Why do we need clean water?
More than 90% of Lancaster County’s streams are not healthy. Pollution from human development and agriculture have damaged our local water quality, community health, and economic stability.
If you look closely, you will see high, steep banks and exposed tree roots along our streams – that’s a dramatic sign of erosion. We’re sending our soils down to the Chesapeake Bay.
When it rains, if water can’t filter into the ground, it washes downhill and picks up pollutants along the way. Flash floods and stormwater pollution are expensive to clean up.
Every living thing relies upon clean water. Fish and aquatic organisms can’t breathe in polluted water. At every level, our local biodiversity has dramatically declined. We need to restore healthy ecosystems to welcome back wildlife. Humans play an important role in the interconnected web of life.
The good news is that we can stop pollution with nature-based solutions. Growing native plants and trees and using green infrastructure will help solve this problem.
If we can clean up our waterways, we’ll be able to enjoy them for recreation and sustainable business.
Pennsylvania’s constitution recognizes clean water, pure air, and preservation of the environment as a basic civil right for its people.
We all live downstream, and we can all help!
Cleaning Up Waterways
Our waterways are valuable and vital resources, but historically water has not been treated well. History of the use includes sediment from mill dams, dumping of sewage, and farm waste. Years of this treatment have led to high levels of legacy sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Harmful to our native plants, animals, and not clean or safe for humans to use or be in. Most community members assume that clean water is a given. Value to the quality of life here in PA.
If we could enjoy our local water: swimming, picnicking, fishing, wouldn’t that be nice? If our wildlife and wetlands could benefit from clean water wouldn’t that be nice?
FAQs
Q: Why are we removing trees and will new ones be planted?
A: Trees are removed in favor of the historical wet meadows that excavation has uncovered. Trees will be planted elsewhere along the trail, but will not be a main focus in restored areas.
Q: Will I see any bog turtles or beavers?
A: Maybe someday! Our approach is designed to restore conditions that hosted bog turtles in the past and currently host beavers at other similar wetlands in PA.
Q: What kind of birds will I see?
A: Birders may see a variety of new bird species throughout the trail, including kingfishers, flickers, phoebes, and egrets.
Q: Won’t additional wetlands invite more mosquitos?
A: No! Thriving wetlands host predators that eat mosquitos, and there won’t be standing water for larvae to inhabit.
Q: Why restore a wetland here instead of a riparian buffer?
A: Restoration reconnects a wetland to groundwater and enhances ecosystem services. Riparian buffers do not reach the full restoration potential of the stream.
Q: Is legacy sediment removal a cost effective strategy?
A: The short answer is: yes! Legacy sediment removal is long-lasting, and cost effective compared to other practices.
Still have questions? Want more info?
Check out ChesapeakeWatershedInitiative.org for more!