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Christina River Basin
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Task 1 |
Task 2 |
Task 3 |
Task 4 |
Task 5 |
Task 6 |
TASK 3.1 - PA STREAM RESTORATION
- 3.1A 10 Nutrient Management Control Plans - 6 plans completed
- 3.1B 7 Nutrient Management Control Systems - 4 completed
- 3.1C 500 Acres treated (completed)
- 3.1D 2,000FT. Waterway Diversions - 1000' completed
- 3.1E 4 Water Controls Structures - 2 small basins and 3 crossings completed
- 3.1F 2,700' Stream Fencing - to be completed by end of 2006
- 3.1G 6000`
Stream Reforestation - advertised to Stroud Water Research and
Brandywine
* Tree Vitalize, A DCNR initiative, and locally driven (Southeast Region of PA) was implemented on many streams to restore riparian buffers that would have been eligible for WQI Phase VI Funding - To date over 2000` of Riparian Buffers have been created or land Reforested with Tree Vitalize.
(*See note above) Conservancy & Buck & Doe Run Watershed Partnership. One farmer inquiry could not qualify because he wanted to add more trees to existing buffer, but no increase in width or length (A. DeLeo)
TASK 3.2 - DE SMARTYARDS LANDSCAPING (DELAWARE NATURE SOCIETY)
Project Needs | Objectives
| Context | Methodology
| Evaluation
Project DescriptionPublic awareness and citizen action initiatives are critical to reducing nonpoint source pollution and improving Delaware's water quality and achieving Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) for all impaired waters. The Smartyards program is specially designed to utilize local native plant species, reduce stormwater runoff, filter pollutants, provide excellent habitat, and give homeowners the education and tools necessary to start implementing best management practices on their properties.
Final Products
Smartyards reduce stormwater runoff and associated nonpoint source pollutants, such as phosphorus, bacteria, and sediment. Through conversion from a lawn to a Smartyard, and changes in property management practices, participants are able to reduce their outdoor lawn and garden water use, while increasing opportunities for groundwater recharge and infiltration. Water quality benefits for Smartyards can be calculated using the Purdue L-THIA water quality model, based on property portion converted from lawn to a Smartyard, which have similar water quality benefits as forests. Additionally, Smartyard participants are required to practice at least four resource conservation measures that can be readily expanded to the remainder of the property, further increasing the water quality benefits.
Project Needs
Suburban sprawl is recognized as one of the greatest threats to watershed health. In recent years, Delaware has experienced tremendous development and this land development has inevitably been accompanied by increases in nonpoint source pollution, flooding, erosion, and loss of fish and wildlife habitat.
The impacts of increasing suburbanization are even more critical, because according to the State of Delaware's 2004 Watershed Assessment Report, "94% of Delaware's rivers and streams do not fully support the swimming use and 65% do not fully support the fish and wildlife use. Most of these waters do not meet the standards because of nonpoint source (stormwater runoff) impacts."
Municipal, county, state, and federal regulations can significantly reduce the intensity of these threats, but individual residents also play a key role. Public awareness and citizen action initiatives, such as the Delaware Nature Society's Smartyards program, are critical to reducing nonpoint source pollution and improving Delaware's water quality and achieving Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) for all impaired waters.
Homeowners will learn how their landscaping practices can impact wildlife habitat and water quality. For example, they will learn about the value of riparian ecosystems and their transitional function between the water and the land. It is not uncommon for streamside homeowners to mow directly to the stream bank. They will learn that this practice will cause the banks to become unstable and ultimately create severe erosion problems that can impact stream health, while washing away valuable property. The Smartyards program will allow participants to create or expand a streamside vegetated buffer, if applicable. Smartyards participants will gain knowledge that can be passed onto their neighbors and throughout their neighborhoods, thereby expanding the reach of the program.
- Provide training and materials to 150 Christina Basin watershed residents to motivate them to adopt watershed conservation and protection measures in the management of their yards.
- Raise awareness among community/contacted residents about their watershed address and how their lawn and garden management practices impact local streams and rivers.
- Provide the opportunity for Delaware Nature Society Habitat Stewards to visit one-on-one at the homeowner's property to discuss and give advice on environmentally responsible lawn and garden maintenance practices.
- Educate participating home and land owners about locally native plant species.
- Develop and inspire a stewardship ethic within the community.
- Utilize partnership opportunities with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), University of Delaware, Institute for Public Administration-Water Resources Agency, Gateway Garden Center, Wild Birds Unlimited, and Christina Basin Tributary Action Team
By providing Christina Basin watershed residents education on simple Best Management Practices and supplying basic tools to implement those practices, Smartyards benefit local wildlife and water quality by reducing pollutants, including sediments, sewage, pet waste, fertilizers and pesticides. Homeowners get hands-on experience through planting native plants and managing their properties in a more ecologically-sound fashion. This fosters a stewardship ethic that can inspire involvement in other volunteer activities within the watershed and helps homeowners realize their impact in the watershed. This watershed-based approach ties into the larger watershed approach used by DNREC by serving as public outreach, education, and implementation pieces for achieving the nutrient reduction goals set by the TMDLs.
The Smartyards program is a unique expansion of the Delaware Nature Society's Backyard Habitat program, through which participants discover how to provide an oasis for local birds, butterflies, and other wildlife while helping to ensure the health of our streams and rivers through environmentally responsible lawn and garden maintenance practices. The Backyard Habitat program in Delaware is conducted in partnership with the NWF, DNREC, Gateway Garden Center, and Wild Birds Unlimited. The program provides official certification for properties where owners meet the four criteria necessary for wildlife habitat: food, cover, water, and places for wildlife to raise young. Certified habitats may range from those meeting the minimum requirements, such as a small balcony or rooftop, to extensive naturalized areas that meet a variety of wildlife needs. By adopting practices beneficial to wildlife such as planting water friendly native species and limiting the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, participants also help toimprove local water quality by reducing their reliance on products that contribute to the nonpoint source pollution. In the four years since the beginning of the Backyard Habitat Program the Delaware Nature Society has certified 162 properties and reached numerous others.
In addition to efforts such as Backyard Habitat and Smartyards, the Delaware Nature Society operates Ashland Nature Center, located in the Christina Basin watershed that connects the Society with the community. Furthermore, DNS is also helping the public become involved in water quality monitoring. Established in 1995, Technical Monitoring is recognized as a national example of the acceptance and use of citizen science data by the State and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Technical Monitoring was developed to supplement the State's monitoring efforts in other locations by providing reliable baseline values for several different chemical and physical parameters. The monthly sampling frequency, strategic site selection, rigorous quality assurance and control measures, and technical equipment allow for more subtle trend analysis. Technical Monitoring data is currently being collected at 39 sites within the Christina River Basin. This data is being incorporated into a non-point source pollution water quality model used by DNREC's Division of Water Resources and the US Geological Survey for the Delaware - Pennsylvania Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) effort for the Upper Christina Watershed. In addition, the data has been published in the Nature Society's State of the Christina Basin Watershed reports and is published every other year in DNREC's report on the statewide assessment of Delaware's surface and ground water resources that is required under Section 305(b) of the federal Clean Water Act.
Methodology
All residents within the Delaware portion of the Christina Basin Watershed will be eligible for the Smartyards program, although community open space parcels are not appropriate for this project. Smartyards packages will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.
Selected participants must agree to:
Attend an introductory meeting
- Sign a voluntary 10-year agreement form modeled after those utilized in Conservation District/NRCS cost-share programs
- Pick up their Smartyards materials at a central location
- Install all materials
- Provide mulch for plantings; and
- Complete the Backyard Habitat certification process
- A variety of native trees, shrubs, and perennials which reduce the need for watering and chemical applications provided by the Gateway Garden Center
- A birdfeeder, nesting box, and bird bath provided by Wild Birds Unlimited to enhance the property's wildlife value
- Educational and how-to resources, including Delaware native plant list, local watershed information, habitat planning guide and design templates, tip sheets on attracting wildlife, application for Backyard Wildlife Habitat certification, and water quality checklist
- A Backyard Habitat yard sign that works as a public education and advertising tool indicating to neighbors the environmentally friendly actions taken on the property
- One-on-one on-site technical assistance from Delaware Nature Society trained Habitat Stewards
- Planning and installation guidelines to ensure proper placement and maintenance of the plant materials
- A rain barrel to help conserve water resources and reduce stormwater runoff
To date the Delaware Nature Society has successfully implemented Smartyards programs in the Delaware portion of the Christina Basin (pilot project in 2002), the Pike Creek sub-watershed, the Appoquinimink watershed (2), and the White Clay watershed in Pennsylvania.
Evaluation
Smartyards is a unique citizen action program that helps address nonpoint source pollution. Primarily a public education and outreach tool, Smartyards raises awareness of the individual's role in keeping water clean and encourages action to achieve TMDL reductions. It is difficult to quantify water quality changes based on 150 residential landscapes in the Christina Basin watershed due to the large number of variables in natural systems. Although the scale of 150 homes will limit the measurable direct effect on watershed health, the significant impact of this project is the qualitative benefits of education and grass-roots action. Smartyards together with Technical Monitoring can provide a complementary and holistic approach to watershed education and citizen action. Through a survey of participants to be conducted by the University of Delaware, Institute for Public Administration-Water Resources Agency, we can determine if Smartyards was a motivational factor for residential watershed stewardship and whether and how the participants relayed lessons and information learned to neighbors. This information will be used to further reach Christina Basin watershed residents and enhance future programs.
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Water
Resources Agency
Institute
for Public Administration | College of
Human Services, Education & Public Policy
DGS Annex | University of Delaware |
Newark, DE 19716
phone 302 831 8971| water-info@udel.edu
| fax 302 831 4934
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