Philadelphia watershed plan

Unfortunately, many of these native species are now endangered or locally extinct. The decline of mussel populations can be blamed on a combination of factors, including polluted water, over harvesting, deforestation along streams, loss of reproductive fish hosts, and dams blocking fish passage. Mussels strengthen streambeds by keeping soils in place, much like plant roots, and provide food and habitat needed by other aquatic plants and animals. As filter-feeders, mussels also actively clean the water in which they live.

They draw water in and filter out solids and contaminants such as sediment, algae, and other pollutants. The mussels then release clean, filtered water back into their environment. Each individual mussel can filter over 10 gallons of water every day. Here, PWD scientists and their ARRC partners educate the public about the benefits of freshwater mussels and research mussel propagation techniques. Thousands of lab-grown mussels are produced here every year. With the power to transcend regulatory and jurisdictional boundaries, the SAN implements protective measures throughout the Schuylkill River watershed.

The SAN assists our department in eliminating illegal discharges and in identifying discharges that are in violation of permit requirements as well as releases from combined sewers and un-sewered communities. The SAN also focuses on mitigating abandoned mine drainage, reducing agricultural and stormwater runoff, supporting sustainable land use, and education and outreach.

The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund SRRF is a public-private partnership providing grants for environmental projects that improve and protect water quality in the Schuylkill River watershed.

Eligible recipients include organizations such as government agencies, nonprofit organizations, watershed organizations, and conservation districts. The Philadelphia Water Department is a member of an advisory committee that carefully selects project for funding. EPA, Pa. Located throughout the Schuylkill River watershed, these investments are improving water quality one project at a time by reducing impacts from abandoned mine drainage sites, agricultural operations and stormwater runoff.

Regional environmental regulatory agencies are in the process of considering changes to water quality criteria that could impact acceptable levels of dissolved oxygen in local waterways.

Dissolved oxygen, or DO, is influenced by a number of factors, including sewage discharges and the presence of excess nutrients in rivers and streams. In response, the Philadelphia Water Department is currently developing a Dissolved Oxygen DO Partnership with other large regional municipal utilities to share strategic utility planning and technology evaluations.

Historical water quality improvements, especially increased levels of dissolved oxygen DO , followed the widespread construction and operation of wastewater treatment infrastructure in the Delaware Estuary. While water quality has improved dramatically since s, the Philadelphia Water Department and our partners in watershed protection continue to address targeted issues related to DO and other water quality concerns with the goal of further improving our waterways for wildlife, recreation and more.

To continue progress in reducing nutrient discharges and improving DO levels, communities operating wastewater treatment facilities in our watersheds must undergo a strategic review of infrastructure that will inform the implementation of advanced technologies and operational adjustments. Understanding infrastructure capabilities, limitations, and affordability will be critical to further reducing pollutants in the Delaware Estuary in the future.

As utilities begin lengthy, individualized planning processes, the DO Partnership will encourage sharing of findings and analyses in a way that will benefit all regional utilities working to improve water quality. A key element of the Watershed Protection Program is a watershed-wide approach to planning and analysis of the drinking water supply. The nonprofit organization Partnership for the Delaware Estuary PDE is critical to achieving many department initiatives outside of Philadelphia.

PDE was founded with the overarching objective of working towards a cleaner and healthier Delaware River and Estuary.

In support of this mission, PDE leads many water quality education and outreach campaigns and projects in collaboration with the department. This role includes managing the large network of partners, developing policy, partnerships and resources for SAN, promoting SAN through press releases, events and other media, and managing collaborative work-groups designed to provide targeted solutions and projects to achieve improvements in water quality.

Additionally, the partnership assists PWD in meeting Clean Water Act regulatory requirements through outreach programs that engage Philadelphia residents in the prevention of stormwater pollution impacting the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers.

The Philadelphia Water Department has long been a member of WRA-DRB, and highly values their efforts to organize and inform regional utility efforts to shape water resources management policy. The department plants to work closely with WRA-DRB to identify and advocate for the development and expansion of federal and state investments in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

The Scrapyard Task Force STF includes City of Philadelphia departments and state and federal agencies involved in regulating and supporting scrap metal and auto salvage businesses operating in the city.

Glossary B. Abbreviations C. Watershed Maps E. Plan and Report Checklists F. Design Guidance Checklists G. Infiltration Testing Log I. Landscape Guidance J. Implementation and Adaptive Management Plan 1. This plan describes the current green stormwater infrastructure maintenance program and provides an overview of the process to develop the GSI Maintenance Manual by June 1, The Plant Identification Manual contains information needed to make informed decisions about plant selection for GSI projects.

When choosing plants for a GSI project, the information in this manual can help narrow the choices down to the most appropriate plant for each location. It is our initial plan for performing monitoring of natural and engineered systems associated with our Green City, Clean Waters program and addresses the monitoring and assessment of surface waters, groundwater, rainfall, CSO discharges, sewer flows, and green infrastructure performance.

Comprehensive Monitoring Plan These plans describe the specific engineering and construction activities proposed to increase the maximum wet weather flow into each water pollution control plant facility and thereby increase the capture rate of combined sewage. An update on ongoing studies and new concepts being developed by Philadelphia Water Department to increase wet weather flow capacity in both the Collection System and the WPCPs are included. Wet Weather Facility Plan. This report is an update to the "Implementation of Nine Minimum Controls" document and indicates how the City's activities are being carried out currently, and highlight how these activities may have changed as a result of new technology, new practice, or other circumstances to address the CSO Nine Minimum Controls.

Updated Nine Minimum Controls Report 1. This report describes the methods and results of a receiving water quality model for Dissolved Oxygen DO in the nontidal extents of Tacony-Frankford Creek and Cobbs Creek. Extensive field monitoring data were used to develop and validate the model, which simulates existing DO conditions and underlying stream processes in the receiving waters. The Manual describes the operation and maintenance of the full range of types of green stormwater infrastructure projects that have been, and that are proposed to be, implemented by the City as part of the CSO Program.

The Manual is designed to be used by City agencies and anyone else who has responsibility for performing maintenance of green stormwater infrastructure. The Deliverable required by the Consent Order and Agreement should be considered the "first edition" of the Manual, since it is expected that the Manual will need to be updated periodically as the technology of green stormwater infrastructure advances, and as experience is gained with specific practices.

The GSI Maintenance Manual was submitted as a Green City, Clean Waters deliverable in June and was updated in to reflect lessons learned in the field and to provide a more user-friendly interface. Green Infrastructure Maintenance Manual Version 2. The report describes the results of analyses performed using the USEPA sanitary Sewer Overflow Analysis and Planning Toolbox on flow metering data collected in the areas of the city served by separate sanitary sewers.

The results characterize the base wastewater flows, the groundwater infiltration, and the rainfall-derived infiltration and inflow conditions within these portions of the City. The report describes the methods, and provides the results, of a project to model the receiving water quality in the tidal Delaware River and the tidal Schuylkill River.

Some errors and omissions identified by the authors after the publication of this report are corrected through an addendum posted to this location. As expected, those changes did not have a significant influence on the tidal water quality results described herein, and did not lead to any alteration of the conclusions reached in this report. PWD has created or collaborated with watershed stakeholders to create several assessment and planning documents for our watersheds.

These documents range from detailed characterization reports summarizing technical information to more holistic conservation plans intended to enhance quality of life for residents in our watersheds. The revised plan is currently under review for approval.

It is our initial plan for performing monitoring of natural and engineered systems associated with our Green City, Clean Waters program and addresses the monitoring and assessment of surface waters, groundwater, rainfall, CSO discharges, sewer flows, and green infrastructure performance. These plans present a logical and affordable pathway to restore and protect the beneficial and designated uses of the waters of a basin.

Based on extensive physical, chemical and biological assessments, the plan explores the nature, causes, severity and opportunities for control of water quality impairments in the watershed. The primary intent of the planning process, as articulated by the stakeholders, is to improve the environmental health and safe enjoyment of the watershed by sharing resources and through cooperation among residents and other stakeholders in the watershed.

The goals of the initiative are to protect, enhance, and restore the beneficial uses of the waterway and its riparian areas. These documents contain detailed technical information about land use, geology, soils, topography, demographics, meteorology, hydrology, water quality, ecology, fluvial geomorphology, and pollutant loads in a watershed.