Educational Tools

Produced over the years by various sources, these tell the story of why watersheds are important to maintain.

Websites

Water Words That Work  WEBSITE Great site that helps you relay your watershed message to the public
Arbor Day Foundation WEBSITE
USGS Educational Information WEBSITE
Website for Watershed Education  WEBSITE
Lancaster County Conservation District  WEBSITE

Watershed Educational Publications

Community Watershed Associations: A Valuable Resource for PA  PDF — (A workbook for environmental activists who want to raise more money!)
Backyard Conservation Booklet PDF  — (A residential guide for landowner on how to maintain a healthy lawn while also protecting water quality)
Fence ‘Em Out Brochure  PDF — (A simple guide on streambank fencing options)
Riparian Buffer Brochure for Landowners  PDF — (A Virginia’s organizations effort to promote streamside buffers in their community)
Riparian Buffers: More than Meets the Eye PDF — (A brochure all about the benefits of riparian buffers, how to establish a buffer, and what some native plant options look like)
Lancaster County Watershed Basics Educational Booklet  PDF — (An educational overview of Lancaster County’s Watersheds)
Stormwater & Floodplains Educational Booklet  PDF — (An educational guide on what stormwater and floodplains are and ways to reduce stormwater locally)
Water Conservation Ideas That Protect Our Watersheds Educational Booklet  PDF — (How residents and save water both inside and outside their homes)
The Chesapeake Bay In Lancaster County Educational Booklet  PDF — (An educational overview of the Chesapeake Bay and what Lancaster County residents can do to improve its water quality)
Watershed Educational Bookmark  PDF — (Educational bookmark for kids and adults on ways to protect local water quality)
The Effects of Special Protection Designation  PDF — ( A booklet that describes the effects when a stream or waterbody has special protection designation attached to it what this means)
Adopt-A-Buffer Toolkit  PDF — (Long term monitoring & maintenance techniques of restoration projects)
Native Plant Species for Stormwater Basins  PDF — (A short list of native species that could be planted in stormwater basins and green infrastructure projects)
Stormwater Best Management Practices for Smart Growth  PDF — (An EPA booklet discussing ways to conduct stormwater management BMP’s into Smart Growth developments)
The Homeowners Guide to Stormwater Booklet  PDF — (This guide walks resident through creating a simple stormwater plan for their property and ways to implement some simple stormwater best management practices in the process)

Watershed Educational Presentations

Chesapeake Bay TMDL Forum Presentation  PDF — (Presentation on what the TMDL for the Chesapeake Bay is and what it means for Lancaster County) 
Chesapeake Bay  PDF — (Presentation on what the TMDL for the Chesapeake Bay is and what it means for Lancaster County) 
Fixing A Broken Stream  PDF — (A stream restoration story of a local stream in Lancaster County )
Benefits and Establishment of Riparian Buffers  PDF — (Presentation on what the TMDL for the Chesapeake Bay is and what it means for Lancaster County) 
Water Conservation Concepts  PDF — ( A presentation on watershed basics, nonpoint source pollution, rain barrels, rain gardens, and so much more)
Nutrient Trading  PDF — (Everything you ever wanted to know about nutrient trading in Pennsylvania and Lancaster County) 
Total Maximum Daily Loads  PDF — (A program that goes into what TMDL’s are and some of the terms and implications of them in a watershed) 
General Permits  PDF — (Presentation on the State’s Chapter 105 program and General Permits for stream encroachment activities) 
Streambank Fencing  PDF — (Program put together by two former large animal veterinarians on the value of streambank fencing livestock out of streams) 
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)  PDF — (Talks about what the CREP program is and how it works in Pennsylvania) 
Farm Conservation Plans  PDF — (Good overview on what Farm Conservation Plans are and why they are needed) 
Stream Visual Habitat Assessment  PDF — (An in-depth overview on how to conduct a DEP stream habitat visual assessment) 
Macroinvertebrates  PDF — (Presentation on macroinvertebrates found in streams and what they mean relating to water quality ) 
Bog Turtles  PDF — (Program on the life, habitat, and history of the endangered bog turtle) 
Legacy Sediment  PDF — (A story of what legacy sediments are, how they form and how to remove them for better water quality) 
Creating a Study Design Water Monitoring Plan  PDF — (A presentation on how to create a successful water monitoring study design program) 
Better Site Design for Stormwater Control in Lancaster County  PDF — (A story of how to use better site design concepts in new development) 
Designing a Backyard Rain Garden  PDF — (A program form Lebanon Conservation district on creating a rain garden in your backyard) 

Macroinvertebrate Data Sheet PDF — (A worksheet to complete alongside an in-stream macroinvertebrate study, to determine the stream’s overall health rating)