Working
in partnership with other agencies, the Conservation District works
to install stream bank fencing on farms to exclude livestock and
improve water quality.
The Lehigh County Conservation
District works closely with farmers to install Best Management
Practices (BMPs) to improve water quality and limit soil erosion.
One of the most beneficial BMPs that farmers of the Lehigh Valley
have been installing is stream bank fencing. The LCCD partners
with a variety of agencies, including Ducks Unlimited, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlands Conservancy, Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation
Service, Resource Conservation & Development Council, PA
Department of Environmental Protection, and numerous other local
government groups and private businesses to install stream bank
fencing on farms for little or no cost to the farmer.
In 2002, over 20,000 feet of
stream bank fencing was installed in Lehigh County, protecting
tributaries to the Jordan Creek, Maiden Creek, Ontelaunnee Creek,
and Coplay Creek Watersheds. In coordination with the stream
fencing, numerous other BMPs were installed on farms, including
watering systems and stream crossings. In many cases, these
practices not only improved water quality, but also assisted
the farmers by providing improved fencing and watering facilities,
allowing more opportunities for rotational grazing. For more
information about any of the stream fencing or agriculture-related
conservation programs that the LCCD works with, call 61-391-9583,
ext. 20.
Lehigh County Agricultural Center, Suite 102
4184 Dorney Park Road, Allentown, PA 18104
