PotomacRiver

Chesapeake Bay Program

West Virginia's Chesapeake Bay Update

WV Chesapeake Bay Program Website


Spring 2013, Issue 11

Quick Links

 

U.S. EPA's Chesapeake Bay TMDL website

  

What's My Watershed?

In This Issue
Resources For LID Practices
Opequon Creek Stream Cleanup April 6
Earth Day 5K April 27
NRCS Sign up Period for CBWI funds
Public Tree Planting Schedule
Chesapeake Bay Barometer Progress Publication
Poultry and Livestock Environmental Management Meetings
Street Tree Inventory for Martinsburg, WV
Nutrient Management Planning
Jefferson County- Now Accepting Applications for Cost-Shared Practices
Success of Stormwater Manual Training
CommuniTree Continued Success from 2012
Chesapeake Stormwater Network

FREE Low Impact Development Instructional Three-Part Video Series 

Cecilia Lane, Stormwater Coordinator, Chesapeake Stormwater Network  

 

The Chesapeake Stormwater Network is pleased to announce the release of its 3-part instructional video series on Low Impact Development construction, installation and maintenance.  These videos were produced by the Center for Watershed Protection under contract with the Chesapeake Stormwater Network with funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation with additional support from Walmart and the Keith Campbell Foundation. All three videos can be accessed on our website for free! Click here to View!

Opequon Creek Project Team

Come out to Clean the Banks of Opequon Creek April 6, 2013! 

 Opeqon Creek Project Team, Eastern Panhandle

 

Join us at Van Metre Ford Stonebridge from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
� Wear sturdy shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather. Bring your work
gloves.
� We pick up trash rain or shine.
� You'll get a little dirty and a little wet.
� You'll meet and work with new people.
� And, you'll HAVE A BLAST!
 Click here for Original Announcement.
 For more Upcoming Events, check out Opequon Creek Project Team's webpage: http://www.opequoncreek.org 

Earth Day 5K!

Sign up for the 2nd Annual Earth Day 5K and 1 Mile Fun Walk! 

April 27, 2013!

Suzy Lucas, Eastern Panhandle Conservation District 

 

The mission of the Earth Day 5k/ 1 Mile Fun Walk is twofold: First; provide a fun, safe, family oriented Earth Day event which fosters environmental awareness. Second; the proceeds from this event will be used to further educate students in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, so they may academically thrive and advance in the vast field of Environmental Science.

 
Come and support our mission and our youth by participating in this event, enjoying the beautiful scenery of Cacapon State Park, and interacting with your environment this Earth Day! For more info and To Register, Click HERE!


NRCS

Applications Being Accepted for Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative Through March 22, 2013 

Natural Resources Conservation Service 

MORGANTOWN, WV, March 15, 2013- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offers voluntary conservation program opportunities through the Farm Bill.  Applications for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI) are accepted at any time. The next ranking cut-off is March 22, 2013.  Applications will be evaluated and ranked following this date based on funding.  

NRCS encourages landowners who are interested in these voluntary programs to contact their local USDA Service Center/NRCS Field Office today to be eligible for the initial funding.  Additional information on CBWI and other conservation programs is available on the Web at www.wv.nrcs.usda.gov.

 For original press release, click here.  

  

 

 

Public Tree Plantings Happening in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Herb Peddicord, Chesapeake Bay Forester, WVDOF

 

This is a list of the public tree plantings taking place in the Bay watershed this spring:

Contact Herb Peddicord for additional information or to register.

Herb.f.peddicord@wv.gov

 

Thursday, April 11, 9:30am - Route 9 Bike Path planting at Curry Road, Ranson, Jefferson County

Sat April 13. 9am - Irvin planting on Harlan Run, Little Georgetown, Berkeley County.

Sat April 20, 9am - Parson/Pichot planting. Opeqon Creek near Mill Creek confluence, Berkeley County

Mon April 22, 9am - Martinsburg planting on Tuscarora Creek at John St.

Sat April 27, 12:30 pm - Tuscarora creek planting in Mountain Brooks Estates s/d, Berkeley County

Sat May 4, TBA - Morgan county Communitree planting in 522 Business Park.

Sat May 4, 8am - St James Catholic Church Communitree planting, Charles Town.

Sat May 4, 12noon - Town run planting near Morgan Grove Park, Jefferson County

Sat May 18th, TBA - Boyd Ave. Neighborhood planting Martinsburg.

West Virginia's Progress Toward 2013 Two-Year Milestones

Alana Hartman- WV Dept. of Environmental Protection     

 

   West Virginia's Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) for the reduction of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment reaching the Chesapeake Bay contains many long-term goals to be implemented by 2017 and 2025. How can we be sure we are on track to reaching those goals? Two-year milestones are the answer. Progress toward West Virginia's 2-year milestones is tracked online at ChesapeakeStat. Currently, this website contains an analysis of West Virginia's progress during the 2009-2011 milestone period (that first one was a three-year period). We recently completed our annual reporting of Best Management Practice (BMP) numbers to the Chesapeake Bay Program, and the results show that West Virginia is making significant progress toward our 2013 milestones.  

Click here to read more.

 Bay Shows Signs of Resilience as Partners Report on Health and Progress toward Local Pollution Reduction Goals

Chesapeake Bay Program, Annapolis, Maryland

The Bay Barometer Publication
The Bay Barometer for 2011-2012.

 

   The Chesapeake Bay Program's analysis of recent data on the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed shows an ecosystem that is resilient, even as it remains impaired and population continues to increase. The Bay Program's "Bay Barometer: Spotlight on Health and Restoration of Chesapeake Bay and Watershed," which was released today at the Virginia Living Museum, offers a science-based snapshot of current watershed-wide progress toward a healthy Bay ecosystem.
Though health indicators continue to reflect the reality of an impaired Bay and local waterways, significant restoration actions and pollution reductions give Bay officials cause for optimism.
Chesapeake Bay Program Director Nick DiPasquale said, "While we clearly have a lot of work to do, the Bay is resilient and we have reason for hope. We know this complex ecosystem will respond to restoration efforts and we expect to see encouraging news for 2012 data. This includes news such as the increase in juvenile crabs, early reports of perhaps the smallest 'dead zone' in over 25 years and restoration accomplishments that will result in more positive health indicators in years to come." For a look at the Bay Barometer publication, Click Here. 

Click here for the original press release. 

 

Environmental Management for Poultry and Livestock Producers- Dinner Meeting Scheduled- RSVP now!

Carla Hardy, West Virginia Conservation Agency

 

Cattle
Learn the practices to implement to prevent being classified as a CAFO.

   Pendleton County farmers are invited to attend an educational dinner meeting on April 8, 2013 to learn about the latest information on practices farmers can implement to assist in preventing being classified as a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO).  Both livestock and poultry producers will be informed on practices that can be implemented on their farms that can address water quality issues and be updated on the latest regulatory issues facing the industry.  The dinner meeting will be held at the Community Building in Franklin and will begin at 6:30 PM.  Featured speakers will include Paul Bredwell, Vice President of Environmental Affairs with the US Egg and Poultry Association and Dr. Joshua Faulkner, WVU Agriculture Engineering Specialist.  Please RSVP with the Pendleton County Extension Office at 304.358.2286 by April 2, 2013 if you plan to attend.  

City of Martinsburg Performs Street Tree Inventory

Tanner Haid, Urban Forestry Coordinator, Cacapon Institute 

Martinsburg Street Segments Highlighted
City of Martinsburg outlined in white with the 42 randomly selected street segments highlighted in red.

 The City of Martinsburg, with assistance from the Martinsburg Shade Tree Commission, Cacapon Institute, and WV Division of Forestry, conducted an i-Tree Streets inventory of trees in the public right of way.  i-Tree is a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed software suite from the USDA Forest Service that provides urban forestry analysis and benefits assessment tools. i-Tree Streets is part of the i-Tree software suite and is an assessment tool used to gauge the "ecosystem services and structure of a city's street tree population." Based on a random sample of street segments and user defined input, i-Tree estimates a value on trees' annual environmental and aesthetic benefits

The purpose of the i-Tree Inventory was to assess the structure, function, value, and management needs of Martinsburg's street trees.

To see the results of this inventory, Click to read Full Article. 

 

Nutrient Management Planning- A Win-Win For West Virginia's Farmers

Ashby Ruddle, West Virginia Department of Agriculture

 

Nutrient Management Planners
Currently the WVDA employs five full-time Nutrient Management Planners.

West Virginia's farmers have always been good stewards of their agricultural lands. But as a growing human population places greater pressures on land and water resources and as profit margins are stretched ever thinner farmers must operate their businesses with greater precision. To be successful, they must rely on scientific methods and modern agricultural techniques to minimize environmental impact while maximizing economic efficiency. 

 

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has increased the number of Nutrient Management Planners and now employs five full-time Nutrient Management Specialists.  These Planners work with West Virginia's farmers to collect soil and manure samples and write Nutrient Management Plans.  This is a voluntary program in West Virginia that is offered to all farmers at no cost.

 Click to read full article.  

Accepting Applications NOW! Jefferson County Watershed Water Quality Improvement Project

 Barbie Elliot, WVCA 

septic system
Cost-share funding for practices such as septic pumping shown above has now been opened up to all landowners in Jefferson County, WV.

 

The EPCD is renaming the Elks Run Watershed Quality Improvement Program to the Jefferson County Water Quality Improvement Project. All funds for the Elks Run Program will be opened up to all of the landowners in Jefferson County, WV.

All of the watersheds in Jefferson County ultimately drain to the Potomac River, which is one of the largest tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Due to the proximity of Jefferson County to the Bay, BMP implementation in Jefferson County will have a greater benefit to the Bay than in other counties.

The following practices will be offered to every landowner in Jefferson County, WV:

Agriculture:  We plan to offer technical and financial assistance to practices, which may also improve on-farm efficiency, productivity and profitability. EPCD will cost share 90%, up to $10,000 per producer on the following practices: livestock exclusion including streambank fencing, stream crossing, alternative watering system, riparian tree plantings.

Residential/septic systems: We plan to offer technical and financial assistance to property owners with septic systems located within Jefferson County. Applicants will be placed on a waiting list first come, first serve and will be reimbursed up to 50% of the cost for pumping the septic system not to exceed $150.00 per property owner. 

 Education: We plan to continue education and outreach throughout Jefferson County by supplying middle schools and high schools with supplies and materials for stream monitoring. Each school must submit a proposal to the district outlining their monitoring plan and materials needed

For more details and contact information Click Here. 

 

Stormwater Planners Gather in Romney, WV.  

Carla Hardy, WVCA 

Stormwater Manual Workshop in Romney
52 Stormwater Management Professionals gathered in Romney, WV to learn how to utilize the new Stormwater Manual for WV.

 

Engineers and Inspectors were the target audience for the West Virginia Stormwater Manual Training Workshop held in Romney on March 12, 2013. The West Virginia Division of Highways and the West Virginia Conservation Agency hosted a day-long training where fifty two stormwater management professionals, including several county planners, private consultants, and watershed association members, were exposed to the newly adopted West Virginia Stormwater planning spreadsheet. The program was delivered by the Chesapeake Stormwater Network (CSN) through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund. 

  Alana Hartman, Potomac Basin Coordinator for the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), provided background information to the group on the Phase Two Watershed Implementation Plan for West Virginia and how the spreadsheet can be a new tool in assisting the state in holding the line on stormwater management. The newly released West Virginia Stormwater Manual was reviewed in detail by Cecilia Lane and Joe Battiata with CSN. The manual can be found at WVDEP's website. 

   For full article, Click Here.

 

WV Project CommuniTree Continues Success from 2012

 Tanner Haid, Urban Forestry Coordinator, Cacapon Institute

 

CommuniTree Plantings
CTree Plantings 2008- Spring 2013. 

   WV Project CommuniTree (CTree) builds communities from the roots up by engaging citizens in education and volunteerism. In 2012, CTree engaged volunteers across the Potomac Headwaters in 21 urban tree plantings at schools, parks, road right-of-ways, and other community spaces. Together, nearly 1,400 volunteers planted a total of 726 urban trees at planting sites across the Potomac Highlands (see map).

 

 CTree will expand upon these successes into a very busy spring 2013 planting season. Sixteen groups have been successfully awarded a CTree Kit to organize and implement their own urban tree planting. The successful awards include:

  • Petersburg High School
  • Petersburg Elementary School
  • Brandywine Elementary School
  • Jefferson County Parks and Recreation
  • Berkeley Springs High School
  • Shepherd Environmental Organization
  • Martinsburg South High School
  • City of Carpendale
  • South Branch Watershed Coalition
  • Moorefield Intermediate School
  • Grant County Housing Authority
  • Morgan County Commission
  • City of Ranson
  • Blue Ridge Watershed Association
  • Musselman WET Club
  • Knights of Columbus

For planting dates and locations, contact the Urban Forestry Coordinator, Tanner Haid, at thaid@cacaponinstitute.org or by phone at 540-335-0687. You can also visit our website at www.cacaponinstitute.org

About WV's Potomac Tributary Strategy Team
Fourteen percent (14%) of West Virginia drains into the Potomac River and on to the Chesapeake Bay. In June of 2002, Governor Bob Wise signed the Chesapeake Bay Program Water Quality Initiative Memorandum of Understanding. By signing this memo, West Virginia agreed to develop goals and objectives to reduce nutrient and sediment loading to the Chesapeake Bay. 

To help WV accomplish these goals, Project Teams began working in targeted watersheds. These groups build partnerships, gather funding, and identify priority projects that are most important to their local communities.

Reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment in local creeks and rivers will mean healthier water resources that are better able to sustain tourism, fishing, drinking water supplies, wildlife habitat, and other uses. Each one of us can act locally to help achieve these goals.

 

WV's Potomac Tributary Strategy Team