This summer is the five year anniversary of the Engineering Assistance Program operated by the PA Association of Conservation Districts that's designed to help watershed and other groups develop and implement watershed restoration plans and projects.

Engineering technical assistance is provided through eight different engineering services-- inventory and evaluation, topographic survey, soils investigation, design and specifications, construction quality assurance, technical reviews, training and watershed assessment.

The Program has been extremely successful because it offers assistance to conservation districts, watershed associations, and other eligible recipients, who may not otherwise have access to these services.

PACD can provide engineering technical assistance for projects that include agricultural best management practices, stream restoration and treatment of abandoned mine drainage.

During the past five years, the Program has completed 305 individual environmental improvement projects for hundreds of local organizations with an estimated value of $14.2 million dollars.

The program, which is a partnership effort between the PACD and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, began in 2001 with the receipt of a Growing Greener grant to provide engineering technical assistance. In 2004, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provided matching federal funds for engineering technical assistance for the implementation of comprehensive nutrient management plans.

A recent Growing Greener grant from the Department of Environmental Protection will continue this program into the next calendar year.

The PACD engineers and engineering technicians that provide services are based in the four Technical Center offices of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service located around Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit the PACD Engineering Assistance webpage.

6/23/2006