Water and Our
Changing Landscape
Perspectives from the Wild and Scenic White Clay
Watershed
April 14, 2005
Clayton Hall,
Conference
Lunch Table Theme Discussion Summaries
The following summaries are not intended to be detailed notes of the discussions at each table, but merely to provide some record of what was discussed and of concern to conference participants. The statements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the facilitators or the White Clay Watershed Management Committee. The title recorder designates the person(s) providing notes which were subsequently summarized by the River Administrator; the notation transcribed by is used when the notetaker summarized their own notes.
AGRICULTURAL ISSUES
Facilitator: Dan Grieg Recorders: Laura Boyer
& Brandon Lafferty
Discussion focus initially was on spent mushroom compost and
issues involving inter-state transfer.
The quality of the compost (level of pre-processing) varies among the
states.
Nutrient management regulations require testing for fertilizer application. Concern is mainly centered on phosphorus. Advantages of till v. no-till were discussed and it was pointed out that a chisel plow helps water infiltration.
The Ag community is involved in the
There is a need for more information regarding the Red and
Honey Brook Golf Course used to be a Dairy Farm.
Four noxious weeds in
Discussion of stream restoration projects on agriculture lands focused on current research, value of riparian buffers, Trout Unlimited involvement, runoff problems and funding opportunities.
EDUCATION
TABLE DISCUSSION SESSION
Facilitator: Kristen Travers Transcribed by Rick Mickowski
Cindy Kranz reviewed the current status of the farm project. She stated that the State Parks is paying $20,000 for an engineer to assess the structural integrity of the barn. They need this information for liability purposes. They can then sign off on the barn and pasture that they are safe and ready to use. They are looking for partners for farm education part of the program. Attendees suggested contacting the FFA, the Farm Bureau, and the Department of Agriculture.
Discussion then turned to ideas and suggestions for the education committee to consider. All felt that changing the mindset about the watershed was very important. It is very hard to get teachers to commit to more training and participation when their plates are full. We need to continue to teach the kids and focus on changing long-term habits. We need to look at incentives for urban conservation practices much like with agricultural practices. What can we offer to entice the homeowner to try something new? How can we reach developers and have them change what they do? It was discussed how we need to get the economic factors and figures in front of people to see how much it costs to provide clean water or to buy bottled water in comparison to what we spend on gasoline or other items.
The education committee is working on a watershed welcome
packet that can be distributed through realtors and homeowner associations. It
was suggested that we focus on outreach to the civic and maintenance
associations for communities in the watershed and particularly the landowners
adjacent to the
FLOODING
Facilitator: John
Talley Recorder:
unknown
Various
sizes of floods were discussed and it was concluded that it is not economically
feasible to design storm water measures for a worse case scenario. The
planning guidelines and regulations that are currently in effect in
Conversation shifted to the Governor's Surface Water Management Task Force. Its recently completed work recommended that the stormwater utilities should be formed at the county or local level as a funding vehicle for the purpose of providing a simplified and comprehensive approach to drainage and flooding problems throughout each county.
A discussion of the role of dredging and dam removal noted several problems. Dredging may cause downstream impacts, often results in Not-In-My-Backyard adversaries, may cause bank erosion problems, and risks releasing stored contaminants like zinc, DDT, and DDE. Dam removal may release historic sediments with some of the same problems as noted above.
Hurricane
Henri was classified as a 500-year precipitation event in portions of the
Piedmont of northern
Stream restoration then became the center of discussion. Rip rap along banks provides a temporary erosion control measure at best and does not allow for natural stream channel changes. Planting vegetation secures the banks over time and eliminates future maintenance costs that are incurred with rip rap. Plastic/petroleum based materials are impervious and don’t biodegrade, so they should be avoided.
GARDENING FOR HEALTHY WATERSHEDS #1
Facilitator: Harriet Wentz Transcribed by Heather Rose
Among those at
the table were gardeners, enviro consultants, state
park trail construction staff, and concerned residents. The topics
discussed ranged from prolific raspberry bushes to stormwater
basins...
Third generation
raspberries can produce a bountiful harvest.
A subdivision
meadow was discussed in which three neighboring residences joined together and
created a meadow with a portion of each of their back properties. They created
the native wildflower meadow via plowing and overseeding
with regional native plants in late November.
Stormwater basins in our various townships were
discussed and there was interest in seeing more planted with vegetation. London
Grove's ordinances pertaining to basins, Riparian Forested Buffers restoration,
etcs were described. They require builders to vegetate their
basins.
One person
mentioned having natural landscaping demonstations
for the public.
A gentleman
mentioned the
The
GARDENING FOR HEALTHY WATERSHEDS #2
Facilitator: John Harrod Recorder: Jen Gilbert
Discussion shifted quickly and included the following varied topics.
Deer browsing in gardens is a problem for many gardeners. Spicebush was suggested as a plant not preferred by deer. It likes wet shaded areas however, so it may be difficult to cultivate in lawn areas.
It is important to assess health of trees and prune where needed rather than just cutting down large trees.
Creating wetlands, bog gardens, or rain gardens are great
treatments for wet problem areas. Plants
like pitcher plants and venus
fly trap are interesting bog plants.
Education is needed to relieve people’s fears about mosquitoes. Calling these projects ‘rain gardens’ is
preferable to ‘wetlands’ to avoid negative images and responses. A large rain garden demonstration project is
being created on campus by a
You can find listings of wet area plants on the Delaware Nature Society website and in the Planting Guide available from White Clay Wild and Scenic Program.) A sump pump outlet is a good source of water for creating a wet garden.
Ticks do not jump, only crawl, so keep clearly defined paths where plants do not brush against cloths in wooded areas. [Also see http://www.wwhd.org/TLD_CD/ticks.htm & http://ag.udel.edu/extension/information/hyg/hyg-13.htm]
Roof gardens are another environmentally healthy way to reduce stormwater runoff.
Sources for native plants include: Delaware Nature
Society’s, UD Botanical Garden’s, Brandaywine
Conservancy’s, and
Finally, a key concept to keep in mind when planning a natural landscape: START SMALL and increase the natural area slowly to increase your chance of success and decrease potential negative responses from neighbors.
LONDON
Facilitator: Martin
Wells Transcribed by David Hawk
There were six people at the lunch table to discuss the
London Tract Historic District project.
The first draft of the National Historic Register nomination had just been
submitted to the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission (PHMC) the
previous day by Wise Preservation, the consultants hired to do this project.
Seth Hinshaw, of Wise Preservation, was present to
discuss what has been done. He had a copy of the nomination paperwork and
this was passed around the table for examination. He also had a pile of
the photographs submitted as part of the documentation and these were also
passed around. Seth pointed out that it would be unusual for a first
draft to be accepted as-is by PHMC, and that due to being understaffed, it
might be several months before they might even get around to looking at
it. The attendees were pleased with the submission and were impressed
with its thoroughness.
There was also some discussion of the next project for the Historical Committee
being the study of Landenberg as another potential National Historic
District. The first phase of such a project would be preparing the
paperwork for an Eligibility Determination.
MUNICIPAL ORDINANCES
Facilitator: Judy
Shuler Recorder: Sally Cheyne
The group discussed ways to overcome resistance to implementing new ordinances and how to get people to come out to meetings.
RECREATION
Facilitator : Ed O’Donnell
Discussions centered around fishing in the White Clay Creek with conversations on insect life in the streams, children’s fishing programs, fishing programs in other state parks, the number of people who fish in WCC, and the parking problems.
STREAM/RIPARIAN RESTORATION
Facilitators: James Chaconas,
Jessie Benjamin, Ad hoc
Recorders: Pete Saenger,
Thomas Zawislak
Three tables formed around this topic. The following notes are a compilation of discussion from each.
Stream restoration projects do not necessarily improve water quality. For example, riparian buffers alone are not a guarantee of better water quality although they may eventually provide improvement. Restoration projects are sometimes opportunity driven and sometimes science driven. Individual landowners are not always aware of water quality issues, so citizen education of water quality issues is key.
Hydrographs plot stream flow over time and provide a quick picture of the frequency of flooding.
Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)
are being developed and implemented in the greater
Stream restoration techniques include: instream
improvements such as rock vanes (used in meanders to take eroding force off the
bank) and stream bank improvements like rock toes and log toes. Aesthetics are key
to encouraging citizen to want to adopt.
Pike Creek restoration project is a great example. Hardwood trees are being used along the banks
and wetlands are being restored and protected.
The golf course management has agreed to maintain wetlands. The project will also help protect
Restoration management to controlling invasive species is also critical to long-term project success. Mowing can contribute to invasive species spread. The management plan needs to be considered in the design phase. Invasive vines are a particular problem along with multiflora rose. Transition periods before new growth is established is an especially vulnerable time. Use of biodegradable erosion control fabric like coconut mats available with seeds, is helpful. Avoid netted mats which are a hazard to amphibians and reptiles. Habitats are also an important consideration in the design. For example bog turtle habitat was a consideration in the Pike Creek project. Getting the necessary permits sometimes is time consuming and difficult.
Beavers sometimes are of concern, but only when they are causing serious damage. They can be captured and relocated. It is not as much of a problem in White Clay because it is a wider stream but more of an issue in a narrower, deeper stream like the Christina.
Many agencies are involved in restoration projects and are sources of assistance and funding.
The past few years of these mega-storms have caused considerable damage. Discussion centered on the practicality of planning for such events.
The MBNA/Newark sewer line is experiencing erosion problems
along the mainstem above
The University of Delaware College of Agriculture is planning a wetland and riparian restoration project on Cool Run, a tributary on Ag lands. There currently are no funds available for monitoring which would be an important component to measure effectiveness.
WATER QUALITY
Facilitator: Dr. Bernard Sweeney Transcribed by Martha Corrozi
This table had seven conference attendees; organizations in
both
Dr. Sweeney asked the representatives from Delaware
Department of Transportation (DelDOT) whether DelDOT has been proactive in managing stormwater
and decreasing the degradation to the water quality in local streams throughout
Discussion turned to the importance of pristine watersheds
and the ability to use these watersheds as a benchmark for other watersheds
throughout the world. Dr. Sweeney
discussed his research trips in the Patagonia watershed and the importance of
the
Dr. Sweeney discussed the importance of dissolved organic matter in streams. Research has found that dissolved organic matter represents over 50% of the food available in the stream. The organic matter originates in the watershed and makes its way to the stream, whether it is through leaf litter, runoff or a variety of other transport routes. Dr. Sweeney explained the effect that certain types of landuse have on the amount of organic matter found in the stream and the negative impacts of denuding a watershed.
This led into a discussion about the soils in the
The conversation turned to a discussion regarding the importance of trees and tree canopy in a watershed. The group discussed the negative impacts that the deer have on trees throughout the watershed. Dr. Sweeney mentioned a research experiment that is testing the effectiveness of using protective sheds to protect young trees from deer grazing. The research has found that 99% of the trees that were not protected by the sheds failed to thrive. Ninety percent of the trees that were protected by sheds survived. This research demonstrates that deer grazing has a significant negative effect on reforestation. The tree canopy is essential for certain species in the stream. Dr. Sweeney noted that some species in the stream are adapted to conditions that are a result of canopy (i.e. light, shade, temperature). Some aquatic insects can not complete their life cycle without a certain tree on the bank. Grasses along a stream bank are often a result of deforestation. These grasses grow roots into the water and narrow the stream channel. Unlike grasses, 99% of deciduous trees will not grow into the streams and narrow the channel. The grasses that have rooted into the stream channel narrow the channel while the same volume of water must be conveyed though the channel, increasing the stream velocity two to three times. Deforestation has many negative impacts on the ecology of the stream.
WATER SUPPLY/AQUIFER CAPACITY
Facilitator: Gerald
Kauffman Recorder: Tom Gardner
Conversations at this table included subjects such water supply issues in the proposed Newark Country Club land swap with Maryland, relation between ground water and stream flows, regulations on aquifer draw down, and the effect of new development water use on existing wells.
WATER QUALITY/WATER SUPPLY CAPACITY
Facilitator and
Recorder: Jake Michael
Most wells in Piedmont are connected to stream flow, so
In
Water supply capacity measurements can be affected by drill test proximity to a stream.
In
Pros and cons of
Water quality is highly related to water quantity.
On the coastal plain, deep wells are from colder “fossil” water.