Watershed Protection Program

The Watershed Protection Program was first established in 1984 between the Robert E. Lee Soil and Water District and Amherst County in order to protect its public water supply. The primary drinking water sources include the Buffalo River, Mill Creek Reservoir, Harris Creek, and Graham Creek Reservoir. Any type of land use can impact the natural resources and bodies of water within these protected watersheds and other watersheds. The goal of the program is to try to reduce non-point source pollution (NPS) from entering these waterways. Non-point source pollution can be anything that gets picked up by rainwater runoff and gets in to a body of water. Improper application of fertilizers and pesticides can contribute excessive loads of nutrients and chemicals to surface waters. Sediments can enter by means of stream bank erosion, due to loss of streamside vegetation. Livestock wading in the streams can cause major erosion and an increase in bacterial contamination and nutrients. Faulty septic systems can also add nutrients and bacteria. Reducing NPS pollution not only improves water quality for human and aquatic life, it also reduces local water treatment and filtration costs.

The Watershed Coordinator for the District, with the help of local college interns, coordinates the watershed assessments. The assessments include surveying streams for water degradation, determining land use impacts and pinpointing source of NPS pollution. The surveys are non-regulatory and are used to suggest methods that could enhance the water quality in local waterways. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are conservation measures used to improve water quality and protect natural resources. Some examples of BMPs would include restoring eroded stream banks with vegetation, fencing livestock out of streams, and supplying livestock with an alternative watering system. Cost-share money is available for Amherst County residents to implement Best Management Practices on their property. The participation of land owners in conservation programs and the permission of land owners to survey private property are pertinent to the success of improving Amherst Counties’ drinking water sources. By landowners volunteering their property in conservation practices, they will not only be reducing pollution from our waterways, but also be forestalling the onset regulatory measures.

If you are interested in signing up for a conservation practice and/or allowing us to a do a watershed assessment on your property please contact:  Anne Marie Clarke, Amherst Watershed Coordinator at (434) 851-7043

Sweet Briar College student begins research on the
effectiveness of Agriculture Best Management Practices

Plant trees, save streams!

Amherst Watershed Coordinator, Anne Marie Clarke, and volunteers plant live-stakes and trees along streams in Amherst County which is part of an effort to protect drinking water sources and increase water quality. 

Find out more about this program!

Professor Dr. Orvos remembered through living memorial
at Sweet Briar College

Do you live in the protected watersheds of Amherst County?
(outlined in black)

What is a watershed?

A watershed is an area of land (defined by topography) where rainfall or snowfall flow into the same stream, river, lake, bay or ocean. In the Amherst protected watersheds water flows into fours major bodies of water: Graham Creek reservoir, Harris Creek, Mill Creek lake and the Buffalo River.

If you received this postcard in the mail, then you live in a protected watersheds and can help protect your local drinking water supply starting in
your own backyard

Request a FREE copy of the Living in Your Watershed Booklet

Spring 2011 Internship

Alex Doumlele (Spring '11 watershed monitor from Lynchburg College) samples the waters of Huff Creek in Amherst County for macro-invertebrates (aquatic insects). The macro-invertebrates found on the rocks in streams are proven to be biological indicators of the quality of water due to their varying tolerances to pollution. Some insects are sensitive to water pollution so if present this indicates better water quality

He also collected water quality data (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity and e.coli bacteria) at monitoring stations across the protected watersheds of Amherst County.

Alex participated in the Willows for LIFE riparian
planting projects. He is planting tree seedlings along
a tributary of Harris Creek.

Testing streams for water quality

Local data

Pleasant View Elementary School students help with Willows for LIFE Projects

Let us help you improve farm productivity and improve water quality!
 

Find out more here.

Protected Watershed Reports:

Graham Creek Watershed Progress Report 2005-2009

Agricultural BMP reductions in the protected watersheds of Amherst County

Buffalo River Watershed Progress Report