All rights to these reports, brochures, etc.
are the intellectual property of and retained
by the funding agency, the Pocono Northeast RC&D Council
and the Author.

Consortium for Scientific Assistance
to Watersheds (C-SAW)
funded by:    PA Department of Environmental Protection - Growing Greener

To help local watershed groups achieve their goals of watershed protection, several organizations have joined forces to form the Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds (C-SAW).  C-SAW is a team of scientists available to provide technical assistance to your watershed group.  Depending on the needs of your group, C-SAW can provide technical assistance in three main areas:  Watershed Specific Technology, Mentoring Assistance, and Quality Control Assistance for water-quality and macroinvertebrate monitoring programs.     

C-SAW's record illustrates the magnitude and scope of this program.  Over the past four and half hears, C-SAW has:

►assisted 180 local watershed organizations, municipalities, and conservation
                   districts across the state;
►provided 1,730 consultants (including planning sessions, meetings, and
                   consultations);
►implemented 312 training/workshops;
►assisted over 11,614 individuals; and
►processed over 1,540 chemical quality control samples to help watershed groups
                   ensure the credibility of their monitoring data.

CAWS's work has led to the creation and implementation of effective monitoring programs, design and implementation of technically-sound restoration projects, enhanced data quality, improved data utilization, greater vigilance and citizen involvement at the local level, and the formation of sturdy structures that contribute to long-term organization sustainability.

This project has received continued funding.  Further information can be found under "Current Projects."

Nutrient Management Through Precision Agriculture
funded by:    PA Department of Environmental Protection - Growing Greener

Using a global positioning system (GPS) and geographic information systems (GIS) technology to implement variable rate fertilization and pesticide application on farms to reduce non-point source agricultural nutrient and chemical pollution in the Delaware Watershed.

Complete Report

Improved Livestock Waste Distribution on Pasture funded by:    PA Department of Environmental Protection - Growing Greener

Innovative water delivery systems that utilized solar, wind, gravity, and electric power sources were installed on fourteen livestock farms in northeastern Pennsylvania.  The purpose was to demonstrate the environmental and production benefits of providing drinking water in multiple locations to better distribute waste and reduce erosion around drinking areas and in cattle lanes.

Report

Reclaimed Mineland Areas As Carbon Sinks
funded by:    U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

This project was undertaken to evaluate the potential for sequestration of atmospheric carbon on minelands and on other severely disturbed lands undergoing revegetation through use of coal ahs as a soil substitute.  It involved the investigation and documentation of the apparent carbon sequestration that has occurred under three types of vegetation on coal fly ash basins in eastern Pennsylvania.

Complete Report

Northeast Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Project
funded by:    U. S. Forest Service

108 individual Forest Stewardship plans were prepared on 26,552 acres in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  The initial proposal was to align neighboring forest landowners into "Working Circles" and to seek bids for consulting forest services in order to reduce the cost to $5.00 per acre or less.  The report describes the problems encountered with low bid contracting and how the project was revised to achieve success.

Complete Report - Grant 1
Complete Report - Grant 2

Solar Power Livestock Watering Project
funded by:    PA Department of Environmental Protection - Growing Greener

Twenty-seven  solar powered water pumping systems were installed to demonstrate the use of photovoltaic (PV) solar technology on typical Pennsylvania livestock farms.

Complete Report
Factsheet

Stormwater Management and Education Initiative
funded by:   The League of Women Voters Water Resources Education Network (WREN)

Publish and distribute a stormwater management handbook, development of a website, and workshops focusing on best management practices aimed at local official, whose efforts include reducing nonpoint source pollution in streams and rivers located the ten (10) county area.

Partners:  Clarks Green Borough, Dallas Borough, Delaware Township, Port Clinton Borough, Lackawanna College, EPCAMR, and the Conservation Districts of Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties in Pennsylvania.

Website
Final Report

Solar and Wind Powered Water Pumping Systems
for Rotational Grazing Systems
Funded by:  Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection  - Pennsylvania Energy Harvest  Grant Program

In order to realize the fullest potential of a rotational grazing system as a conservation tool, the system must include a water system that can distribute water to each paddock in the system.  Too many times rotational grazing systems do not include water for livestock in each grazing paddock, which can lead to problems with animal concentration areas, erosion, and poor utilization of forages.  In an effort to help solve this problem, it is proposed that fifteen (15) solar or wind powered water systems be installed through the thirteen (13) county Project Grass Northeast region. 

Goal:   The primary goal of this project is to reduce the use of fossil fuels in livestock production systems in northeast Pennsylvania by utilizing rotational grazing, while at the same time improving water and soil quality.  Secondary goals include promoting rotational grazing and its use as a sound conservation practice to deal with water quality issues, erosion control, and nutrient management.

Objectives:   (1)  To set up solar or wind powered watering system demonstration in the Project Grass Northeast Chapter area, for field days and/or meetings;   (2)  To educate/train NRCS and Conservation District staff about solar and wind powered livestock watering systems;   (3)  To improve nutrient management and pasture management by excluding cattle from riparian buffers, as well as improving pasture utilization by watering in the paddocks using solar powered pumps;   (4)  To improve/promote carbon sequestration by reducing row crops and encouraging permanent grass stands, which also reduces soil erosion; (5)  To evaluate soil quality on each of the solar water system sites in an effort to learn how water facility locations affect soil quality.

Final Report