Watershed Approaches Overview Susquehanna Summit March 20, 2013

Watershed Approaches Overview Susquehanna Summit March 20, 2013 – Vernal Equinox

Kristen Saacke Blunk Kristen Saacke Blunk KristenPrincipal, H eaSaackedwaters LLC Blunk Principal, Headwaters LLC HeadwatersHeadwaters llc LLC Headwaters llc 207 Bellvue Circle 207 Bellvue Circle State College, pa, 16803 State College, pa, 16803 [email protected]: 814.360.9766 mobile: 814.360.9766 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] website: http://headwaters-LLC.org website: http://headwaters-LLC.org Serving in support of the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund, a program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Serving in support of the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund, a program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Serving in support of the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation’s Kristen Saacke Blunk Kristen Saacke Blunk Chesapeake BayPrincipa l, StewardshipHeadwaters LLC Fund Principal, Headwaters LLC Headwaters llc Headwaters llc 207 Bellvue Circle 207 Bellvue Circle State College, pa, 16803 State College, pa, 16803 mobile: 814.360.9766 mobile: 814.360.9766 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] website: http://headwaters-LLC.org website: http://headwaters-LLC.org

Serving in support of the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund, a program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Serving in support of the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund, a program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Kristen Saacke Blunk Kristen Saacke Blunk Principal, Headwaters LLC Principal, Headwaters LLC

Headwaters llc Headwaters llc

207 Bellvue Circle 207 Bellvue Circle State College, pa, 16803 State College, pa, 16803 mobile: 814.360.9766 mobile: 814.360.9766 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] website: http://headwaters-LLC.org website: http://headwaters-LLC.org

Kristen Saacke Blunk Kristen Saacke Blunk Principal, Headwaters LLC Principal, Headwaters LLC

Headwaters llc Headwaters llc

Kristen Saacke Blunk Kristen Saacke Blunk Principal, Headwaters LLC Principal, Headwaters LLC

Headwaters llc Headwaters llc

WILD ND L A IF E H S F I O

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N NFWF Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund

Investments in the Chesapeake

• Since 1998 and in partnership with US EPA and others, NFWF has invested more than $60M in cost-effective strategies for restoring the Chesapeake Bay.

Conservation Outcomes include

• Restored 122,000 acres of habitat • Established 132 acres of oyster reefs • Conserved 144,000 acres of forest and farmland • Reduced 6.4M lbs of N and 1.8M lbs of P • Drove innovation and community involvement Strategy to date:

• Distributed investments

• Focused heavily on water quality

• About 35% to NGOs, 25% to universities, 20% to state governments and 20% to local governments High Conservation Impact: Strengthening our Investments in the Chesapeake Bay

NFWF investments:

• Build on Prior Successes Recover Species • Accomplish WQ, Habitat and Species Goals Simultaneously

NFWF • Support Latest Bay Strategy INVESTMENTS • Establish a Species Focus and Set Restore Improve Water Conservation Goals Habitat Quality

• Target Investments and Practices Prioritize Geographies for Conservation Base Maps

Stream Health Source: U.S. EPA Stream Health Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor No Data

We care most about streams that are “Poor” to “Good”, eliminating “Excellent” and “Very Poor” Prioritize Geographies for Conservation Base Maps

Vulnerability to Development Pressure Source: USGS

Development Pressure

Very Low Low Moderate High

For agriculture and restoration, we want to make investments where the land use is not likely to change soon. Prioritize Geographies for Conservation Base Maps

NEW in 2012 Priority Areas for Nitrogen & Phosphorus Source: U.S. EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office

Prioritize Geographies for Conservation Where do these criteria intersect?

Low Vulnerability to Priority Areas for Moderate Stream Development Pressure Nitrogen & Phosphorus Health Prioritize Geographies for Conservation

Moderate Stream Health AND Low Vulnerability to Development AND Priority Areas for N & P = Potential Areas for Watershed Restoration Eastern Brook Trout Eastern Brook Trout

Eastern Brook Trout Population Status Source: Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture

Population Status Present: Intact Present: Qualitative Present: Reduced Present: Greatly Reduced Extirpated or Absent Unknown or Never Occurred

Let’s also remove “Present: Intact” since protection is not the main goal of these funds.

River Herring River Herring

Priority Watersheds for River Herring Conservation

Source: USDA-NRCS

Priority Watersheds Prioritize Geographies for Conservation

Investment Investment Areas for Areas for Eastern Brook Trout River Herring Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Targeted Watersheds

Eastern Brook Trout Habitat

River Herring Habitat

Both EBT and RH Habitat Unadilla Headwaters

Chemung Headwaters Tioughnioga Headwaters

Middle Susquehanna Watersheds West Branch Susquehanna River Watersheds

Lower Susquehanna and Juniata River Watersheds Conestoga River Watersheds

Conodoguinet Creek Headwaters Upper Eastern Shore

Upper Potomac River Watersheds Middle Eastern Shore

Lower Eastern Shore Shenandoah Valley

Virginia’s Upper Neck Rappahannock and Rapidan Headwaters

Lower James River Cross-Cutting Issues, Systemic Challenges

1. Increase the speed of Oyster Restoration efforts in the Bay.

2. Support Blue Crab fisheries management to achieve target abundance goal.

3. Support Policy and Innovation Solutions, including manure to energy technologies, stormwater solutions, and local government finance

4. Support efforts to strengthen delivery of technical assistance to landowners and build capacity Feasibility Filter

How much restoration is NEEDED in our targeted areas?

What goals exist for subwatersheds that can be extrapolated? 6,000+ miles of livestock exclusion 10,000 + miles of buffers 490+ acres of stream restoration 7,600+ acres of reforestation 23,000+ acres of wetland restoration

This let us know what is POSSIBLE and provided critical information for when we later determine our goals and funding Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Targeted Watersheds

Juniata River Watersheds Juniata Watershed by HUC 11 Juniata Watershed by County

Miﬄin

Blair Perry Hunngdon

Bedford Somerset Watershed Snapshot

• 3,405 mi2 • All or part of 12 counes, mostly in – Bedford – Blair – Fulton – Hunngdon – Juniata – Miﬄin (Lile Kish and So Run) – Perry EXISTING PLANS and Iniaves • Basin-wide: – Juniata Watershed Management Plan – 2000 (2009 review) – Chesapeake Bay CEAP (2011) • idenﬁed this watershed as “vulnerable” and “undertreated” • Targeted zones: – TMDL/WRAS – for Frankstown Branch & Lile Juniata – c. 2001 – WIP – for Upper Kish c. 2007 – TMDL – Hunters Creek, Ag-impaired, Tuscarora - Assessing Capacity and Convening Partners/Interests • Foundaon for PA Watersheds – highly present in watershed – 1999-present: funded 126 iniaves • DEP/EPA – 319 Program - Impaired miles – AMD, Ag, Urban – Kish – has targeted compliance sub-WS • NRCS – Kish is a priority WS – 2012 – State Con strong interest in WRP, innovaons • USFWS –Interested in increased presence • Conservaon Districts – Tasked with WIP ‘targets’ for ag and urban NPS • NGO presence – Watershed organizaons – TU and sportsman assoc • Municipalies vested in stormwater management Juniata Watershed by HUC 11

FRANKSTOWN BRANCH JUNIATA RIVER - NEAR PETERSBURG

FRANKSTOWN BR. JUNIATA RIVER - AT BEAVERDAM BRANCH

YELLOW CREEK - AT HOPEWELL Juniata Subwatersheds – Township Run Creek Level

Robinson Creek Run McDonald Run

South Dry Run Oldtown

Pawpaw Run Polecat Run

Halter Creek

Blair Co Unit 2010 By 2017 By 2025 Priority Unit Cost Target BMP/Sector NFWF Literature Cost Est. Wetland Ac 165.7 813.4 1245 ~600 $750 - restoraon/AG $3500

Forested Ac 648 1856 2661 ~1000 $1500 - Buﬀers/AG $4800

Wetlands/ Ac 1170 3065 4328 UD Higher Urban

Forest Buﬀers/ Ac 0 238 396 UD Higher Urban

Sepc System # 52.4 2249 3714 UD Hookups/ Urban Dirt and Gravel Ft 60920 111746 145630 50,000 NA for Road E&S Blair Co Control Juniata Watershed by HUC 11 STANDING STONE CREEK - AT HUNTINGDON KISHACOQUILLAS CREEK - AT LEWISTOWN

JUNIATA RIVER - AT KISHACOQUILLAS CR. JUNIATA RIVER - AT AUGHWICK CREEK Juniata Subwatersheds – Creek Level

Lile Kishacoquillas Creek Juniata COCOLAMUS CREEK - NEAR MILLERSTOWN Watershed by HUC 11 JUNIATA RIVER - AT TUSCARORA CREEK

JUNIATA RIVER - AT DUNCANNON

TUSCARORA CREEK - AT PORT ROYAL

BUFFALO CREEK - AT NEWPORT Juniata Subwatersheds – Creek Level Cocolamus Creek

Delaware Creek Dutchman Run

Locust Run

Tuscarora Creek USDA Showcase Chesapeake Bay Showcase Watersheds New York Watersheds – Lessons Learned 2010 to Present Pennsylvania A Panel Discussion of the NFWF AG Networking Forum Conewago Creek 1:30 to 3 PM, Mar 18, 2013

Maryland

West Virginia Upper Chester River

Delaware

Smith Creek

Virginia

Legend

Chesapeake Bay Watershed State Boundaries " Conewago “Success”: CCI: The 4 Pronged Approach

Place

People

Pracces Impact

Smith Creek Showcase Watershed March 18, 2013 UPPER CHESTER RIVER Great examples of Watershed Partnerships www.upperchester.com

CONTACT: Kristen Saacke Blunk [email protected] www.smithcreekwatershed.com