The Upper Wissahickon Creek Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) & Pilot- Critical Area Resource Plan (CARP)

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1 The Upper Wissahickon Creek Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) & Pilot- Critical Area Resource Plan (CARP) View on the Wissahickon by James Peale, 1830

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3 Water Resources Planning Act Bill passed in 2002 and known as Act 220 Recognized competing demands for groundwater and surface water and goal is to achieve a balance

4 Water Resources Planning Act Objectives: Update the State Water Plan Register and report certain water withdrawals Establish a voluntary water conservation program Identify Critical Water Planning Areas (CWPAs( CWPAs) Create Critical Area Resource Plans (CARPs( CARPs)

5 Upper Wissahickon Creek SAMP / Pilot - CARP Funding for pilot plan preparation was provided by PADEP under the Pennsylvania Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program and will result in a Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) Pilot the CARP process

6 Project Partners Contract Team: Delaware River Basin Commission, Montgomery County Planning Commission, and Pennsylvania Environmental Council formed a partnership Upper Wissahickon Advisory Committee (UWAC) was selected Technical Committee was formed

7 Upper Wissahickon Goal Statements 1. Water Supply: Assure an adequate supply of suitable quality water by balancing existing and anticipated human uses and ecosystem needs. 2. Hydrologic Function: Restore and protect the hydrologic functions of the natural landscape system. 3. Integrated, Multi-Municipal Municipal Water Resource Planning: Implement coordinated water resource management plan that integrates land use planning and infrastructure development while encouraging innovative partnerships between stakeholders and policymakers.

8 Upper Wissahickon Creek Study Area

9 Study Area

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11 Cedarbrook Golf Club Aerial

12 PA Turnpike at Fort Washington Business Center Aerial

13 Ambler Area Aerial

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17 The Process Frequent meetings with contract team and technical team Four UWAC meetings between May 07 and June 08 Public meeting in May 08 Submitted final plan to DEP June 30, 2008

18 Additional Work Products Prepared a Critique of the project and submitted to DEP Completed a Critical Water Planning Area (CWPA) application for the study area and submitted to DEP

19 Findings Human Water Supply needs being met (primarily due to importation of water) Potential loss of stream Base Flow Stormwater and Flooding is a significant problem Water Quality limitations include Nutrients Sediment Toxics Degradation of Aquatic Habitat

20 Adverse Impacts by Water Management Area Water Management Area WMA 1 WMA 2 WMA 3 WMA 4 Municipalities within WMA Boundary Montgomery Twp. Lansdale Borough Upper Gwynedd Twp. North Wales Borough Montgomery Twp. Lower Gwynedd Twp. Whitpain Twp. Upper Dublin Twp. Lower Gwynedd Twp. Ambler Borough Whitpain Twp. Whitemarsh Twp. Abington Twp. Springfield Twp. Upper Dublin Twp. Whitemarsh Twp. Adverse Impacts Channel Instability Low Base Flow Degraded Water Quality Flooding Degraded Water Quality Channel Instability Flooding Channel Instability

21 Alternatives by Water Management Area WMA WMA 1 WMA 2 WMA 3 WMA 4 Adverse Impacts Channel Instability Low Base Flow Degraded Water Quality Flooding Degraded Water Quality Channel Instability Flooding Channel Instability Alternatives Retrofit stormwater basins Restore stream channels and riparian corridors Educate homeowners to implement backyard BMPs Review and update ordinances Retrofit stormwater basins Educate homeowners to implement backyard BMPs Restore stream channels and riparian corridors Educate homeowners to implement backyard BMPs Protect source water Protect floodplains Restore stream channels and riparian corridors Establish a stormwater partnership

22 Six Recommendations Retrofit stormwater basins Review and update ordinances Protect source water Restore stream channels and riparian corridors Educate homeowners to implement backyard best management practices Establish a stormwater partnership

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26 SAMP Implementation Progress Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) Using SAMP and its implementation as a grounding for an Act 167 plan to begin in 2010 Wissahickon Partnership Wissahickon Roundtable Wissahickon EACs Potential future DEP funding for implementation

27 For More Information Available on our website at Info on the State Water Plan in General Keyword: Water Resources