Acknowledgements I
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Acknowledgements i Acknowledgements Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan Steering Committee Official Members: Barbara E. Duffy, Chair, Cheltenham Township Arthur Bernstein, Vice Chair, Jenkintown Borough Tom Johnston, Cheltenham Township Lorna Rosenberg, Cheltenham Township Frank Campbell, Abington Township EAC Cathy Gauthier, Abington Township EAC Scott Marlin, Abington Township Judith Bishop, Jenkintown Borough Ralph V. McDermott, Jenkintown Borough C. Bernadette Ivy, Rockledge Borough Charles Aungst, Rockledge Borough Participating Members: Hal Krieger, Cheltenham Township Debra Marburger, Cheltenham Township Andy Rudin, Cheltenham Township Nathan Walker, Watershed Coordinator, Montgomery County Conservation District Drew Shaw, Senior Environmental Planner, Montgomery County Planning Commission Monica Burcik, Environmental Planner, Montgomery County Planning Commission Katherine Ember, County Planner, Montgomery County Planning Commission Dorothy Pulcher, County Affairs Manager, PECO Energy Company Brian Sladky, Senior Project Manager, PECO Energy Company Joanne Dahme, Watersheds Programs Manager, Philadelphia City Water Department Dr. Mildred M. Wintz, Old York Road Historical Society Other Participating Members Visual Assessment Task Group Richard Allen Tom Maclockey Karen and Harry Bower Debra, Jacob, and John Marburger Tock Conarroe Bill Michaels Alysse Einbender Eve, Steve and Sarah Monheim Kerry Krieger Gary San Pietro Municipal Staff Abington Township Staff Thomas B. Conway, Township Manager Michael Powers, Township Engineer Cheltenham Township Staff David G. Kraynik, Township Manager Bryan Havir, P.P., AICP, Assistant Township Manager Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan September 2003 ii Acknowledgements David Lynch, PE, Township Engineer Charles D. Gray Jr., Director of Health Rudy Kastenhuber, Public Works Coordinator Jenkintown Borough Staff Ed Geissler, Jenkintown Borough Manager Rockledge Borough Staff Troy Madres, Rockledge Borough Manager State Liaisons The Honorable Ellen M. Bard The Honorable Lawrence H. Curry The Honorable Allyson Y. Schwartz PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Victor Banks, PA DCNR, Rivers Conservation Grant Coordinator Terri Hough, PA DCNR, Rivers Conservation Program Fran Rubert, PA DCNR Regional Recreation and Parks Advisor Don Gephardt, PA DCNR, Regional Recreation and Parks Supervisor Project Consultants NAM Planning & Design, LLC Nancy Minich, HTR, ASLA, Project Manager Heritage Conservancy Gary Bowles, GIS Manager Michael May, Historic Preservation Sharon Yates, VP Planning Special Thanks to Eileen Bradley and Anne Clayton while working with Rockledge Borough. Gratitude is also expressed to Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Philadelphia Earth Force, Friends of High School Park, Glenside Green, the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Partnership and the Wyncote Audubon Society for their efforts in periodically attending some of the Tookany Creek Watershed Steering Committee meetings and providing technical assistance. Officials from Abington and Cheltenham Townships, along with Jenkintown and Rockledge Boroughs look forward to partnering with these environmental organizations and groups in future collaborative efforts to implement many of the recommended projects outlined in the Management Options chapter of this plan. Also, the Steering Committee expresses much appreciation to the elected officials from Abington and Cheltenham Townships, and Jenkintown and Rockledge Boroughs who held Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan September 2003 Acknowledgements iii office during the formation of the plan. Their support of this watershed management planning effort was invaluable. Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan September 2003 Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan Goals v Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan Goals (These are the goals that were developed for the PA DCNR grant application and later presented at the September 2000 public meeting.) Improve coordination of river-related activities and ordinances. Improve public education to promote stewardship of river resources. Improve environmental and land conservation efforts by preserving open space, sensitive environmental areas and habitats by promoting concepts such as riparian buffer preservation and restoration, reforestation, floodplain preservation, water quality, streambank maintenance, and improve water quality by reducing non- point source pollution. Design non-engineering best management practices and techniques aimed at reducing flooding and improving soil and sedimentation controls. Design methods for improved communication among local, county, state, and federal governments. Photographs taken by Nancy Minich during the community streambank restoration planting of the Tookany Creek in June 2003. TOOKANY CREEK WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN SEPTEMBER 2003 xii Executive Summary Executive Summary The Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan has been developed to be a road map for municipalities, landowners, conservation groups, and citizens interested in taking positive steps to improve the long-term health of the Tookany Creek. The Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan is the result of a partnership between state, regional and local organizations. Cheltenham Township, with most of the land in the watershed within its municipal boundaries, had a strong interest in preserving the Tookany Creek watershed resources. The other communities directly involved in the plan are Abington Township, Jenkintown Borough and Rockledge Borough. The municipal partners all agreed on the need for a watershed conservation plan as an important step to address the severe flooding, streambank degradation, and poor water quality, all of which are the unfortunate results of suburban development. Because of the commitment of citizens and government leaders in these communities, a watershed management plan will aid in protecting the vital resources of the Tookany Creek and the entire Tookany/Tacony-Frankford watershed. The Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan includes the headwater tributaries of the Tookany Creek in the four lower Montgomery County municipalities of Abington and Cheltenham Townships, and Jenkintown and Rockledge Boroughs. The six main tributaries in the headwaters of the study area are Baeder Creek, Jenkintown Creek, an unnamed Tributary, Mill Run, Rock Creek and the main stem of the Tookany Creek. Their total length is 21.22 linear miles. Most of the open land in these municipalities is along the creeks and in municipal holdings. The Tookany Creek name changes to the "Tacony Creek" when it enters into the city of Philadelphia. A watershed management plan is currently under development in this lower portion of the watershed under the auspices of the Philadelphia Water Department. The purpose of developing a watershed management plan is to analyze the significant natural, recreational and cultural resources within the watershed. The Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan recommends a long-term course of action to protect the resources of the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Creek. The plan sought input from the participating municipalities through a steering committee and through a public meeting in September 2000. The first part of this plan documents conditions within the study area. Existing resources data was gathered and reviewed by the consultants with input from the steering committee to understand the greater trends occurring in the study area. It is also important to note that a study of this magnitude has never been undertaken, therefore, this will be a baseline document for all future studies. The inventoried information includes: natural resources of topography, geology, vegetation, soils, land uses, wildlife, water resources, wetlands, and threatened and endangered species; recreation, cultural and the community background. A visual assessment was conducted on the major creeks in each municipality, documenting the existing conditions with photos and text. Analysis of the resource data and visual assessments led the consultants and steering committee to identify assets to be preserved, and issues to be addressed. The primary issues of concern are stormwater and flood management, restoration and management of the riparian areas, TOOKANY CREEK WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN SEPTEMBER 2003 Executive Summary xiii implementation of best management practices (BMPs), community education and improving and increasing preservation ordinances. The final section of the Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan includes the recommended goals and management options. A public meeting was held in May 2003 to present and discuss these goals. This plan will provide the four municipalities with an opportunity to build a strong inter-municipal relationship and to protect the upper portion of the watershed as well as the whole Tookany/Tacony-Frankford watershed for future generations to enjoy. Coordinating municipal plans and programs will provide strong, ongoing stewardship for this regional effort. The Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan was developed with the financial support of the Commonwealth's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) "Rivers Conservation Program" and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Coastal Zone Management Program and its recommendations are eligible for implementation funding from the DCNR. TOOKANY CREEK WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN SEPTEMBER 2003 Introduction 1 I. Introduction Project History The development of the Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan