Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay Program is a cost share program that works with farmers to decrease the amount of nutrients and sediment entering local streams. Nutrients and sediment can enter streams as either point source pollution or as non-point source pollution. Point source pollution occurs when you can point to the specific source of pollution, such as a sewage pipe entering a stream. Non-point source pollution occurs when the pollution is present but you can not determine a specific point source of the pollution, such as fertilizer runoff into a stream across the entire streambank, or from a streambank that is suffering widespread erosion.

Initially, the Chesapeake Bay Program focused on engineered BMPs such as concrete barnyards and manure storage tanks to reduce pollution on individual farms. The focus was later switched to focus on non-engineered BMPs, such as cover crops, no-till planting, conservation planning, and streambank fencing to make the available funds spread further. Today both engineered and non-engineered BMPs are eligible to receive Chesapeake Bay Program Special Project funds. Each round usually has a priority BMP or priority BMPs, and more precedent is given to streams that are identified as not meeting existing pollution limits.

Additional Information

If you are interesting in learning more about this program, please contact Rod Morehart at the Lycoming County Conservation District at (570) 433-3003 or at (570) 329-4004.