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Agricultural Projects
According to a federal report, agricultural runoff is now considered the primary source of pollutants in streams and rivers in the U.S. Approximately 37% of land use in the Schuylkill Watershed is agricultural, and 258 miles of streams are considered agricutlre-impaired.
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Partners for Clean Water
The Berks County Conservancy and Spotts|Stevens|McCoy have teamed up to create a network of business partners and farmers to assist with small Agricultural BMP projects. Ag BMPs like conservation plans, streambank fencing, riparian buffer plantings, and other improvements are funded through tax-deductible donations from businesses and organizations interested in making a difference in local water quality.
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Smith Farm
Streambank fencing and animal crossings protect 2,300 feet of the Mill Creek.
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Rabenold Farm
Streambank fencing and animal crossings highlight this Agricultural Workgroup project.
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Guntz Farm
A heavily-eroded streambank was restored by the Berks County Conservancy, with support from the Agriculture Workgroup. Additional funding requests have been submitted for implementation of Ag BMPs.
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Schroeder Farm
Agriculture BMPs were implemented on this farm located in the Maiden Creek Watershed using both SWIG funding and a grant from the Restoration Fund.
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Woolf Farm
A milking operation with 80 cows on 53 acres of land, the Berks County Conservation District initially approached the landowner with concerns about the manure handling on the property. The Woolf’s were extremely receptive to both short-term remediation measures as well as long term considerations, resulting in a success story that highlights what can be accomplished when multiple agencies work together.
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Martin Farm
The addition of curbing and fencing took this farm to a new level of environmental awareness. The Martin Farm project serves as a great example of what can be accomplished with an environmentally-aware landowner and the help of cooperating agencies.
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Seidel Farms
Commonly grouped in clusters, family farms are ideal locations for Best Management Practice installations. With over 300 acres of land, the Seidel Farms provided multiple opportunities to protect the very springs that form the headwaters of the Maiden Creek.
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Dreibelbis Farm
With 75 acres of high-quality wetlands and seven stream buffer acres onsite, the pristine Dreibelbis farm offered a unique opportunity to proactively protect the Maiden Creek and three smaller tributaries from future agricultural runoff.
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Adams Farm
Over 5,270 feet of stream bank was fenced off to keep Adams Farm livestock and their manure out of the Maiden Creek, and dozens of Future Farmers of America students learned the importance of agricultural Best Management Practices while planting riparian buffers onsite.