Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation Plan - Western ...

Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation PlanChapter 3. Water Resourcespersonal communication, 2006). Increased funding for any of these programs is always needed. The localNatural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), located in Butler, can be contacted for moreinformation.Forestry PracticesThe amount of water running off a forest during a rainstorm depends in large part on the forest ageand proportion affected by timber harvesting. Following a cut, there is an increase in the amount of waterrunning off a forest patch because fewer trees exist to intercept rainfall or to transpire water. Most of thewater infiltrates into soil or carries sediment and nutrients to streams. High-grade cuts (which remove thebest-quality trees and leave little for regeneration) and other practices leaving few standing trees canincrease the amount of runoff to streams. The filtering function of forests can be maintained through anumber of practices, such as dispersing harvesting operations so that only a small percentage of anywatershed is affected at any one place and time, utilizing forestry methods that leave an appropriateamount of trees to prevent sediment and erosion, leaving enough streamside forest to filter sediment fromsurface runoff, utilizing thinning practices to maximize filtering capacity and forest health, andimplementing additional sediment and erosion control BMPs (Klapproth & Johnson, 2000). These arediscussed further in the Land Resources chapter.Development PracticesLand ordinances can be tailored to protect waterresources. One of the biggest impacts is development onfloodplains, which are natural features of a stream thatdissipate water during flood events. Even smaller-scaledevelopment along floodplains reduces their effectiveness.Removing riparian vegetation can also increase the amountof streambank erosion, causing stream widening and abuildup of sediment on the stream bottom. Effective landordinances restrict building in these and other sensitiveareas, or allow building if certain requirements are met(Klapproth & Johnson, 2000).Calgon ledge along ConnoquenessingCreek near ButlerStormwater runoff is also an issue that should beadequately addressed in ordinances. During storm events, large amounts of water runs off paved surfacesand other impervious areas, rapidly increasing the amount of pollution and water entering streams. Someof these issues can be avoided by preventing certain types of building in sensitive areas, and encouragingbuilding options to allow rainwater to percolate into soils instead of into roadways and drains.The elimination and draining of wetlands for development can exacerbate flooding occurrences andseverity, reduce a watershed’s filtering capacity, and lead to increased sediments entering streams. Streamchannelization, another root cause of increased erosion, sedimentation, and flooding, often occurs duringconstruction practices and in heavily developed areas.Road MaintenanceMunicipal and state road maintenance can impact waterways by contributing chemical pollutants, aswell as sediments and minerals to area waterways. Residual materials left from the use of salt and cinderto improve safety during wintery conditions may be pushed into storm drains or directly dumped intostreams and wetlands during winter maintenance activity. This practice may have a direct, negativeimpact on fisheries and water quality. In addition, excess salt, cinder, and other related debris may beremoved from roadways, including bridges that span the waterways, by washing the materials intostormwater drains and over the sides of bridges. Municipalities and Pennsylvania Department of3-21