News & Notes May 2002

Engineering Assistance Program Delivers Results

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) serves as the state link to local conservation efforts. An example of the PACD's resourcefulness and extraordinary leadership is its Engineering Assistance Program.

Last July, the Association was awarded almost $1 million in 'Growing Greener' funds through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide statewide engineering assistance. Within three months, the PACD hired eight new employees to implement the program. Since September, the Association's conservation engineering specialists and conservation technicians have assisted with the implementation of best management practices on dozens of sites throughout the state.

PACD's regional Engineering Assistance Teams have been involved with topographic surveys, design and specifications, technical reviews, construction quality assurance, soil investigation and numerous inventory and evaluation reports. The teams have also assisted a number of organizations with the application process for the 'Growing Greener' program.

PACD credits much of the program's success to its partner, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), whose technical staff provides daily guidance to the PACD teams that are stationed at the four regional Technical Centers, located in Bloomsburg, Clarion, Somerset and Lebanon.

Engineering Assistance clients, including conservation districts, watershed organizations, and various conservation-oriented organizations, have voiced their support for the program and are pleased with the performance of the technical staff. Brian Sneeringer, Agricultural Conservation Technician from the Adams County Conservation District, said "I hope that the program can continue this way, because the help we received has really made a difference." Sneeringer worked closely with the PACD Conservation team stationed in Lebanon on the Markel Run Water Quality Project, which helps manage manure and milkhouse runoff affecting a tributary of Markel Run located on an Adams County Farm.

"This particular project proved to be a huge success for us," Sneeringer said. "It's something I feel particularly good about because it has produced immediate effects and will have a direct impact on water quality." The project involved the installation of a concrete storage tank, roof runoff controls and streambank fencing. PACD staff worked closely with staff from the Adams County Conservation District and the landowner during the planning stages of the project.

The PACD Engineering Assistance Teams have dealt primarily with projects concerning agriculture, abandoned mine drainage (AMD) and stream restoration. The scope of work for each team is largely determined by the particular conditions present in their region of the state. For example, the Engineering Assistance Team stationed in Bloomsburg has assisted with abandoned mine drainage projects. The staff has provided services on several AMD projects in Schuylkill and Northumberland counties, including a technical review of design proposals for several AMD sites located within the Shamokin Creek Watershed.

"They've always been right here to help when we've needed it," said Dennis D'Iorio, Northumberland County Conservation District Manager. "We're involved in a lot of AMD projects and, by reviewing site designs and evaluating the different contractors' proposals, they've been a real help."

The PACD staff stationed in Somerset recently earned praise for their efforts to assist the Shade Creek Watershed Association. They provided an inventory and evaluation, soil investigation, survey and mapping, design and specifications, in addition to construction quality assurance services during the designing phase of an anoxic limestone drain on Shingle Run in Somerset. PACD staff has made several site visits, assisted with the bidding process and met with the contractors who will be constructing the device.

According to Stephanie Seltzer of the Shade Creek Watershed Association, "PACD maintained a close working relationship with us throughout the project and I can say that I'm very pleased. They've gone above and beyond, and have managed to save us a considerable amount of money." Upon completion of the project, 70 pounds of alkalinity will be added to the stream each day, and an estimated two miles of stream will be able to support a population of trout.

Perhaps what matters most about the early results of the program is that the landowners themselves appreciate the help and the quality of service. Recently, PACD staff stationed in Clarion assisted the Potter County Conservation District with the project design for a leachate collection system on a Potter County Farm. Melvin Easton, the owner and operator of the farm, is pleased with the results.

"The goal of all of this is to make the farmer comfortable with the product, and in this case he's been very happy," explained Carolyn Reidmiller, Nutrient Management Technician from the Potter Conservation District.
The objective of the PACD Engineering Assistance Program is to provide engineering assistance to entities developing or implementing a watershed assessment, watershed restoration plan, or watershed protection plan, while also increasing the ability of the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership to assist with the design and implementation of 'Growing Greener' projects.
Some of the specific types of technical assistance available include:

• Inventory and evaluation of problem areas;
  
• Identification of possible solutions and feasibility of solutions;
  
• Preliminary cost estimates based on selected solutions;
  
• Soil investigation;
  
• Surveys and project design;
  
• Design consultation, review, and approval;
  
• Engineering advice to private consultants;
  
• Quality assurance oversight (assistance and training to those doing assurance) and assistance to evaluate special conditions encountered
• during construction;
  
• Training for conservation district staff, Resource Conservation and Development Councils (RC&D) staff, consultants, and watershed organizations in project scoping, development of solutions, and identification of data needs; and
  
• Training to conservation districts, RC&D staff, consultants, and watershed organizations in the development of requests for proposals from engineering or consulting firms.
  

In order to be eligible for assistance, a completed application form must be submitted to the respective Technical Center, where it will be reviewed by a regional PACD Workload Advisory Team and given a priority ranking. Program information, application forms and instructions are posted on the PACD website, www.pacd.org.

The PACD Engineering Assistance Program is funded by a 'Growing Greener' Technical Assistance Grant, provided through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). DEP recently announced an extension to the existing 'Growing Greener' grant, which will allow the PACD Engineering Assistance Program to continue beyond the original June 30, 2003 termination date until about Sept. 30, 2003.

For more information on 'Growing Greener' visit the DEP website through the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, or directly at www.GrowingGreener.org.

The Susquehanna River Celebration is co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Education Office (PACD) and The River, 97.3 WRVV. For more information please call 717-238-PACD (7223), or visit www.pacd.org.

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