Gathering at the Bay's Headwaters
A common adage in the realm of environmental science is that "the environment does not adhere to societal boundaries." This statement comes into focus when considering how to achieve clean water throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Spanning across seven jurisdictions: Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, and the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay watershed holds numerous state and federal agencies tasked with meeting water cleanup targets established by the 2010 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). These agencies are assisted by a myriad of national, statewide, and local organizations. And achieving clean water requires careful coordination between all parties involved.
It was this need for coordination that led 150 people to converge on the Binghamton University Center for Excellence on an early October morning for the Fourth Annual Upper Susquehanna Watershed Forum. The purpose of the forum was threefold: to achieve solidarity in managing this precious resource; to learn new approaches to watershed management; and to establish new partnerships between government agencies, quasi-governmental organizations, private businesses, and nonprofit organizations. The forum opened with a keynote address from Jim Tierney, Deputy Commissioner of Water Resources for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Tierney emphasized New York's high level of commitment to managing of the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the need to focus on factoring climate change into long-term planning efforts related to watershed management.
After the keynote address, participants attended a series of breakout sessions ranging from sustainable development planning to citizen science monitoring. The offerings included a field trip to view innovative stormwater management features on the Binghamton University campus. Seeing best management practices in action provided some much-needed visualization of the complex technical discussions during the forum.
During lunch and in between sessions, attendees interacted with student researchers showcasing watershed management related projects, allowing students to share their work, network with potential employers, and brainstorm new ways to improve water quality.
Last, but not least, the final session of the day focused on money. Critical restoration work is not possible without funding, and the session identified pathways to supporting strategies to comply with the 2019 TMDL's requirements. And productive conversations followed with potential funders in the same room as agencies, organizations, and individuals seeking funding for water quality projects throughout the watershed.
The forum highlighted the importance of coming together to share ideas, learn new approaches to watershed management, and coordinate work to share resources and expertise. Implementing the practices necessary to meet the 2025 Chesapeake Bay Cleanup targets is a tough challenge to meet; however, there is solace in the fact that many groups are fighting for clean water every day throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Leslie Orzetti, Ph.D. is the Former Executive Director of the Otsego County Conservation Association
The Upper Susquehanna Watershed Forum was made possible with support from the Upper Susquehanna Coalition, Choose Clean Water Coalition, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Southern Tier 8, Binghamton University Center for Watershed Protection, Otsego Land Trust, Northeast Dairy Association, and CalVan Environmental.