Municipalities across the Pennsylvania portion of the Delaware River basin have been grappling with how to meet MS4 and local water quality and nutrient reduction goals. Some of these municipalities are new to the MS4 program and some have had permits before but have not been required to include projects to reduce pollution in local streams and rivers.
The EFC worked with the Christina TMDL Implementation Partnership (CTIP) to help municipalities in the Brandywine-Christina watershed review their stormwater management financing needs and strategies so as to meet both fiscal and water quality goals. For years, CTIP has helped the municipalities meet the requirements of MCMs 1 & 2 by providing stormwater public education, outreach and engagement activities, as well as engaging in dialogue with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection regarding the MS4 permit program. This project envisioned a close look at three pilot areas to assess whether a collaborative structure among the municipalities would facilitate regulatory compliance and water quality improvements. One pilot area involved a borough and a township with significant agricultural land uses; another covered six municipalities with more suburban/rural land uses; and the third included five municipalities with more developed land uses. A formal collaboration was formed in the first pilot area between Honey Brook Township and Honey Brook Borough. The foundation for a collaboration, including adoption of common mapping and calculation methodology, occurred in the suburban/rural pilot area in the White Clay Creek watershed. During the course of the project, CTIP changed its name to Christina Watersheds Municipal Partnership (CWMP); the partnership includes more than 30 municipalities, two county agencies, and several local conservation organizations. The EFC continues to support work in the suburban/rural pilot with the White Clay Creek Watershed Association and its Wild & Scenic Program.
Partners
Brandywine Red Clay Alliance
Brandywine Conservancy
Chester County Water Resources Authority
Chester County Conservation District
University of Delaware Water Resources Center
Sponsors
