Governor's Award for Watershed Stewardship 2001

Schuylkill Headwaters Association
P.O. Box 1385
Pottsville, PA 17901

Contact:
William E. Reichert
(570) 385-2122
breichert@losch.net

Environmental Results:

108 AMD-impacted areas identified, including 11 priority sites.

Searchable database and GIS developed to manage watershed data.

Assessment & Planning
Schuylkill Headwaters Association

Technology Takes the Hassle out of Watershed Assessment

With a combined drainage area of nearly 130 square miles, the Schuylkill River posed a major hurdle for researchers trying to identify, assess and evaluate the abandoned mine drainage outfalls in the area. Without an effective data management system, evaluations would be impeded by countless man-hours devoted to shuffling through piles of paper records, spreadsheets and maps produced by different groups and agencies. Technology offered the solution. The Schuylkill Headwaters Association with technical assistance from L. Robert Kimball & Associates Inc., developed a "Knowledge Based Data Management System" (KBS), combining a relational database with a Geographic Information System (GIS). With the KBS, the watershed association can manage and compare water quality data. The GIS and its layered mapping capabilities can be used to display water quality data graphically, along with other standard GIS data, including local land use patterns, historical mining activities and current property ownership.

The integration of water quality and other physical data with existing thematic GIS layers provided for a more efficient and less costly assessment. The association estimates that while the entire project cost $60,000, the efficiency of the one-time review and compilation of existing data into an easy-to-use data retrieval and analysis system, combined with access to no-cost thematic GIS data layers, ultimately saved the organization many times the actual cost of the project.

The association's data collection and evaluation resulted in the identification of 108 abandoned mine drainage and pollution outfall locations, 11 of which have been prioritized for restoration in the near future. With the assessment completed, the group is shifting its attention to filling in data gaps and nurturing partnerships to begin planning restoration activities.

"Our assessment was designed to be a living document, one that lays the structure for current efforts, monitors existing activities and guides our future direction as we work to restore the health of our river. The assessment has proven its worth in obtaining grants, building partnerships with agencies and like-minded groups and building public awareness about the Schuylkill River watershed."
William E. Reichert
President Schuylkill Headwaters Association

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