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Timeline


Washington County Conservation District was declared by the board of County Commissioners on March 25, 1947 under Act 217 and began operations on February 19, 1948.  The District is a subdivision of state government funded by the county.  The main objective in the early years of the District was to assist farmers with their land use problems.  Since the early 1950's the District has been actively involved in a variety of projects.

Timeline

1947 - The first board of directors are Edwin F. Carl, Harry Hank, Linsey                   Gillis, J. Nelan, and Francis Pettit.

1958 - The District became the sponsor of the first PL - 566 watershed                      project in Harmon Creek.  This was followed by Wheeling Creek                    and Cross Creek.

1963 - Jay Weaver of the Soil Conservation Service came to Washington                 County to begin surveying the soils of the entire county.

1968 - R. L. Adamson became president of the State Association of                         Conservation District Directors.  

1971 - The District started to publish a newsletter called Tomorrow.  The                   newsletter came on a bimonthly basis.

1972 - Paul Onopiuk was hired as the first Executive Assistant.

1973 - The District office moved from 27 Highland Avenue to 37 Highland                 Avenue.

1974 - The District was authorized the duty of inspection under Chapter                   102 of the Clean Streams Law.
          -  The District participated in the Last Acre Ceremony which signified               the complete soil mapping of 548,480 acres, the entire county of                   Washington.  
          -  Construction began on the first flood control dam to be built in                         Pennsylvania on the Wheeling Creek Watershed.

1976 - The Tomorrow newsletter placed third in the National Newsletter                      Contest with a $150 prize.  In 1977 the Tomorrow moved to                            second place with a cash prize of $300.
           - John Paxton took over as Executive Coordinator

1977 - The District hosted a ground breaking ceremony on the Cross                        Creek Watershed.

1980 - The District office changed its location to 602 Courthouse Square.
          -  Jean Toporcer took over as Executive Assistant

1982 - The Washington County Groundwater Study was undertaken by                     USGS.  
          -  Cross Creek Lake was constructed

1983 - Gary Stokum was hired as the first full time E&S Technician.

1984 - The first office computer was purchased by the District.
          -  The first Youth Conservation Camp is held

1985 - The first Conservation 10K run was held at Mingo Park.  
          - Cokeburg Community Park is honored as the first Penn's Corner                    Resource Conservation and Development project.
          - The District became involved with the Washington County Youth                     Conservation Camp.  

1986 - The final flood control dam on Wheeling Creek gets underway.
          -  The first County Envir-Olympics (later named the Envirothon) is held               at Cross Creek Park.
          -  The Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine                               Reclamation (WPCAMR) is created.

1987 - Project Learning Tree and the Sportsmen's Show begin.

1988 - Flood Control project on Enlow Fork is dedicated.
          - Ag Days begins

1989 - State Conservationist Richard Duncan tours Washington County                   and participates in the Ceder Grove groundbreaking ceremony.
          -  The Environmental Shopper Program is adopted by Foodland                       Stores, and wins the Take Pride in Pennsylvania award.

1990
 - The District participated in the Washington County Earth Day                          Coalition
           - The staff increases to four with the hiring of an Environmental                           Education/Gypsy Moth Coordinator.

1991 - The District wins the Take Pride in PA award for Youth                                   Conservation Camp.
          - First used oil collection undertaken as part of Earth Day                                 Celebration.

1993 - The first no-till seeder was purchased and the District began a                       rental program.

1994 -  The Farmland Preservation Program was adopted by the county.
          -  Nutrient Management study undertaken in the Pigeon Creek                           watershed, the Raccoon Creek watershed, and the Cross Creek                   watershed.
          -  Received Groundwater Organization of the Year award from                          PACD.

1995 -  The first full time Nutrient Management Specialist was hired.
          -  The first Children's Groundwater Festival was held at California                       University of PA.  Approximately 1,000 sixth grade students                           attended.
           -  McGuffey School District develops a nature trail with assistance                     from the District.

1996 - The Farmland Preservation Program moves to the Planning                            Commission.
          -  319 Grant monies were orchestrated by the District to fund a                          Project Grass Coordinator for the fifteen county area.

1997 - The District won the state Goodyear Award.
          - The Dirt and Gravel Road program began.
          - The District celebrated 50 years of service.

1998 - The Washington County Watershed Alliance was formed
          - The Raccoon Creek Watershed Association was formed
          - Hired a second Erosion and Sedimentation Technician, John                       Casagranda.

1999 - Langeloth Borehole, located in Smith Twp. in the Raccoon Creek                 watershed, is the first Abandoned Mine Drainage system built.

2000 - District opens separate Ag office located with USDA offices in the               Meadowlands.
          - Raccoon Creek AMD survey and restoration plan is completed by               Skelly and Loy.
          - The District hires its first Watershed Specialist, Steve Carbol

2002 - The Chartiers Creek River Conservation Plan is completed by                       Skelly and Loy.
         
2003 - The Hamilton AMD treatment system, located in Findley Twp,                       Allegheny County, in the Raccoon Creek watershed is completed.
          - The Cross Creek watershed assessment is completed by Skelly                   and Loy.

2004 - JB#2 AMD treatment system, located in Smith Twp. in the Raccoon             Creek watershed, is built.

2005 - The Buffalo Creek Watershed Assessment and Restoration Plan is             completed by the Western PA Conservancy.

2006 - A study and proposed treatment system for the major discharges in             the Raccoon Creek watershed is performed by Biomost.

2007 - The District hosted the statewide Project Grass Conference.
          - The Canonsburg Lake Master Site Plan for Recreational                                Improvements is completed.

2008 - A stream restoration project is completed on Cross Creek at the                   site of the historic Meadowcroft Rockshelter.
           - WCCD website created.

2009 - 40th Anniversary of the "Tomorrow" Newsletter.  
           - Peters Creek Watershed and Cross Creek Watershed                                  Assessments Completed.

2010 - 1st ESCGP-1 (Erosion & Sedimentation Control General Permit)                  for the Oil & Gas industry was issued.
           - Canonsburg Lake, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 206 Plan                           completed.

2011 - Ten Mile Watershed Association and the Upper Wheeling Creek                  Watershed Association were formed.
           - The rebuild of Dutch Fork Lake dam was started; the anchoring of                Canonsburg Lake was started.

2012 - Our office moved to 2800 North Main Street, Suite 105,                                  Washington, PA 15301 (the first time all of the staff is in the same                office since 2000).
            - WCCD awarded a grant from the DCNR to create a Rivers                           Conservation Plan for the 20D Watershed.
            - The WCCD surpassed $1,000,000 in Dirt & Gravel Road Projects.

2013 - Two new employees were added to the District, an Agricultural                     Technician, and an E&S/Ag Technician.
           
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Additional Information

Pennsylvania's Conservation District Law (pdf)
© Washington County Conservation District