"The Dirt"
A Resource for Local Conservation
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Call for Entries:
Environmental Stewardship Award
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MCCD is happy to partner with the Montgomery County Planning Commission again this year to offer the 2022 Environmental Stewardship Award through the Montgomery Awards program.
Nominate a project, completed in the past three years, that exemplifies the practices of environmental stewardship and conservation for water and soil quality. The deadline for nominations is May 16, 2022.
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Master Gardener Plant Sale is Back for 2022! |
Join the Master Gardeners of Montgomery County on Saturday, May 14th! Get your garden plants and advice for 2022!
The Master Gardener Plant Sale is back for 2022! We hope to see you there! We will have plants for all of your garden needs. We’ll have trees, shrubs, perennials, pollinator plants, native plants, pond plants, herbs, annual flowers, vegetables, plants grown by our Master Gardeners, and expert Master Gardener advice on hand to help you make the best selections for your space.
The plant sale will be held rain or shine at the Montgomery County 4-H Center at 1015 Bridge Rd., Collegeville, PA 19426, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All proceeds from our Plant Sale support our educational activities in the community.
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Raised Bed Cover Crops - A Case Study at Mosaic Community Land Trust Gardens in Pottstown |
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Abby Reiter, Ag Conservation Specialist
Last fall, Mosaic Community Garden in Pottstown partnered with MCCD to plant a cover crop mix in raised garden beds. The seed for this project was purchased through an Environmental Education Grant which was secured by MCCD through the Department of Environmental Protection. The following synopsis evaluates the success of the planting, and shares information on cover crops in raised bed gardens, for homeowners and other community gardens alike.
A five-way mix of Austrian Winter Peas, Oats, Hairy Vetch, Crimson Clover and Winter Cereal Rye was planted in the raised beds. A cover crop is a living, green crop that is planted after fall harvest, and grows throughout the dormant season, to protect the soil over winter.
Grass species (such as the rye and oats in this mix) are great biomass producers. They provide quick ground cover to reduce soil erosion over the winter months. When these grasses are incorporated back into the soil during the growing season, they will provide additional soil organic matter. Throughout their growth they have also acted as a trellis that the peas and vetch could grow onto. The legumes in this mix (peas, vetch and clover) are able to provide nitrogen fixation and add nutrients to the soil. This interaction occurs as a partnership between soil bacterium and the plant, enabling the plant to take nitrogen gas from the atmosphere and move it to their roots where the soil bacterium help to convert it to a plant-available form of nitrogen which is stored in nodules on the plant roots. In the photo below, you can see the root nodules (highlighted in yellow), where nitrogen has been fixed from atmospheric gaseous nitrogen to a usable form. Once that plant dies or is incorporated into the surrounding soil, that nitrogen will become available to crops which are planted in the garden beds this year!
The beds pictured above were planted on October 20th, 2021. Better results could have been achieved if the planting was completed earlier in the fall, providing the seed mix more time to establish, but any cover over the winter is better than no cover! The seeds germinated and began growing in the fall. The cover crops grew a few inches tall, stayed at the same growth stage over the winter, then were able to create additional growth in early spring. The included photos were taken on March 23, 2022.
After a winter of growth, the cover crops should be terminated to prepare for the spring planting season. In a raised bed or small garden area, there are several options to terminate cover crops. They can be cut or mowed short and then either raked or tilled into the soil. This is necessary for small seeded crops such as lettuce, carrots, radishes, etc., to create a smooth seedbed for them to be planted into. A layer of newspaper followed by mulch/compost can be added on top to block sunlight and used as an area to transplant crops into. Taller cover crops could be cut short to terminate the plant, with the plant residue kept on the soil surface for use as a mulch around larger plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, or others.
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In legume plants, nitrogen is fixed on root nodules, converting gaseous atmospheric nitrogen to plant-available nitrogen in the soil. |
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Consider planting cover crops in your home raised bed gardens in the fall after harvest for soil health and plant fertility benefits! |
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Consider the Benefits of Using Live Stakes for Erosion Control, Habitat Improvement |
Brian Vadino, Watershed Specialist
In March 2022, Montgomery County Conservation District assisted Perkiomen Valley Trout Unlimited and Aqua Pennsylvania with riparian (streamside) habitat improvement projects along the streambanks of the Perkiomen Creek and the West Branch of the Perkiomen Creek. Volunteers worked together to plant two hundred live stakes of Black Willow, Silky Willow, Sycamore and Silky Dogwood into streambanks of recent dam removal sites on both streams.
A “live stake” is a dormant cutting, from select varieties of native tree and shrub species, that individuals can harvest and plant during the dormant season. Live stake cuttings are approximately three feet long and vary in diameter. Depending upon site conditions, individuals can push or drive the cuttings into pre-driven holes (approximately two feet deep) along the stream bank. Installers can use mini-sledges and lengths of rebar to drive pilot holes deep enough to allow the base of live stakes to reach the saturated zone of the soil, where they can access the moisture necessary to take root and establish.
Benefits associated with using live stakes are their minimal costs compared to more expensive potted trees and shrub nursery stock, that they can be harvested from local sources (assuming landowner permission is granted), that they are easy to plant and handle, are beneficial to pollinators and wildlife, can provide shade to help maintain water temperature for cold water species, are great for stabilizing stream banks (preventing stream bank erosion), and help filter pollutants from water flowing over the land.
Valuable information pertaining to the proper species selection, harvesting and installation of live stakes is available from agencies and institutions. For more information, visit these helpful sites:
USDA NRCS: "Tree and Shrub Planting with Live Stakes"
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Exploring Waters of Montgomery County, PA |
Elise Eggert-Crowe P.E., District Engineer
While MCCD works hand in hand with the PA Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies for environmental protection under Ch. 102 of PA Code, regulated by the Clean Streams Law, these regulations in Pennsylvania do much more than just permit construction activities and stormwater discharges. The Clean Streams Law aims to “preserve and improve the purity of the waters of the Commonwealth for the protection of public health, animal and aquatic life, and for industrial consumption, and recreation…”
With warmer weather ahead, I encourage you to explore the various waters and parks of Montgomery County and to take a moment to truly appreciate the benefits of having clean waters right in our back yards. Here are just a few suggestions of great water-inspired outings within Montgomery County! Be safe heading out onto any water bodies and check with park agencies regarding any requirements (boat licenses, personal floatation devices, permission, etc.).
Green Lane Park
Located in northwest Montgomery County, Green Lane Park offers a variety of ways to enjoy water, including scenic boating, boat rentals, fishing, wildlife viewing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and camping. Consider a guided pontoon tour of the 814-acre Green Lane Reservoir or kayaking in the 38-acre Deep Creek Lake. For lake and stream views, take a hike on the Perkiomen Trail, 4 miles of which are in Green Lane Park. Fishing in Green Lane Reservoir may yield Bass, Catfish, Carp, and Panfish. Paddleboarding on the reservoir is on my must-do list this summer.
Betzwood Park
One of my go-to spots is Betzwood Park, a section of Valley Forge National Historical Park location north of the Schuylkill River. A flat, gravel path leads you along the river, where I have seen great blue herons pluck fish from the river. There are additional trails with a bit more topography (along with Montgomery County mud and rocks) for those looking to break out a mountain bike. A long-awaited connection under Route 422 now connects the Schuylkill River West Trail to Sullivan’s Bridge to access Betzwood Park, and to Valley Forge National Historic Park, another nearby treasure!
Schuylkill Canal Park
Some of my favorite summer memories are kayaking the water loop between Lock 60 in Schuylkill Canal Park to the Port Providence Trailhead. I recommend starting downstream and kayaking up the canal, portage at Lock 60, and float down the river! Be sure to know your way points prior to heading out on the river! There are even a few restaurants on and near the water!
Evansburg State Park
The Skippack Creek is the central water feature running through Evansburg State Park, which offers hiking, fishing, mountain biking, horseback riding, wildlife watching, and picnicking. I recommend the Skippack Creek Loop Trail for magnificent views of the shimmering creek!
Perkiomen Creek and Perkiomen Trail
The Perkiomen Creek is another scenic gem flowing through Montgomery County, to the Schuylkill River, boating exceptional recreational value. Alongside the Perkiomen Trail, a converted railroad trail, the Perkiomen Creek offers opportunity for kayaking and paddleboarding, fishing, and birding. Bald Eagles soar and fish in the creek, and cyclist, runner and walkers enjoy the paved and gravel trail from Green Lane to Oaks, connecting to the Schuylkill River trail, to provide no end to fantastic recreation.
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MCCD's NPDES Programmatic Delegation through PA DEP: |
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Carl Hollenback, Engineering Technician
The Department of Environmental Protection has three levels of delegated responsibilities in the Ch. 102 NPDES permit program through which Districts may be involved. The Montgomery County Conservation District is a Level 2 delegated district. The main goals of the permit and program are to prevent pollution through E&S controls and post-construction stormwater management. Amongst other things, the District receives and reviews NPDES permit applications for general and individual National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. These permits are for stormwater discharges associated with constriction activities involving earth disturbance over 0.990 acres. Once the submitted documents meet the minimum requirements, we grant the applicant access to the General NPDES permit or DEP issues an Individual NPDES permit for the project upon recommendation from the District.
Per the Level 2 delegation, the District is required to perform one site inspection on General NPDES permitted sites greater than five acres of disturbance and on an as-needed basis for sites less than five acres of disturbance. If site conditions warrant follow-up or more frequent inspections, they will be performed within 20 business days. MCCD does not provide routine inspection to every permitted site and therefore relies on the municipalities to enforce their ordinances and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) obligations as it pertains to E&S and stormwater management.
Another key component of the District’s delegation is complaint response. Within 10 business days of receiving a complaint the district is required to respond, often with a site inspection. To clarify common misconceptions on the District's role in stormwater management, the District does not oversee all matters pertaining to stormwater. MCCD's delegation from DEP only provides legal authority to address stormwater management on sites with active earth disturbance over the acre threshold for NPDES permit coverage. For sites not under construction/without an active NPDES permit, the municipality would likely be an appropriate contact for addressing stormwater concerns. MCCD also has a Watershed Specialist on staff who can assist homeowners with stormwater management. Another misconception is that the District regulates streams and wetlands. The DEP administers the Ch. 105 program (Dam Safety and Encroachment). DEP’s website is the best resource for reporting environmental complaints or concerns.
With a Level 2 delegation through the DEP, MCCD does not have enforcement capability. We seek voluntary compliance by the permittee/landowner with meeting permit conditions, state regulations, and following the approved plans. If the District does not feel a satisfactory attempt to achieve voluntary compliance has been made, we advise the DEP who in turn can issue stop work orders, issue civil and/or criminal penalties, or even suspend or revoke use of the NPDES permit due to non-compliance and environmental pollution. The municipalities have more authority than the District for compliance and enforcement, which may correlate to obtaining quicker site compliance to prevent pollution. The District strives to establish and maintain positive working relationships with all municipalities within the County.
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"Top 10" NPDES Permit Application Review Comments |
MCCD staff have compiled suggestions for improving the success and efficiency of NPDES application reviews, which is based on the most common and frequently made review comments. In addition to the comprehensive instructions documents provided by DEP, MCCD staff are available for questions while completing application materials. |
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