Chambers Lake, a water supply reservoir and regional flood control facility of the Chester County Water Resources Authority, features in the County’s new Watersheds 2045 water resources plan.
Following a public hearing this week, Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz, and Eric Roe approved the Chester County Water Resources Authority’s (CCWRA) Watersheds 2045, a plan that addresses the county’s water resource issues, such as stormwater and flooding, pollution mitigation and prevention, recreational access, and sustainable water supplies.
Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Josh Maxwell said, “Ever since Chester County adopted the original Watersheds plan in 2002, it has guided us in protecting and restoring streams, lakes, and groundwater in Chester County. The original 20-year investment has improved water quality in our streams, and expanded flood planning and preparedness efforts.
“Watersheds 2045 continues the Watersheds’ legacy by addressing our current and future water concerns while empowering individuals, businesses, non-profits, local governments, and others to help protect our shared water resources.”
The planning process for Watersheds 2045 involved a thorough review of current conditions in the county’s watersheds, including land use, stream health, water availability, and projected future climate and population changes. The process also included robust public engagement through public meetings and surveys, stakeholder listening sessions, and a multi-sector, multidiscipline, 30-member steering committee.
Chester County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz said, “Watersheds 2045 serves to engage and educate our communities, businesses, and municipalities on critical watershed stewardship, helping to balance what nature provides with what our growing community needs. It conserves our natural resources, allows for more recreational water services, and improves surface and groundwater quality. Watersheds 2045 incorporates ways that we must pivot to meet the water resources challenges that we face now and in the future.”
The new Watersheds 2045 plan will also serve as Chester County’s Rivers Conservation Plan, and the Act 167 Stormwater Management Plan, adopted by all Chester County municipalities.
“In recent years, Chester County has seen more intense storms and flooding, and this has become a real worry for our residents, especially those who live along the Brandywine Creek,” said Chester County Commissioner Eric Roe. “Watersheds 2045addresses flooding and stormwater runoff concerns and advocates for integrating water resources, natural resources protection, and how we use our land. These are all interconnected and vital to the lives and livelihoods of everyone who lives and works in our county.”
The Chester County Water Resources Authority is Pennsylvania’s only county-level water resources management agency. CCWRA Executive Director, Seung Ah Byun said, “Chester County has an abundance of water resources, with more than 2,300 miles of streams that flow through 21 distinct watersheds. Many of these watersheds begin within our borders, but feed into four of the region’s largest waterways, from the Schuylkill River to the north and the Delaware River to the east, to the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay to the west.
“It is beholden upon us to protect, sustain and enhance our water resources for the coming decades, and through the engagement and support of many partners, Watersheds 2045 will do just that.”
