Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation Plan - Western ...

Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation PlanChapter 6. Issues and Concerns• Increase recreational opportunities and green space, such as new trails, parks, fishing, andcanoeing opportunities (8)• Increase public education, including watersheds and pollution impacts (7)• Watershed-wide cleanup to remove trash and debris, clean up illegal dumpsites, and removeremnants from Hurricane Ivan by providing a legal mechanism for trash removal, such as publicdumpster locations (7)• Protect wetlands and swamps through restoration efforts, replacement, not altering existing sites,and prohibiting developments in floodplains and wetlands (5)• Control sprawl (4)• Increase public access to streams, possibly through landowner programs (4)• Establish flood control through the updating of floodplain maps, involving FEMA, and removingrepeatedly flooded structures (3)• Recycling (3)• Dredge sections of the creek (2)• Identify “natural areas,” and encourage protection by allowing these areas to flourish (2)• Preserve creek conditions, and amend land development ordinances to protect streams (2)• Protect riparian corridors through increasing their size and number, and encourage the purchaseof conservation easements protecting them indefinitely (2)• Develop and improve wildlife habitat (2)• Educate the public about how rivers naturally work and why dredging is not needed (1)• Control invasive species (1)• Establish a tax to improve recreation (1)• Organize interested parties (1)• Publicity (1)• Purchase right-of-ways (1)• Main Street revitalization (1)• Multiple municipal cooperation (1)• Support farming (1)• Stream improvement projects (1)9. Other comments or concerns:• Consult with Pennsylvania Department ofEnvironmental Protection and Pennsylvania Fish andBoat Commission to see how several unneeded dams can be removedBreached dam on Thorn Creek belowSaxonburg Water Treatment Facility• Clean water, any endangered species at risk, flooding and the costs to the communities• Are you aware of the plant list for the watershed available from Morris Arboretum of PA floraon-line• Connoquenessing water trail inclusion, Wild Waterways Conservancy-local land trust inZelienople, PEC-natural infrastructure mapping, Lawrence/Butler County Scenic byway plans• Reducing flood damage to property owners and to ensure that recommendations and regulationdo not restrict growth; we dislike mandates• Private property owners/verify if Connoquenessing is navigable• Butler County is fairly conservative and is often reluctant to get behind anything that couldinfringe on private property owner rights• Farmers need to stop erosion• A private property near Ellwood City has been filled in and changed the natural topography andwildlife of the community, this should be restored• Educational possibilities in environment, limited building permits in floodplains and wetlands;allow for meandering streams6-17