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Swatara Watershed Association
April 30, 2008
Welcome
and introduction of attendees: Brooks Abeln, Paula Ballaron, June Blouch,
Harvey Bomberger, Doug Deppen, Denise Donmoyer, Tom Embich, Steph Harmon, Ann
Lasky, Dave Lasky, Jo Ellen Litz, Jack Stouffer, John Worrilow, Damion Zampogna
Business:
Sojourn
planning May 3 & 4
 |
Saturday dinner--Pot Pie by Ono Fire Company Auxillary |
|
Three Boy Scout troops
participating: 17, 20, & 330 |
| Open
invitation to hear
Lance Simmens who was trained by Al Gore, and will present a program
on Global Warming at
7PM Saturday night at Hershey Highmeadow Campgrounds (public welcome). Lance
travels around the world with his presentations. 6PM, wild animals with
Beth Carricato from
the Dauphin County Wildlife Rescue, and a 20th Anniversary cake.
No charge for programs. |
Pennsy
Quarry application with SRBC.
When sinkholes formed in the Swatara two years ago, Pennsy created a grout wall
forming a dam to hold back water. Now, Pennsy would like to de-water the dam to
restart operations. To do this, they have to "stay ahead of the Creek."
Currently, the limestone pit is 250’ deep and pumps 12.9 million gallons of
water per day. Mining could take the pit to 500’ and require pumping of 29mgpd
or 5% of the Swatara’s flow. SRBC does not consider an average flow below 20%
to be a concern. Questions were asked concerning safety of boaters on the
Swatara from intense dewatering causing sinkholes to reopen; increased sediment
in the Swatara; dried up creeks on neighboring properties if sinkholes reopen;
and impacts to fish, aquatic insects, and water quality. A statement to this
effect will be forwarded as comment to SRBC.
Union Township property:
No response or meeting to date.
Bordner
Cabin United Way Day
of Caring. Great job, everyone!
Swatara
River: Nothing
from USGS.
Wise
property: More
questions from Supervisor Donmoyer. Requested a follow-up meeting with Lori
Yeich and Jackie Kramer. Executed DCNR contract received.
Other:
|
Donmoyer
reported that Joe Kosak will present images from Penns Woods at 7PM at the
Sweet Arrow Lake Clubhouse. |
|
Lasky
announced that on May 19th Quittie Park will plant three native red
oak trees. Further, the waling path was extended by 1800’ through Paul
Graham’s property to High and White Oak Sts. The Quittie bridge will receive
a regional engineering award. |
|
Harmon
stated that Conservation District events include a Green Roof Symposium and
Native Plant Sale. |
|
Bomperger commented on a World War II experience by Ray Swingholm at Hershey
Leader Home. |
|
Stouffer
reminded members that the Center for Land and Water will meet on May 6. |
|
Embich
mentioned that Paxton Creek Watershed is producing a weekly email newsletter.
Mease Motors was sold to Tony Allwein. |
MAY
17 & 18, 2008 - 19th ANNUAL UNION CANAL DAYS -
The Friends of the Union Canal Tunnel Park will be hosting
its 19th Annual Union Canal Days on May 17 &18, 2008. Great for adults and
children alike. Canal boat rides through the 621-foot tunnel. Saturday’s
highlights include lots of music, puppet shows for children, a chicken dinner
and some great music at the end of the day. Sunday sheep to shawl demonstration
and a concert by the Perseverance band at
2:30 pm. Both days feature
early crafts demonstrators, musical performers and for children, train and
carriage rides. Food court--pork barbecue, hot dogs, funnel cakes, pies, soup,
and drinks. No charge for admission. Saturday May 17th (10:00 am – 7:00 pm) -
Sunday May 18th (10:30am –
5:00 pm). For
information about the Canal or Union Canal Days, contact the Lebanon County
Historical Society at
717-272-1473 or
717-273-4115.
May 24-
Annville Memorial Day Parade. - Parade begins at 9 a.m.and will be held rain or shine,
lasting approx. 2 1/2 hours. The parade route travels along Route 422, north
onto College Ave., east onto
Maple St. to the reviewing
stand at Maple and Long Streets. A Memorial Service immediately follows the
parade at the reviewing stand. For additional information on the parade call,
Mary Jane Gacono at 717-867-5511. Photo by Rebecca Gacono.
May 31,2008
- Light’s Fort Open House
-
2pm to
4pm Located on the corner of 11th and Maple Streets,
Lebanon.
Free admission, colonial crafts, demonstrations, tours. Questions: 717-270-0853
June 14
- Old Annville Days. The Ray Swingholm bridge will be turned over to
Annville
Township.
March 26, 2008
Welcome
and introduction of attendees: Bob Arnold, Richard Blouch, Betty Conner, Denise
Donmoyer, Tom Embich, Donna Fabry, Stephanie Harmon, Rugh Henderson, Griffith
Jones, Ann Marie Lasky, Jo Ellen Litz, Jack Stouffer, Honorable Rose Marie
Swanger, Ray Swingholm, John Worrilow.
On
3-18-08, facilitated cleanup of trash. There were some documents, a cell phone
with intact SIM card and two witnesses who provided circumstantial evidence. Not
enough for a clear conviction but enough for a warning and possible
circumstantial case conviction. GLRA issued a warning, and kept evidence
and witness information.
Senator
Casey (PA) has launched a nationwide petition on his website against the
Department of Energy’s implementation of the National Interstate Electric
Transmission Corridor designation. NIETC designation affects all or portions of
8 states in the Mid-Atlantic and 2 in the Southwest, and is quickly becoming a
national program.
http://casey.senate.gov/actions/
Using the
Swatara Water Trail map, on March 13, Tom and Jo Ellen, along with other
interested parties, met with DCNR Lori Yeich, Terry Hough, F&B’s Jackie Kramer,
Scott Bollinger, Earl Meyer and Planning Department staff to look for potential
sites for projects that DCNR and FBC could support along the Swatara River.
Sites identified include: Pine Road in East Hanover Township, Hershey Dam area
by PA American Water Company, Wise Property, and Valley Glenn. South
Londonderry properties were also mentioned. They are also looking for
acquisition partners.
Swatara
River:
Package of endorsements sent to USGS. New endorsements from Representative Rose
Marie Swanger and Senator Mike Folmer.
Google project to scan
books from the Library of Congress contain many
Swatara River references:
http://books.google.com/books?q=swatara+river&lr=&sa=N&start=0
Sojourn Planning: May 3 & 4, 2008
|
The
Lantern Lodge is a
new sponsor. They provided room accommodations for our guest speaker. |
|
Alternate Pot Pie dinner source—try Hans Gartner at Ebenezer United Methodist |
|
A call
came from a Reading Boy Scout Troop. |
|
Sunday
sweep—Andy and Liz have another commitment. |
|
Ray
Swingholm will also serve as a driver. |
Bordnersville Rd. Farm
On behalf
of Mr. Jeff Camp, Griffith L. D. Jones, HRG, offered the Association an historic
bank barn, log cabin, spring house, and 3 wetlands on 7+ acres in Union
Township. During Q&A, Jones agreed to ask Camp to partner with grounds
maintenance…as a condition of industrial park tenants. The land will contain a
conservation easement for the wetlands. SWAs interest in the property is to
preserve the groundwater recharge area and headwaters of a tributary to the
Swatara, preserve and/or re-establish three wetlands on the property, and
preserve the barn with old growth timbers and log cabin, which is under the
white siding. (SWA has published a book on Mills and Bank Barns.)
If the
donation comes to fruition, SWA will use the buildings for: conservation
meetings and make the meeting space available to other conservation
organizations, store canoes, an environmental education center as well as seek a
DCNR grant to establish the best use for the rest of the property--planting
Chestnut trees, providing habitat for a barn owl,.... We would need to
determine if a conservation easement or farm preservation is the most
appropriate way to ensure that the property retains it's special features. Bill
Ross is a local contractor who is an historic barn and log cabin expert. We
would consult with him too. On a Worrilow/Lasky motion, SWA agreed to move
ahead with the offer. Jo Ellen will meet with Mr. Camp. Dick abstained.
Wise
Property
|
Met with
property owners and negotiated terms of an extension. |
|
Permission granted from DCNR to pay a small portion of the grant to hold the
property past the current settlement deadline. |
|
Will
attend East Hanover
Township meeting on March 31. |
|
Will
resubmit Fish and Boat grant application. |
Swatara State Park
Angel
Croll is the temporary ranger for Swatara State Park.
After
flooding, Barb Davies, State Parks, called to say that stone was purchased for
emergency repairs to
Old State Road. DCNR
is contracting with a backhoe to complete repairs, and we should be set to go
for United Way Day of Caring on April 19 at the Bordner Cabin.
At the
Hershey Library, Manada Conservancy's April 21st panel discussion on the
Swatara Greenway will focus on working with private landowners to find ways to
protect the Swatara corridor in southern Dauphin County and western Lebanon
County through conservation easements, land donation and private stewardship.
Panel participants are Rich Zaino, Chair of our Greenway committee, Nancy Cladel,
Manada President, John Conner, former President, Steve Rannels, naturalist and
donating landowner, and Mike Benner of the
Milton
Hershey
School.
There will be opportunity for discussion, and to gather ideas from the
audience. For more information check their web site,
www.manada.org
on the calendar page.
Awards
for Greenways Design Projects
The Conservation Fund: Kodak American Greenways
Awards Program
The Kodak American Greenways Awards Program, a partnership project of the
Eastman Kodak Company and the Conservation Fund, provides small grants to
stimulate the planning and design of greenways in communities throughout
America. Greenways are corridors of protected public and private land
established along rivers, ridges, abandoned railroad corridors, utility
right-of-ways, canals, scenic roads, or other linear features. In general,
grants can be used for all appropriate expenses needed to complete a greenway
project including planning, technical assistance, legal, and other costs. Awards
are primarily provided to local, regional, and statewide nonprofit
organizations. Applications are accepted from March 1 to June 15, 2008. Visit
the website listed above for application guidelines.
The
Lebanon Valley Conservancy has a position open for a part time administrative
assistant. The candidate must be able to work well independently with minimal
supervision, and as part of a team. Strong organizational, communication and
writing skills, prompt and dependable. Will work closely with the Board of
Directors. Candidate must have an enthusiasm for and commitment to land
conservation and environmental protection. The position has flexible work hours
and the possibility for advancement. For more information, contact the
Lebanon
Valley Conservancy at
tmw@lmf.net. Resumes may be sent to
LV Conservancy, 2120 Cornwall Rd. Suite 5, Lebanon, PA 17042
Watershed
Specialist Stephanie Harmon reported that a Regional Action Plan by Gannet
Flemming is being created with four representatives from each county.
Betty
Conner reviewed Lower Susquehanna Regional Water Board recommendations for
further study as critical water planning areas. Because of extensive
development, Conestoga, Chickees Creek, Swatara River, Conawago, Codorus Creeks
and Deer Creek.
Calendar:
March
|
25-29
Builder’s Show at LV Expo |
|
28 Sweet Arrow Lake Red Creek wildlife rehab on owls
release program. 7PM. |
|
29
Pancake and
Sausage breakfast at Sweet Arrow Lake club house 6-10AM |
April
|
1
Tree sale orders due at LCCD. |
|
5
Unitarian Church,
1280 Clover Lane, Harrisburg
Spaghetti at 5:30PM. Gene Wingert, speaker on global warming. |
|
10,
Rain barrel workshop,
6-7PM at Conservation
District. $20. Sign up Wednesday |
|
13 Bob Hoffman on St. Luke’s founding of the
GSH @ 4PM |
|
14
Program at 11AM on Climate fluctuation at
Rachel Carson State Office
Building, Harrisburg. 2nd floor auditorium |
|
16 Pick up ordered trees |
|
19, United Way Day of Caring volunteers needed to clean
up Bordner Cabin and help install mantle over fireplace. |
|
19, United Way Day of Caring volunteers needed to clean
up and make the mantel at the Bordner cabin in
Swatara State Park. Quittie
will also pull garlic mustard and plant red dogwoods. |
|
20 Polar Bear Survival Tour
1:30 at Allen Theater,
Annville. |
|
20 150th Anniversary of
St. Luke’s, 6th &
Chestnut Streets. 1879 architecture presentation will include re-enactments
of speeches given by Mrs. Horace Broch…. |
|
21
Manada Conservancy
Swatara Greenway at Hershey Library, |
|
21-25
Quittie Educational Wetland programs |
|
30
Next SWA meeting will take place at the Wastewater Treatment plant. |
May
3-4,
Swatara Sojourn canoe & camp. Entertainment: Lance Simmens was
trained by Al Gore, and will present a program on Global Warming at 7PM Saturday
night at Hershey Highmeadow Campgrounds (public welcome). Lance travels around
the world with his presentations. Listen to the Down to Earth Band, wild
animals with Beth
Carricato from the Dauphin County Wildlife Rescue, and more.
28 SWA meeting at
AES Ironwood
(subject to their approval).
June
25
SWA meeting at
Custer farm on Bordnersville Road, Union Township
February 27, 2008
Welcome and
introduction of attendees: Dick & June Blouch, Harvey Bomberger, Betty Conner,
Denise Donmoyer, Tom Embich, Steph Harmon, Rugh Henderson, Scott Ihn, Ann Lasky,
Jo Ellen Litz, Jack Stouffer, Jack Worrilow
To accommodate an
anticipated name change from Swatara Creek to
Swatara
River, Tom Embich moved, and Jack Stouffer seconded a motion to
change the name of the organization from the Swatara Creek Watershed Association
to the Swatara Watershed Association.
Motion carried unanimously. The website, letterhead, and banners will be
updated. We will check with Attorney Henry to see if we must file any
“official” papers.
Swatara
River:
|
Our mission is to educate the
public about the Swatara. We also looked for ways to make our 20th
anniversary of canoeing and cleaning up the Swattie very special. The
proposed name change from creek to river has provided an outstanding
opportunity to exercise this mission. People are talking about our waterway,
asking questions, and becoming engaged. |
|
Stories and editorials
appeared in the Lebanon Daily News (River
runs through it),
Patriot News (How
about 'Way down upon the Swattie River?'),
and on WGAL TV8 and WHTM 27.
|
|
Letters of endorsement to
date have come from:
Berks County Conservation District, Mauree Gingrich,
Jonestown Borough, Lebanon County Commissioners, Lebanon County Conservation
District, National Guard, North Londonderry Township, and Palmyra Borough.. |
|
French and Yellow Breeches
Creeks were formerly Rivers of the Year. Perhaps emphasizing the historical
connection would win over the State to make
the Swatara
River of the Year. |
Sojourn Planning:
May 3 & 4, 2008
It's our 20th Anniversary--Still Paddlin' After All These Years!
Administration
|
Grant application submitted
to POWR |
|
Registration completed and
posted online |
|
Lebanon Daily News is working
on an insert |
| Fish and Boat float plan
approved by Doug Deppen. |
|
Must
contact
Weidle for dumpsters at: Boat House Road Park, Hershey Highmeadow Campground,
Middletown
launch (also contact municipality). Scott Ihn will provide a UTV and trailer
to help haul trash from the River. |
|
Must contact
Hershey Highmeadow and Indian Echo Caverns about use of grounds and
electricity. |
|
Must contact
Jeff Hollenbeck, new owner of the Lantern Lodge, for speaker Lance Simmens’
accommodations. |
Food:
|
Saturday breakfast – June and
Dick Blouch |
|
Saturday lunch – subs (Volunteer
needed to see that Seaman’s subs are at the lunch site.) |
|
Saturday dinner – homemade
pot pie, TUMC-Dan Seaman |
|
Sunday breakfast - June and
Dick Blouch |
|
Sunday lunch – JoJo’s pizza,
Ann and David Lasky |
Land Logistics/Shore
Support:
|
Jack Stouffer and Laurie
Andrews |
|
Students from the Community
Action Partnership may help with trash |
Portage:
Bob Arnold
Programs: Denise
Donmoyer: Down to Earth Band, animals, Lance Simmens, Banjo Bob Balthaser
Safety: Liz and
Andy Ramsey
Transportation: Tom Embich, Dick Blouch, Norm Brandt, possibly Dave Wentling
Water Trail: Eagle projects require 100 hours of community service.
|
Eddy Kosik: Eddy is working with Ray Ebersole, Senior Project
Manager for Bridge Management at PennDOT. If all goes well, these bridge
signs will be in place for the Swatara Sojourn: Jonestown Road, Route
72, SR 4006, SR 4007, Yorty Road, SR 934, Black's Bridge, SR 4011, SR 743, SR
2015. |
|
Joe Hirneisen: Also an Eagle scout, will sign the northern bridges:
Route 22, Route 78,
Lickdale (iron bridge),
Monroe
Valley (new cement bridge),
Inwood Iron Bridge (County
owned and scheduled for replacement),
Route 81 (Two tall bridges
on pillars),
Appalachian Trail (iron bridge),
Swope's Valley Road. By
sharing information, uniform signs should be on the upstream side of bridges.
The efforts of these two young men will improve the safety of boaters on the
Swatara by helping them to identify their whereabouts. |
|
On a motion by Jack Stouffer, seconded by Tom Embich,
members voted to provide up to $100 to each scout toward the purchase of the
signs. |
| Both scouts will be invited to make a
presentation—either on the Sojourn or at a future meeting. |
Bordner Cabin:
|
Mitch Hoffman, no further report on Labor and Industry standards. |
|
Mayor Kaufman is still recuperating, so there is no bridge report. |
|
New journal placed.
The 2007 journal was passed around. Apparently, two wedding proposals
occurred in the cabin. Here are a few other wonderful comments found in the
journal: Lebanon beautiful; awesome; breath-taking; amazing; holy moly, it’s
gorgeous; definitely a keeper; legendary; paradise; extraordinary; exotic;
magical; a place of peace; a boy can be a boy out here; and
and wow, wow, wow! |
|
Some people got spiritual:
“Stopped in just to get away from the world and closer to God.” “God is the
“painter.” Armar is the “framer,” and we are lucky spectators.” “God’s
presence is everywhere.” |
|
And very moving, was a note
from a father and son who visited the cabin together. Recently, the father
passed away. |
|
Even in winter, people
visited the cabin, “As cold as it is, I played my guitar here.” “Nice to see
so many footprints in the snow.” “Happy New Year! With the New Year comes
change, but I hope this place stays the same.” |
|
Person after person thanked
us for saving the cabin. Many wanted to live there, and one person said they
will write their next children’s book there. |
|
People visited from
California, Maine, Mississippi.... |
|
People found the cabin while
hiking, cross-country skiing, biking, motorcycle riding, horse back riding,
while out fishing, after a hunting trip.... |
|
Numerous former students of
Armar visited and signed the journal. |
|
Scott Ihn, will have the mantle ready for installation on
United Way Day of Caring. From
9AM-noon, we will also
sweep up the cabin that day, pull weeds…. |
Bordnersville Road
Farm
|
On behalf of
Mr. Camp, Griffith L. D. Jones, HRG, offered the Association an historic bank
barn, log cabin, spring house, 3 acres wetlands. |
|
In addition
to land donation, would need an endowment for repairs and maintenance and an
annual fee to help cover maintenance, insurance,…. |
|
Request to
hold our next meeting there. |
|
Meet with
Lori Yeich and County Planning on March 13 at 10AM. |
|
Shared
resource with other conservation groups—Audubon, Conservancy, Conservation
District, Quittie Watershed, Trout Unlimited...? |
|
Betty will
talk to George Ross, PA Log House Society. |
Swatara
State Park:
|
DCNR
update: No report. Bill Friese was promoted, and is no
longer at Swatara and
Memorial Lake State Parks. |
Inwood Bridge
|
No update. |
Wise Property
|
Fish and Boat match pushed
back to July 1. Scott Bollinger requested that we revise the heading of our
grant. Contact Tom Donmoyer. |
Water Deficit Areas
– Betty Conner reported that the Lower Susquehanna Regional Water Resources
Committee helped to prioritize critical watersheds, per Act 220, where public
water supply is not enough to meet demand. The group identified the Swatara,
Conestoga, and Octarora on the east bank and the Conewago and Cadores on the
west bank. Determinations were made using DEP and USGS ‘Pour Point’ data at the
mouth of each waterway.
Jack Worrilow
requested that meetings be set up at the Waste Water Treatment Plant and
AES Ironwood.
On a motion by Tom
Embich, seconded by Jack Stouffer, Rugh Henderson received a vote of support for
a letter to include in a DCNR Community Conservation Grant for trail
development/passive recreation at Stone Knoll, an 18-acre tract along a
tributary to Spring Creek south of Campbelltown. The land is a gift from the
developer, Brownstone.
June Blouch shared a
story about cisterns in Switzerland.
Tom made everyone
itchy with his wooden pen made from the stem of poison ivy. Talk about a poison
pen, it was a valentine’s gift from Gwen, his wife.
Calendar:
March
|
20 Scott Weidensal,
author of A Feather, will appear at 7PM, Sweet Arrow Lake |
|
25-29 Builder’s
Show |
April
|
10, Rain barrel
workshop,
6-7PM at Conservation District. $20. Sign up
Wednesday |
|
16,
Pick up ordered trees |
|
19,
United Way Day of Caring volunteers needed to clean up and mount the mantel at
the Bordner cabin in
Swatara
State Park.
Quittie will also pull garlic mustard and plant red dogwoods. |
May
3-4,
Swatara Sojourn
January 30, 2008
Welcome and
introduction of attendees: Bob Arnold, Richard and June Blouch, Harvey
Bomberger, Betty Conner, Denise Donmoyer, Tom Embich, Stephanie Harmon, Rugh
Henderson, Karen Light, Ann Lasky, Jo Ellen Litz, Jack Stouffer, John Worrilow.
Swatara
River:
|
The dictionary defines a
river as a body of water that is fed by tributaries and empties into a larger
body of water. |
|
The Swatara Creek meets this
definition of a river. |
|
The Swatara flows through
four counties and 46 municipalities, then empties into the Susquehanna River,
and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. |
|
71 miles in length over 570
square miles of south-central Pennsylvania, the Swatara is fed by the Upper,
Lower and Little Swatara Creeks as well as the Quittapahilla, Manada, Boe, and
other Creeks such as Trout Run. |
|
Previously, the 50-mile
long Conestoga
Creek was named as the
Conestoga
River.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conestoga_River |
|
Other rivers in PA are smaller than
the Swatara: For
example, tributaries to the Delaware River like the
Lackawaxen River is approximately 25 mi long; The West Branch is approximately
15 miles long; and the Christina River is approximately 35 miles long. |
|
Since the 1700’s the Swatara
is listed as a navigable river on maps. |
|
Still navigable by small
craft, the Swatara Sojourn is held annually on the Swatara. |
| The Swatara is a working
river with four water companies relying upon withdrawal to service business,
industry and the citizens of the Watershed. In other words, the Swatara
is the lifeblood of our communities. The Swatara is integral to public
health and safety. |
|
Because of it’s name, the
Swatara may have missed out on being named River of the Year for the State of
PA |
| In several
instances, the Swatara determines political boundaries--between
Jonestown Borough & Swatara and Union Townships; between East Hanover and
North Annville & North Londonderry Townships; between East Hanover and Derry
Townships; between South Hanover & Swatara Townships and Hummelstown Borough;
between Lower Swatara and Londonderry; and between Middletown and Royalton
Boroughs in Dauphin County. |
|
Therefore, as previously
discussed at meetings, on January 17, 2008, an application was completed with
the United States Geological Survey to request a name change from the Swatara
Creek to the Swatara River. |
Sojourn Planning:
20th Anniversary, May 3 & 4, 2008
Administration: Jo
Ellen Litz
|
Cost: $20 for adults/5 for
children |
|
Registrations will be posted
on the web |
|
Web update |
|
Sponsor letters will request
cash and in-kind donations |
|
Events calendars: Chamber of
Commerce, Daily News, Merchandiser, Patriot, Sun, WGAL,
EXPO Tourist Promotion Agency,…. |
Food:
|
Saturday breakfast – June and
Dick Blouch |
|
Saturday lunch – subs (Volunteer
needed to see that everything is at the lunch site.) |
|
Saturday dinner – homemade
pot pie - TUMC-Dan Seaman |
|
Sunday breakfast - June and
Dick Blouch |
|
Sunday lunch – pizza Ann and
David Lasky |
Land Logistics/Shore
Support: Jack Stouffer and Laurie Andrews
Portage:
Bob Arnold
Programs: Denise
Donmoyer
|
Confirmed
Lance Simmens, who was trained by Al Gore as a national speaker on global
warming, has agreed to speak to us. (needs lodging) Will confirm which
day and time is preferred. |
Safety: Liz and
Andy Ramsey
Transportation: Tom Embich, Dick Blouch, Norm Brandt (More volunteers needed
to shuttle drivers.)
Water Trail:
|
Eddy Kosik: Boy Scout Eagle project requires 100 hours of community
service. Eddy is working with Ray Ebersole, Senior Project Manager for Bridge
Management at PennDOT. If all goes well, the bridge signs will be in place
for the Swatara Sojourn. |
Bordner Cabin:
|
Mitch Hoffman, DCED advisor to DCNR on L&I issues, will tour the
Bordner cabin to hopefully define what will be required to remove the no
trespassing signs. In advance, Daily News pictures and the cabin floor plan
were provided. |
|
Mayor Kaufman is recuperating, and there is no bridge report. |
|
A new journal is needed. |
|
Don Mock,
owner of Windswept Christmas Tree Farm, placed a beautiful tree at the cabin
over Christmas. |
Swatara
State Park:
|
Provided a history of the park to Darryl Lawrence, Assistant Consumer
Advocate, Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate.
In 1969, the state set aside $30 million dollars to
acquire the land (much by eminent domain), build a dam, and construct other
recreational facilities. Over the next 20 years, the main sticking point was
the issue of water quality, particularly the acid mine drainage
originating upstream. The promise was 'clean up the water and the dam will be
built'. Ultimately, the upper watershed was cleaned up with a lot of hard
work, money, and ingenuity. The highway was relocated and the culm banks
were removed. Finally, the permitting process for the dam began in the
late '90s. However, too much time had passed and the window of opportunity to
build a dam (any dam in the U.S. for that matter) had closed due to opposition
of all dams!
Subsequently, the permit process was terminated and the only recourse at this
point was to develop a Park with passive recreational facilities. In 2001, the
state hired a consultant led by Simon Jaffe Collins of Berwyn, Pa to draft a
master plan for the Park now that the dam had been mothballed. There was a
series of public input meetings and on June 20th, 2002, the Final Plan was
unveiled. An Executive Summary was later published in April 2003. We figured
a passive-recreation State Park is better than nothing at all. All of us felt
now that the dam controversy was decided, implementation of the Master Plan
would rapidly follow. Old State Road terms were only recently accepted.
We're waiting for construction to begin.
Swatara State Park is in a prime location right off I-81, and only 25 minutes
from Hersheypark. During the peak season, the Herco-owned Highmeadow
Campground is full to capacity and must turn campers away. Not only that, it
is a likely overnight spot for campers/RVers coming from the New England
states and lies right on the Appalachian Trail.
|
|
Ask DCNR for an update on progress toward bidding work to complete
Phase I of Swatara
State Park,
plans for the Suedburg Railroad station in the upper end of the Park, and
whether or not they plan to incorporate the Inwood Bridge as a footbridge.
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Inwood Bridge
| Francis
Ditzler reported two accidents at
Boon Road
and Monroe Valley Road. More lots are being sold, and another bridge is
needed to accommodate all of the traffic. |
Wise Property
|
DCNR Grant Workshop on
February 5: Lori Yeich is using the Wise property as a model of the type of
projects that DCNR will fund. Pictures provided for their PowerPoint at a
February 5 grant workshop. |
|
Fish and Boat match pushed
back to July 1. Tom Ford, from F&B, is now at DCNR--Lori Yeich’s boss. Jackie
Kramer is SCWA's new F&B contact. |
Water Deficit Areas
|
Currently Good Spring Creek,
near the Dauphin County line, and Fredericksburg, which serves three chicken
plants. |
|
Watch areas not served by
public water and sewer, or wells at homes may run dry. |
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Encourage conservation
measures. |
|
Similar to the countywide
floodplain ordinance, a countywide conservation ordinance may be necessary.
Conservation measures can actually save landowners money. For instance, trees
can provide shade, act as windbreaks, and reduce air conditioning costs.
Pervious pavement allows groundwater recharge. Cisterns collect rain water
from roofs for use to water gardens, wash cars, or flush toilets. Therefore,
you aren’t paying for public water. Many more conservation measures will help
us to avoid a crisis situation in times of drought. |
Penn
National/Hollywood Casino
o
January 22
Conservation testimony presented at East Hanover Township, Dauphin County
planning commission in relation to withdrawal applications from the SRBC.
Questioned what measures are in use--pervious pavement, cisterns, low flow
toilets in the "old" sections...?
Manada Creek:
|
Chris Scott,
West Hanover Township resident raised concerns. |
| Harper
Hotel Project (small) & Old Towne Project (large) on Rt 39 between Routes 22
and 81-- a 48 room, 3 story high hotel. Their plan is to empty and redirect
their storm water directly into Manada Creek |
|
www.manadacreek.org |
Fort
Indiantown Gap amended plan:
|
Several members took along
copies of the amended plan for review. |
Center for Land and
Water:
|
In a planning process. Meet
this Friday at Milton Hershey. Four members plan to attend. |
Assembly
Summit:
HACC on 1/31 to
2/1/08 at Wildwood Conference Center, Harrisburg, PA. The event marks 10 years
of the Assembly’s service to businesses, governments, and communities in South
Central Pennsylvania... Theme: Barriers, Bridges, and Best Practices.
As a model of Bridges--regional cooperation, a presentation will be made on the
Swatara Rivers Conservation plan at 1:30 on Thursday. To register, contact:
Deborah Kravitz, Indiana University of Pa., Administration & Leadership Studies
Research and Training Center, Phone (717)720-4431 or via email at Deborah.kravtiz@iup.edu
Per Stephanie
Harmon, Growing Greener Grants should be awarded in February. Also,
presidential stands on environmental issues can be viewed at
www.LCV.org .
Per Tom Embich, maps
of Spring Creek helped to identify Total Maximum Daily Loads as required in Act
167, the storm water management act. Gil Hershel, Dauphin County Conservation
District, provided information.
Other:
January 31
and February 1,
|
Bellgrove Fire Company is having a potpie supper.
|
|
Assembly
Summit at Wildwood Center, HACC
|
February
|
5 DCNR
Grant Workshop
|
|
27 Next
Swatara Watershed Meeting.
|
April
|
2,
Sweet Arrow Lake will host Grover on Groundhog Day. Prepared by Country Club
chef Tony Wietmer, potpie is served at lunch. Another fundraiser will take
the form of a Chinese auction. Also, a Valentine raffle will be drawn for a
stay at the sterling Mansion Bed and Breakfast owned by Ky Skov in Reading. |
|
7,
A Green Roof Symposium is being held by the Lebanon County Conservation
District's Karl Kerchner in
Berks
County. |
|
16,
Tree seedlings will be ready for pickup from the Lebanon Conservation
District. |
|
19,
United Way Day of Caring volunteers needed to clean up and make the mantel at
the Bordner cabin. We have the log, but need a craftsman to direct
us. |
|
20,
the LV Conservancy is hosting Chad Kister, on Polar Bear Survival, at the
Allen Theater,
1:30PM. |
|
21,
Manada Conservancy will host a review of the historical and natural resources
along the Swatara Greenway,
7PM at the Hershey Library. |
May 3 & 4
Swatara Sojourn
|
