Moving from Planning to Implementation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

The Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions have just completed Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plans (Phase 3 WIPs) to meet the goals of the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). In Pennsylvania, this two-year long planning process involved an unprecedented amount of public participation and partnership collaboration. From the beginning, the importance of collaboration and engagement at the local level was recognized as critical to the successful implementation of the Phase 3 WIP and meeting both local water quality and Chesapeake Bay nutrient pollution reduction goals. This talk will provide an overview of Pennsylvania’s Phase 3 WIP and the planning process. Collaborative community watershed engagement approach-es in priority watersheds will then be discussed as critical mechanisms for accelerated implementation of Phase 3 WIP goals, with a case study from Chiques Creek, Lancaster County.