York County Integrated Water

Resources Plan (IWRP)

John Seitz Water Resources Coordinator

York County Planning Commission

Introduction

The Plan (& appendices)

Flowchart

Integrated Water Resources Plan

Serves as county-wide Act 167 Plan (Stormwater Management Plan)

Uses Flowchart Tool to tie all water issues together

Adopted as component of County Comprehensive Plan

Flowchart Tool

Flowchart Tool Intentions

Integrates all water issues (ties issues together)

Process that maximizes benefits for projects AND the resource

Simple to use

Does not repeat existing efforts/plans/data (utilizes existing programs/studies/ assessments/resources)

Provides enough info for general public (useful for any knowledge level) Bases

The Flowchart

The 5 Legs of the Flowchart

Agricultural Leg Integrates

Ag Conservation Plans

Manure Management Plans

Structural Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP)

State Water Plan Critical Water Planning Areas (CARPs)

Impaired Waters (303D list)

TMDLs

Wetlands

Stormwater

Floodplains

River Conservation Plans

Source Water Protection Plans

Water Withdraws (SRBC/DEP)

PennDOT & DEP Programs

Riparian Buffers

Local Stakeholder Groups

Education

Nutrient Credits

Project Tracking

Agriculture Leg

Flowchart Bases

Is the Project on a farm

with an approved and implemented Conservation

Plan?

A1

Yes

No

Generally, all Pennsylvania farms are required to have a prepared and implemented whole farm conservation plan. These plans are developed through the assistance of the York County Conservation District and address all conservation requirements (nutrient management, erosion and sedimentation) of existing laws. The flowchart asks the user if the project farm has such a conservation plan, and if one has not been developed for the project farm, the user is directed to the York County Conservation District (YCCD) for assistance in development of a required conservation plan. If the user does not know if a conservation plan exists, the YCCD has records and copies of all approved York County Conservation Plans. The YCCD can be reached at 717-840-7430.

Agriculture Leg

Flowchart Bases

Contact York County Conservation District for

development and/or implementation assistance

of an approved Conservation Plan

A2

No

The user is directed to contact The York County Conservation District (YCCD) if a project farm does not have an approved and/or implemented plan. All farms are required to have such plans and the YCCD is the State delegated agency which assists local farmers in the development and implementation of whole farm conservation plans. The YCCD can be reached at 717-840-7430.

Agriculture Leg

Flowchart Bases

A6

Yes

No

Land alteration would include any activity that alters the physical landscape of the farm. Planting trees would be a land alteration as would any earth disturbance activity. If the user determines that no land alterations are included in the project, the flowchart assumes that the project is related to conserving and/or preserving open space/agricultural land/natural resources and, therefore, directs the user to enter the Conservation/Preservation Leg of the flowchart. If a project has dual intentions, such as land alterations and conservation/preservation, multiple legs of the flowchart would be navigated by the user.

Does the Project involve land alteration(s)?

Agriculture Leg

Flowchart Bases

A7

No

Yes

It is possible that certain types of projects on

a farm may not be unique to agricultural

operations and/or they may be regulated

entirely by the PA Municipalities Planning

Code process. If a new house, barn, storage

building, or any other structure regulated by

municipal ordinances is part of the project,

the user is then directed to enter the Land

Improvement Leg of the flowchart. If a project

has dual intentions or the user is not sure,

multiple legs of the flowchart (Agriculture

AND Land Improvement) would be navigated

by the user as a conservative approach to

maximize the benefits of each leg.

Does

the Project

involve the construction

of new buildings/structures and/or

additions to existing

buildings/structures?

LI - 1

Agriculture Leg

Flowchart Bases

A9

Yes

No

Health of the Chesapeake Bay has been in question at least since government agencies saw a need to fund a study in the late 1970's to analyze the rapid loss of wildlife and aquatic life that was devastating the Bay. According to the Clean Water Act, the United States Environmental Protection Agency is required to develop a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Chesapeake Bay which will establish a pollution load that the Bay will be able to accept and still meet the water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act. The pollution loads will be lower than those entering the Bay now, and each State within the Bay's Watershed will need to help . . . . . . A search on PA DEP's website, www.dep.state.pa.us (DEP Keywords: “Chesapeake Bay”), takes you to their Chesapeake Bay Program homepage.

Does the Project

help to accomplish the Chesapeake Bay

Watershed Implementation

Plan?

Agriculture Leg

Flowchart Bases

This step attempts to inform the user of available York County water supplier source water/wellhead protection plans. These plans inventory potential pollutant threats to the public water supply in a particular service area and provide recommendations to mitigate such threats. Water supply quantity, quality, source areas and education are addressed in these plans. The flowchart user is encouraged to make use of the information contained in these plans and notify the water supplier about any project that has the potential to negatively or positively affect the water supply. This step lists the current York County approved plans. Copies of the plans are available for review from the applicable water supplier. More information about source water/wellhead protection can be obtained from the York County Planning Commission at 717-771-9870, the Pennsylvania Rural Water Association at www.prwa.org, or PA DEP’s Water Supply Management Program at 717-772-4048

A25

Yes

No

Is there a

Source Water Protection Plan or

Wellhead Protection Plan?

• Red Lion Municipal Authority • York Water Company • Wrightsville Authority • Dillsburg Municipal Authority • Franklintown Borough Municipal Authority • Delta Municipal Authority • Shrewsbury Municipal Authority • Dover Township Water System • Stewartstown Municipal Authority • West Manchester Municipal Authority • Hanover (under development) • Various small public water supplies including mobile home parks

Agriculture Leg

Flowchart Bases

A29

No

Yes

If the project involves a water

withdrawal/use, the flowchart integrates

regulatory agency policies and local planning

initiatives.

Does the Project

withdraw water ?

The Flowchart

Some Recommendations Involve

Stormwater Authorities

Data Sharing Between Agencies

Environmental Advisory Councils

Source Water Protection

Wetland Mitigation Banking

Next Steps

Web-enabled

Interactive

Flowchart

(like Turbo Tax)

All municipalities

adopt Stormwater Ordinance

John Seitz York County Planning Commission

717-771-9870 jseitz@ycpc.org