The Delaware Watershed Advisory Committee allows for collaboration on watershed efforts that benefit both water quality and the watershed communities. Watershed towns within Delaware County have adopted Stream Management Plans and Stream Stewardship Principles, signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Delaware County Soil & Water Conservation District and have assigned representatives to the Delaware Watershed Advisory Committee.
Guided by stream stewardship principles, the Delaware Watershed Program offers assistance to local communities, residents, and organizations to advance recommendations from Delaware Basin Stream Management Plans. Stream Management Plans have been written for the East Branch Delaware River and West Branch Delaware River. To learn more about what adoption of a stream management plan entails, please click here. We also have a sample of a memorandum of understanding between a town and the Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District to illustrate how a town could move forward with plan implementation. Finally, the Delaware Watershed Advisory Committee, DCSWCD and NYCDEP utilize an annual action plan to organize their workload and priorities.
Management of natural stream systems often results in the perception of competing or inconsistent goals and objectives. Using sound, science-based principles, stream managers will find it easier to guide their work, and achieve a common ground between landowners, municipalities, regulatory agencies and others that play an important role in the health of our Catskill stream systems. These guiding principles set a common framework upon which stream managers may carry out their important activities (principles with additional text):
Local municipality that has adopted the respective SCMP or a 501c-3 Not For Profit Corporation with a letter of support from a host municipality that has adopted the respective SCMP.
Projects that are located within the East or West Delaware Basin, fall within a municipality that has adopted the appropriate stream management plan, follow the Stream Stewardship Principles and are consistent with the Stream Management Plans.
Flood Management: development of flood management planning and response plans; flood recovery assistance; flood management training, including National Flood Insurance Program training.
Highway Infrastructure Improvement: upgrade undersized culverts; potential cost-share to properly size bridges to avoid channel constriction; potential cost-share to re-align streams upstream/downstream of bridges and culverts; incorporate vegetation into road embankments; utility crossing management; floodplain management of public lands.
Stormwater Implementation and/or Critical Area Seeding: hydro-seeding of open ditches etc.; implementation of stormwater techniques to retain and/or infiltrate stormwater into ground; wetland enhancement; filter strips; creation of rain garden and/or bioswales.
Recreation-Based Opportunities or Habitat Enhancements: stream access improvements; increasing navigability; development of watershed recreation plans; streamside amenities open to public; public fishing related projects; fisheries improvements and/or habitat enhancements (instream and in floodplain).
General Restoration Projects: any project not covered in the above categories. Such projects may include a gamut of projects from passive restoration to full-scale restoration projects that would provide multi-faceted benefits to a local community.
Education/Outreach/Training: workshops; newsletters; public meetings; school programs; stream clean-ups; volunteer plantings; educational kiosks; outreach materials; training programs/opportunities; stream celebration.
Planning and Assessment: floodplain management; coordinated flood response; technical assistance; land use/open space planning and/or incorporating stream management into economic development initiatives; creating/enhancing local control through environmental policies; collaborating at the county, regional and local levels supporting watershed communities.
An applicant should review all documents and determine if the project or program fits the SCMP recommendations and Stream Stewardship Principles. The following steps outline the application process:
| Step 1: | Request for Pre-Application conference form |
| Step 2: | Applicant meets with a Stream Management Program representatives to review the proposal |
| Step 3: | Formal Application (if qualifies) |
| Step 4: | Application is reviewed and scored by Stream Management Program staff |
| Step 5: | All scored application is reviewed and ranked by the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) Sub-committee chairs or designee, NYCDEP Delaware Basin Program Manager, DCSWCD Stream Program Coordinator, and the DCPD Director |
| Step 6: | The PAC considers the ranked applications and makes funding recommendations to the Stream Management Program staff, DCSWCD Board of Directors, and NYCDEP |
| Step 7: | The DCSWCD Board of Directors and NYC DEP approve or disapprove the application for funding |
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Step 8: |
Stream Management Program staff notifies the applicant of the final decision |
| Step 9: | If approved, applicant accepts funding award with an implementation deadline or declines the funding award |
Click on the link below for an application packet for funding under the program or project track. Download the file to your computer and then fill in the form. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.
Delaware Watershed Stream Management Grant Program – Program Track Application Packet
Delaware Watershed Stream Management Grant Program – Project Track Application Packet
The Project Advisory Committee (PAC) was formed to help empower local communities to take ownership of stream management on the local level. PAC role is to be a leadership in the SCMP implementation of the recommendations, identify local needs, and work with the communities and resource agencies toward solutions and project implementation. The PAC assists the Stream Corridor Management Program Team in the further development and implementation of the Biennial Action Plans, review and scores on the Delaware Watershed Stream Management Grant Program, and is a liaison with watershed stakeholders. Members also serve on one of the four Sub-committees: Fisheries and Habitat, Flood Issues, Highway and Infrastructure and Education and Outreach. Click here for the membership of the Delaware Basin PAC and Subcommittees.
Project Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes – 3/21/2016
Project Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes – 9/10/2015
Project Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes – 4/3/2014
DCSWCD Presentation to PAC – 4/3/2014
For more information, contact Graydon Dutcher, Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District Stream Corridor Management Program at (607) 865-5223 or graydon-dutcher@dcswcd.org