History and Formation of TCCCA
Over twenty years ago, residents of the Conewago Creek Watershed noticed a continued decline in the health of the Conewago and its tributaries. In November 2001, a small group of local citizens sought to take matters into their own hands. They began to talk about the formation of a watershed group for the Conewago Creek. The group met with members of the Doc Fritchey Chapter of Trout Unlimited, as well as watershed specialists from the Department of Environmental Protection and Lancaster County Conservation District. Key support was also provided by the Donegal Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Conservation Districts for Lebanon and Dauphin Counties.
The group’s initial organizational meeting was held on January 16, 2002 at the Londonderry Township Municipal Building, Dauphin County. The meeting was quite a success, as nearly fifty residents and interested persons were in attendance! A diversity of interests were represented: farmers and other landowners, small business owners, environmental educators, municipal officials and environmental professionals. All these elements contributed to the formation and organization of the group.
The group organized quickly and, by February 2002, had decided on a name, Tri-County Conewago Creek Association, a mission statement, and had elected eleven directors to lead the group. TCCCA became incorporated as a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation in April 2002, and gained 501(c)(3) tax exempt status in August 2002. The Lancaster County Conservation District sponsored an organizing grant for the new organization and helped shepherd it through that process.
Through the last two decades, TCCCA’s activities have been many and varied, and focused on achieving the goals set forth in its mission statement. The group has led successful stream restoration projects, provided countless hours of volunteer labor to plant and maintain trees to establish riparian buffers, and holds an annual Earth Day celebration at Aberdeen Mills. In the future, TCCCA will seek to continue to work with landowners throughout the Watershed to make stream improvements on their property by stabilizing eroded stream banks, fencing and planting trees along the creek, and conducting educational and public outreach initiatives.
For more information on TCCCA’s projects and activities, click on Activities.
Conewago Creek Restoration Plan
In 2003, TCCCA received a $75,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency Section 319 Program to conduct a comprehensive watershed assessment and restoration plan for the Conewago Creek Watershed. TCCCA retained RETTEW Associates of Lancaster to conduct the assessment and develop the plan.
Assessment work began in 2004 and continued through 2006, when the plan was finalized.
The watershed assessment and restoration plan serves as a blueprint for TCCCA and other watershed partners to restore water quality in the Conewago Creek and its tributaries. The plan prioritizes segments of the stream for restoration projects. TCCCA and other partners, such as the Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon County Conservation Districts, are always looking to work with willing landowners to implement priority projects. With an assessment and restoration plan in place, TCCCA and its watershed partners have improved chances to secure funding for implementation projects.
Click here to view a copy of the 2006 Conewago Creek Restoration Plan.
