Chesco Commissioners Approve 2045 Plan To Protect Water Resources

WEST CHESTER, PA – Chester County commissioners Wednesday approved Watersheds 2045, a plan that addresses stormwater and flooding, pollution mitigation and prevention, recreational access, and sustainable water supplies.

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 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 Commissioner Eric Roe said.

“Watersheds 2045 addresses 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.”

Commissioner Chairman Josh Maxwell said the Watersheds plan adopted in 2002 guided the county in protecting and restoring streams, lakes, and groundwater.

“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," Maxwell said.

The planning process for Watersheds 2045 involved a 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 public engagement through public meetings and surveys, stakeholder listening sessions, and a multi-sector, multidiscipline, 30-member steering committee.

Commissioner Marian Moskowitz said that Watersheds 2045 conserves natural resources, allows for more recreational water services, and improves surface and groundwater quality.

The Chester County Water Resources Authority is Pennsylvania’s only county-level water resources management agency.

Seung Ah Byun, executive director of the Chester County Water Resource Authority 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 Chester County 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 the Chesapeake Bay to the west.