Posts by popemaster
Ohio River Basin Aliance Newsetter
ORBA Membership, On the heels of a successful Ohio River Basin Confluence Summit, some new additions to our Board of Trustees, and the third annual ORB Day on the Hill, we are excited to continue the momentum towards federal investments in the basin and look forward to next steps with the Ohio River Basin Restoration Program Act.…
Read MoreWest Virginia Watershed Symposium 2025: 17 Groups Unite to Protect Appalachian Waters
The 2025 West Virginia Watershed Symposium was held at Battlers Knob in Philippi, WV on Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18, 2025. Representatives from 17 watershed groups as well as various watershed partners and supporters attended the Symposium. On Friday, attendees enjoyed a 3.5 mile float on the Buckhannon-Tygart Valley Water Trail, celebrating WV’s newest…
Read MoreU Penn’s Water Center just published ”Informing the Discussion Around Water Systems Restructuring”
U Penn’s Water Center just published a briefing paper” Informing the Discussion Around Water Systems Restructuring.” This briefing paper offers a high-level overview of the challenges facing water and wastewater systems in the United States, how those challenges can drive system restructuring and examples of restructuring options. It is intended to serve as an initial…
Read MoreWhen Culverts Become Lifelines: Lessons from Fall Confluence on Wildlife and Water
The Fall 25 Confluence’s “Boatload of Knowledge” session drove home a truth that’s easy to overlook: healthy ecosystems depend on connections. Freddy Smith from the Lawrence County Conservation District showed us how culverts can either be highways or roadblocks for wildlife trying to access critical water sources. David Antis, representing the Washington County Pennsylvania Amphibian…
Read MoreYour Voice Matters: What’s Next After the H2O Watershed Assessment
If you participated in the recent Headwaters to the Ohio Water Network survey, first off – thank you. You’ve contributed to something bigger than a simple data collection effort. You’ve helped create a comprehensive picture of watershed health across our region, identifying the common challenges we face and the opportunities we have to protect our…
Read MoreThe Watershed Assessment Report Is Here – And We’re Just Getting Started
This report represents something special – the collective voice of communities across our region speaking up about the water they depend on. Your survey responses, your concerns, and your observations have been compiled into a comprehensive snapshot of watershed health from the headwaters to the Ohio River. It’s not just data on a page; it’s…
Read More10/28 Stormwater Management Strategies: from Blueprint to Budget Webinar Series
The Impactful Resilience Infrastructure Science & Engineering (IRISE) Consortium, the Pittsburgh Water Collaboratory, and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) Water Resource Center are co-hosting a three-part webinar series titled “Stormwater Management Strategies: from Blueprint to Budget” throughout 2025. Join us for this webinar series on mastering stormwater management strategies. After the webinar series, we’ll host…
Read More$25,000 Available for Pennsylvania Landowners Who Want Healthier Forests and Cleaner Water
New PWREN Program Makes Forest Stewardship Financially Feasible If you joined us at the Fall 2025 Confluence, you already know this fundamental truth: clean water doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s the result of thriving ecosystems where every element—from the smallest insect to the tallest tree—plays a vital role. You want to help create or maintain…
Read MoreLessons from Fall Confluence: Why Being a Loud Voice for Watersheds Matters Now More Than Ever
Fall Confluence 2025 gave me something I didn’t expect – a completely new way of seeing watersheds. Sure, I went in understanding water quality testing and pollution monitoring. But the conference shifted my perspective to something bigger: watersheds aren’t just water flowing downhill. They’re complete, living ecosystems where every plant, animal, and microorganism works together…
Read MoreWhy Pennsylvania’s Tiniest Residents Hold the Key to Clean Water
And How You Can Help Protect Them If you joined us at the Fall 2025 Confluence, you already know this truth: clean water doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s the result of a thriving ecosystem where every creature—from the smallest insect to the largest mammal—plays a vital role. The butterflies dancing above your local stream, the…
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