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Montour Run Watershed: a Case for Conservation

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Montour Run Watershed: a Case for Conservation Acknowledgments Funding forthis project has been provided by the Rivers Conservation Program of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Peaceable Kingdom Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation, and the Hollow Oak LandTrust. Additional funding for publication of this booklet was provided by grants from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and from the Canaan Valley Institute. The project has been sponsored by the Montour Valley Alliance, an informal coalition of community-based organizations concerned with balancing needed economic development with protection of the significant natural and cultural resources of the Montour Run Watershed. Rivers Conservation Program Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources The DCNR Rivers Conservation Programis a Keystone Grant Program specifically designed to assist municipalities andriver conservation groups to restore, maintain, and enhance river resources and values. River conservation groups must be municipalities or nonprofits with a river, stream, or watershed conservation mission, who are designated to act on behalf of interested municipalities to undertake the project. Planning grants are available to study and define significant natural and cultural resources, issues, concerns, and special opportunities and to provide recommendations for action in a watershed or stream/river corridor. Implementation grants can be obtained to carry out studies for additional resource information that would be necessary to make informed decisions. Development grants are possible to assist with the construction of projects identified during planning and appear as a management option in the plan. Acquisition grants are available to obtain conservation easements or actual purchase of those lands deemed important to achieve a conservation goal. All grants require a 50% local match, either in cash or by in-kind services, or a combination of both. Montour Run Watershed: A Case for Conservation A summary of the "River Conservation and Land Use Plan for the Montour Run Watershed" a project of the Montour Valley Alliance under the Rivers Conservation Program of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Montour Valley Alliance Core Organizations have included: Coraopolis Economic Revitalization Corporation Ducks Unlimited, West Allegheny Chapter Forest Grove Sportsmen's Club Hollow Oak LandTrust Montour Trail Council Trout Unlimited, Penn's Woods West Chapter Hollow Oak Land Trust The Hollow Oak LandTrust has served as fiscal agent forthe project and has contributed funding and staff support. Project Management Committee Stan Sattinger, Chairman, Montour Valley Alliance Mike Homza, West Allegheny Chapter, Ducks Unlimited Roy Kraynyk, President, Hollow Oak LandTrust Richard Packer, Penn's Woods West Chapter, Trout Unlimited Project Manager Janet B. Thorne January 2000 Allegheny County A watershed is an area in which alljlowingwater finds its way into a common stream or lake. The Montour Run Watershed includes portions ofjive municipalities: Findlay, Moon, North Fayette, and Robinson Townships and the Borough of Coraopolis. Allegheny County is in southwestern Pennsylvania. The "River Conservation and Land Use Plan for the Montour Run Watershed" contains extensive findings and recommendations. This booklet summarizes that report. The Montour Run Watershed in western Allegheny County is being dramatically changed by land development. When it became obvious that the water quality, biological and land resources, and qualityof lifewere being degraded, concerned individuals and agencies formed an informal coalition, the Montour Valley Alliance. The Alliance pursued state and private funding to create a conservation plan for the Watershed. A list of the core organizations of the Alliance is provided on the title page of this booklet. An advisory council made up of residents, business people, and communityleaders helped guide Montour Run and the area it drains have suffered extensive development of the Plan. The damDJ)efrom mining, deforestation, andincreased storm water Alliance hired an experienced runo.JJ: The Montour Valley Alliance, formed by concerned team of specialists, led by KCI citizens and agencies, has created a plan that balances the Technologies, Inc., to study the vwied development conservationinterests in Watershed. Watershed and prepare recom­ and the mendations for residents and their governments. The four majorcomponents of their work were to • Find out what the public thinks about conservation in the Watershed. "The people have a right to • Take an inventory of the Watershed's clean air, pure water, and to natural and cultural features. the preservation of the • Suggest methods for making sure the natural, scenic, historic and features of the Watershed are protected. esthetic values of the • Suggest methods for using the features environment. of the Watershed to improve the local Pennsylvania's natural economy. resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come." Pennsylvania Constitution Article 1, Section 27 adopted May 18, 1971 I Public Meetings A series of public meetings held throughout the Watershed allowed residents to voice their concerns and to make suggestions. These sessions provided essential direction to the rest of the project. Survey Results In January 1998 a public opinion survey was conducted of residents within and immediately surrounding the Watershed. This is the first known survey designed to find out whether area residents are aware of and understand local land use issues and also what they think about the natural resources surrounding them. The results clearly show that residents are concerned about the environment of their communities. Although fewer than half of the respondents understood the term "watershed" or were aware of the negative impacts that result from watershed degradation, almost all supported activities such as improving water quality, halting water pollution, protecting aquatic life, and preserving natural areas. Respondents clearly were concerned about the loss of open space and want their elected officials to do more to protect the character of their communities. Opinions on theextent of development Land uses thatshould beem phasized in the Watershed 75% of the respondents feel that conservation needs 68% feel that there has been enough development in to be emphasized more than development. 61 % had their communities. used Watershed areas recently for activities such as hiking, biking, and.fishing. -The Right Amount of 20% 75% - Conservation 28% Development -Too Much - Development Development r;;;;::J Don'tKnow 40% -Don'tKnow 15%�o· t:::l Not Enough ., Development Local governments should buy land for Opinions on whether or not the local preservation municipality is planning for the right balance of development and Nearly 75% feel that their governments should buy land to preserve it for future generations. conservation Nearly one-third of the respondents think that more effortneeds to be put into planningforthe rightbalance of development and conservation -Agree strongly -Agree 40% 32% -Neither Agree or -Don't Know Disagree -Yes Disagree c:::::J No IA�..,,..� c:::::JDisagree strongly 7% 9% 12% The 37-square-mile Montour Run Watershed contains beautiful streams and wooded slopes as well as concentrations of diverse natural, recreational, and cultural resources. Features such as The Pittsburgh InternationalAirport, a hiking-hiltingtrail that will connect the area with Washington, D.C., regionally significant biological diversity, abandoned coal mines, and extensive commercial and residential development - all combine to create a unique microcosm of development issues and a diverse mix of land uses. Rapid and uncoordinated economic growth has resulted in extensive deforestation, impairment of water quality, destruction of historic sites, and other degradation of the area's sensitive resources. The Pittsburgh International Airport occupies a large portion of the Watershed. It has had significant economic impact on the surrounding communities and has fostered large-scale commercial and residential development. Montour Run Watershed encompasses the Montour Trail, the Pittsburgh International Airport, abandoned coal mines, and significant commercial development as well as many homes and afew remainingfarms. The Watershed has a long and varied histoiy reflected by historic buildings dating from the 1800s. It also contains parks, golf courses, two sportsmen's clubs, and fishing sites. Montour Run is used by local school districts as part of their environmental sciences programs. The Watershed contains historical sites such as the McAdow-McAdams log house, thought to predate 1800, and many varied educational opportunities The mouth ofMontour Run at the Ohio River across from Neville Island is a popular .fishing site Eleven-and-a-half miles of the Montour Trail traverse the Watershed. TheTrail is exceptionally popular, and the number of people using it is increasing rapidly. It willbecome even more popular when plans forthe regionaltrail system are complete - within a few years a hiker or biker will be able to go from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., by trail. The Montour Trail has attracted manyusers from beyond the boundaries of the Watershed, and new businesses that cater to them are being added to the area. Buyers of new homes have indicated that the Trail is one of the attractions that brought them to the area.
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