2006 Volume I SWCA Newsletter

---

Your Watershed and Its Association

    The Sewickley Creek Watershed is an area of 168 square miles in Westmoreland County. It encompasses cities, boroughs, and rural areas. The watershed also has a number of pollution problems - some of which were brought on by past practices.
    The Sewickley Creek Watershed Association, SCWA, a nonprofit organization, is a group of volunteers working together to promote the conservation of natural resources, monitor and improve water quality, identify sources of pollution, advocate wise land use practices, educate the community to sound environmental practices, and work with government , business and organizations to its ends.

More...

---

Annual Banquet

    The 2006 SCWA picnic was held Thursday, August 17, beginning at 6 PM at New Stanton Park.

---

SCWA Participates in Great PA Cleanup

    Sewickley Creek Watershed Association celebrated Earth Day 2006 by participating in the third annual statewide cleanup effort promoted by Keep PA Beautiful and the PA Department of Environmental Protection on Saturday, April 22nd.

More...

---

Wetland Treatment System

Construction of a wetland treatment system in Lowber for the Marchand mine discharge site has finally become a reality for SCWA.  It took more than two years to acquire the necessary property and almost one year to obtain the required permits.

The work at Brinkerton continues with construction of the settling ponds, a nature trail and the aeration system.

Lowber More...
Brinkerton More....

---

Riparian Restoration and Protection Initiative

The Riparian Restoration and Protection Initiative (RRPI) was developed to improve water quality and wildlife habitat by excluding livestock from riparian areas. Livestock can trample stream banks, causing accelerated erosion and high sediment loads, which deplete needed stream side vegetation and loosen soil

More...

---

S.C, The Water Cycle

---

Member News:

    The 2006 membership drive is underway, and the results thus far have been encouraging.  SCWA currently has about one hundred members, including individuals, families, organizations, and businesses, and we have received over $1700 in dues for the current year.  It is important, that all of us continue to encourage past members, and our friends, neighbors, and business associates in the community, to support SCWA through their membership, because, while most of our remediation efforts are underwritten by government grants, your SCWA membership dues help to defray overhead costs, such as postage and reproduction costs. 
   
We are still seeking to expand our membership among individuals and organizations.  Annual dues for individuals are $10, for families, $25, and local organizations interested in improving the quality of the environment and our community, are encouraged to join at membership levels from $25.00 to $100.00.  Donations in any amount are, of course, always gratefully accepted. All SCWA members are also invited to attend the SCWA monthly meetings -- the third Thursday of every month, 7 PM, at the WCCC, Business and Technology Center. 
   
Information about all levels of membership is available through the SCWA office or by contacting our membership chair, Nancy Harris, at nharris@beldenlaw.com.

---

Sewickley Creek Watershed Association Newsletter is a publication of the Sewickley Creek Watershed Association.

• SCWA Executive Editor: Tom Keller
• Editor:Jim Schimpf
• Contributing Writers:S.C.,Tom Keller, Daryl Dodson, Larry Meyers

---

The Sewickley Creek Watershed Association promotes the conservation of natural resources, monitors and improves water quality, and advocates wise land use practices in the Sewickley Creek Watershed.

As such the Association shall use its resources to educate the citizens of the watershed as to sound environmental practices. In addition, the Association will seek out and cooperate with government agencies, interested organizations, businesses and individuals to implement programs to improve water quality and encourage proper land use.