properties,
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Map Id Subwatershed Comment 51 41.5
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Bayfront Center for Maritime Studie
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Other watershed associations or wat
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Figure 8.1. Child poverty rates in
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comprehensive vision or plan, have
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and municipalities should be encour
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5. In order to sustain maximum biod
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10 PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES FOR AC
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easements for riparian areas, and p
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Table 10.2 Management Areas Defined
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Figure 10.2. Example of how GIS can
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Figure 10.4. Example of how GIS can
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Watershed Portion MAs Main Subwater
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Restoration actions Management Area
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11 REFERENCES CITED Abrams, M. D. 2
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Broyles, B. J. 1971 Second Prelimin
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Cooper, N. L., J. R. Bidwell, and D
Page 201 and 202:
Dzurko, Robert 1972 Conneaut Creek
Page 203 and 204:
Goodyear, A. C. 1999 The Early Holo
Page 205 and 206:
Jasim, S. Y., A. Irabelli, L. Schwe
Page 207 and 208:
Leighton, R. 2006 Pennsylvania Fish
Page 209 and 210:
Michaels, A. 2005 Pennsylvania Has
Page 211 and 212:
2007d Waterways, Wetlands, and Eros
Page 213 and 214:
Richardson, J. B., and J. B. Peters
Page 215 and 216:
Soon, W. and S. Baliunas 2003 Proxy
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Tomikel and Shepps 1967 Trasande, L
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Whitley, D. S., and R. I. Dorn 1993
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Preparing For Watershed Conservatio
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Introduction (cont’d) In March of
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Executive Summary Overall, responde
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Executive Summary (cont’d) Cont
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Summary Of Key Groups (cont’d) Ur
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Please Indicate Whether You Agree,
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In Your Opinion, Is The Need For Im
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If You Had To Choose Between Proper
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Favorite Locations For Recreation I
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Favorite Motor Boating Locations To
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Favorite Hiking Locations Location
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Favorite Swimming Locations Total R
Page 247 and 248:
Knowledge Of Historic And Prehistor
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Support For Stream Protection Measu
Page 253 and 254:
LERC Rivers Conservation Plan Publi
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• Mason: As far as education, get
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• Kloss: Educate people about Act
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Great Lakes Commission http://www.g
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Center for Economic and Environment
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The Erie County portion of the Penn
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Feature Parameters Parameter Variab
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Feature Parameters Parameter Variab
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Watershed Conservation Plan - Destination Erie

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