Stream Corridor Management Plan

Stream Corridor Management Plan A unified and comprehensive approach to protecting, restoring and managing the Upper Delaware River Graydon Dutcher Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District October 14, 2014

Purpose To enhance stream corridor stewardship and create a vision for the future of local stream side communities

What this Plan is: A comprehensive look at the stream system A locally developed plan that defines stream stewardship and management techniques for the entire corridor and communities A means of creating a road map to coordinate the activities of government, the private sector, interested organizations and individuals as they work and live near streams

What this Plan is: Identification of problems & opportunities to address: stream stability and property protection issues flood issues aesthetic, recreational and ecological concerns Opportunity to work with government agencies and local groups to address stream maintenance issues Identification of funding sources for locally sponsored projects

Goal of the Plan Offer the public opportunities for involvement in visioning and taking ownership of future watershed management Create a better understanding of stream processes & promote a stream stewardship ethic among watershed stakeholders Study & evaluate stream and their effects on local stakeholders, and ensure continued protection & preservation while maintaining economic viability

Goal of the Plan Continue On a watershed-wide scale, create a multiobjective, community-based approach for stream management by promoting & applying the principles of fluvial geomorphology as the scientific basis of the approach Implement community-based restoration projects that demonstrate entrepreneurial approaches for stream & floodplain protection Develop a comprehensive living Stream Corridor management Plan with recommendations to guide future stream stewardship

Plan Objectives Develop a Project Advisory Committee to guide the process Identify the issues & needs in the basin Perform assessments to obtain necessary data Provide educational opportunities for watershed stakeholders Promote the importance of the creation, enhancement, & protection streamside buffers Explain the importance of biodiversity & habitat protection

Plan Objectives Continue Review stream-related regulations implementation, enforcement, & funding Promote the importance of floodplains & their function Review planning options to manage floodplain development Prioritize areas in need of restoration projects Develop a set of stewardship recommendations

Stream Management Plans The West and East Branch Management Plans echo the sentiments of those who provided comments and suggestions at every planning board meeting, public outreach and visioning sessions As the needs of the watershed change, these Plans will change to address the needs The Plans contain recommendations that can realistically be pursued and implemented by stakeholders

Project Advisory Committee Committee of stakeholders including local municipal leaders, streamside landowners, businesses, environmental agencies and non-forprofits organization that guide and participate in the development of the Plan. Track and review plan progress Help prepare plan components Assist with project prioritization Inform their constituents about the goals and activities of the effort

PAC Sub-committees You may further refine the committee into subcommittees where individuals can become involved with the plan component in their areas of interest, i.e. Stormwater management Fisheries and aquatic habitat Floodplain management and hazard mitigation Local grass roots project development Local land use and comprehensive plan review and incorporation

Community Visioning A process that empowers community groups to: Take greater responsibility for stewardship of their resources Take ownership of the Management plan Identify stream issues Make decisions regarding future development plans for the local communities that impact streams Visioning relies heavily on direct participation and involvement of the local citizens, organizations, governments, and there rep

What is a Stream Corridor Assessment? A Watershed Management Tool to: Provide a list of environmental problems within a stream system Provide sufficient information to determine problem areas Provide information to prioritize restoration projects Compare the condition of different stream segments

Why Bother With Assessment? The Day the Rains Came: The Deposit Flood, June 28, 2006

New Methods to take a look at in-depth flooding Project Advisory Committee

Preliminary Assessments GIS analyses Existing and historic aerial photos Land form data Land uses Soils information Field recon to verify data

Types of Stream Assessments Full Channel Gravel Deposition & Invasive Species location

Types of Stream Assessments Tributary Confluence with main stream

Types of Stream Assessments Streambank erosion

Types of Stream Assessments Bridge location and impacts on the stream

Types of Stream Assessments Exposed water main in creek

Types of Stream Assessments Streambank protection/revetment

Stream Restoration Traditional stream management practices typically focus on single objectives such as bank stabilization or flood threat reduction These techniques do not generally consider potential causes or effects outside of project areas Stream corridor Management plans apply the understanding of how healthy streams function

Terrace Avenue, Walton, NY

Margaretville Pavilion, Middletown, NY

Fleischmanns Motel, Middletown, NY Flood of 1996

Fleischmanns Motel, Middletown, NY

Floodplain Development Village of Walton, NY

When steams are reconnected to their natural floodplains Village of Walton, NY

Village of Walton, NY

DCSWCD Contact Information Delaware County SWCD 44 West Street, Suite 1 Walton, NY 13856 (607) 865-5223 (Stream Program) or (607) 865-7161 e-mail: first name-last name@dcswcd.org Rick Weidenbach Executive Director Graydon Dutcher Stream Program Coordinator Tom Mallory, PE Stream Program Engineer Gale Neale, Joel Fisk, Stream Program Technicians Jessica Rall, & Jeff Russell Catherine Skalda Catskill Stream Buffer Initiative Coordinator