BMP Portfolio - Westmoreland Conservation District

Showcasing Best Management Practices across the County

Westmoreland Conservation District partners with communities and conservation organizations throughout the county to identify water and erosion issues, and to install best management practices (BMP) and green infrastructure.

Explore our interactive dashboard and photo gallery to see how these projects are making a difference, and how the same can be done in your neighborhood.

Note: Our BMP Dashboard is best viewed with a desktop device. If you’re having trouble accessing the mapping features on your mobile device, you can also browse our interactive photo gallery at the bottom of this page for information on any of our BMP projects.

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Stormwater
DG&LVR
Watershed Restoration
Agriculture

Andrews Run Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) Passive Treatment System

Anoxic limestone drain, drainable limestone bed, two open settling ponds

Beaver Run Roads

Conveyor belt diversions, additional culverts, raising the road profile, underdrains, grading, streambank stabilization

Derry Pool – Infiltration Parking Lot

Permeable paving, rain garden, trees

Jacobs Creek Streambank Restoration

Streambank stabilization, riparian buffer planting

Kitz and Hutter Farms

Riparian Buffers, Stream Bank Fencing, Stream Crossings, and spring development

Lydick Farm Sink Hole

Stream restoration, riparian buffer

Mill Creek Streambank Restoration

Streambank stabilization, rootwads, log deflectors, rock sawtooth, riparian buffer planting

Nature Park-Donohoe Creek Protection and Restoration

Sediment forebay, water quality detention basin

Ridge Road Restoration

Rain garden, permeable paving, native landscaping

Sherrick Run Stream Mitigation

Streambank stabilization, rock vanes and j-hooks, riparian buffer planting

Shupe Run Streambank Restoration

Streambank stabilization, rock vanes and deflectors, riparian buffer planting

Turtle Creek Streambank Restoration

Streambank stabilization, rock deflectors, riparian buffer planting

Valley High School

Streambank stabilization, rock vanes, riparian buffer planting, debris basin, permeable paving

Wolfpack Park Stream Restoration

Streambank stabilization, rock cross vanes and j-hooks, riparian buffer planting

Frick Park Rain Gardens

Rain garden, concrete unit block wall, block weir

Larimer Trail Road

Raising the road profile, installation of underdrains and crosspipes

2011 Conservation Farmer of the Year – Bill and Donna Hoffer

Conservation Plan, Act 6 funding for manure storage, EQIP cost share for diversion ditch and stabilized waterways, stabilized stream crossing

2012 Conservation Farmer of the Year – The Yuris Family

Conservation Plan, EQIP cost share for access roads, livestock fencing, stabilized stream crossing, contour strips

2013 Conservation Farmer of the Year – Helen Clevenger and Rick and Mary Duncan

Conservation Plan, EQIP & Growing Greener for Animal Heavy Use Area & Manure Storage Area, rotational grazing paddocks, livestock watering system

2014 Conservation Farmer of the Year – Barb and Dave McMillan

Conservation Plan, Forest Stewardship Plan, grazing plan; rotational grazing paddocks, livestock watering system

Baileys Road Restoration

Raising the road profile, installation of underdrains and crosspipes

Keiper Road Restoration

Raising the road profile, installation of underdrains and crosspipes

Mansville Road Restoration

Raising the road profile, installation of underdrains and crosspipes

Thomas Road Restoration

Raising the road profile, installation of underdrains and crosspipes

Excela Health Frick Hospital – Water Quality Basin

Water quality detention basin, forebay, circuity berm, micropool, structural energy dissipaters

Mt Pleasant Parking Lot Rain Gardens

Rain garden, concrete curb cuts

Mt. Pleasant Residential Rain Gardens

Rain gardens

Scottdale Library Plaza

Rain garden, permeable paving, native landscaping

Scottdale Parking Lot

Rain garden, bioretention, canopy trees, permeable paving

WCIDC South Greensburg

Permeable paving, canopy trees

Vandergrift Permeable Pavement Project

Bioretention, canopy trees, permeable paving

Westmoreland Fairgrounds Project

Water quality basins, French mattress, conveyor belt diversions

Lowber AMD

Passive Wetland Treatment System

Brinkerton AMD

8- acre Wetland Treatment System

Kinlock Basin

400,000- gallon detention pond

Westmoreland Conservation District Permeable Parking Lot Demonstration

Permeable paving

2015 Conservation Farmer of the Year – Mike and Ina Bazley

Conservation Plan, EQIP cost share for high tunnels, livestock fencing & watering system, riparian buffer

2016 Conservation Farmer of the Year – The Stahl Family

Conservation Plan contour fields riparian stream buffer, rotational livestock paddocks, livestock watering system

2017 Conservation Farmer of the Year – John and Suki Jamison

Conservation Plan grazing plan rotational grazing paddocks livestock watering system animal walkway tillage eliminated

2018 Conservation Farmer of the Year – The Forejt Family

Conservation Plan contour fields w/ buffer strips stream crossing livestock fencing precision nutrient application

2019 Conservation Farmer of the Year – Lewis and Kate Lobdell

Conservation Plan Forest Stewardship Plan

2020 Conservation Farmer of the Year – The Frye Family – Pleasant Lane Farms

Conservation Plan EQIP cost share for animal walkways, diversions, manure storage, animal heavy use area, stabilized stream crossing riparian buffer fencing

St James Evangelical Lutheran Church Parking Lot Rain Gardens

Rain gardens

Westmoreland County Community College Riparian Buffer and Stormwater Retrofits

Rain garden, permeable paving, infiltration swales, riparian buffer plantings.

Cherry Creek Stream Mitigation

Streambank stabilization, riparian buffer

Latrobe Transfer Station Streambank Stabilization Remediation Project

Streambank stabilization

Ligonier Valley School District finished rock-lined channel

Retrofitted storm water basins, vegetated channel, rock lined channel, and new outlet structures

Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve stormwater basin and trail

Educational sign on stormwater basin, riparian buffer, native tree planting and trail

First Presbyterian Church Murrysville stormwater retrofit

Rock lined channel installation and 80 foot pipe replacement

Derry Borough permeable paving

Permeable paving, retaining wall, native tree and shrub planting

Shupe Run log vane deflector installation

Streambank stabilization along the Coal & Coke Trail

Hempfield Park stormwater retrofits

Rain gardens and pollinator garden, streambank stabilization with educational area

Irwin Park streambank stabilization

Rip-rap, log vane deflectors and parking lot infiltration swales

Manor Borough stormwater retrofit

Permeable parking spots, rain gardens and lawn expansion

T. Matty Animal Walkway Improvement Project

Approximately 3,520 square feet of animal walkway was improved with the additions of stone and three conveyor belt diversions.

Kitz Farm Spring Development

The Kitz Farm Project was Westmoreland County’s first Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) project.

E. Erdman Riparian Buffer Tree Planting

A riparian forest buffer of 325 trees and 114 shrubs within approximately 2.25 acres was installed on prior cropland.

2021 Conservation Farmer of the Year – The John Starr Family – Starr Valley Farms

Restoring 125 acres of fallow farmland into lush, productive pastures through sound conservation practices and hard work. The Starrs raise grass-fed, organic beef.

2022 Conservation Farmer of the Year – The Lash Family Farm

Operated by the same family since 1796, conservation practices include contour strip cropping, rotational grazing and grassed waterways.

2023 Conservation Farmer of the Year – John D. Kitz – The Kitz Farm

Conservation practices include rotational grazing, streambank protection, fencing, and animal crossings, and a roofed animal heavy use area. The first Westmoreland County farm in the PA Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP)

2024 Conservation Farmer of the Year – Marla & Todd Frescura, Dante & Evan

A 100 acre certified organic dairy farm - conservation practices include rotational grazing with 53 paddocks, streambank fencing, riparian buffers and grassed waterways.

Che Che Road in St. Clair Township

Drainage practices were installed on this very steep road, which had none previously.

Washington Township Exposed Sewer Streambank Stabilization

Significant rainfall caused Pucketa Creek to erode around a sanitary sewer line exposing 27 feet. The District provided technical assistance and project management to correct the problem and restore the streambank.

New sewer system being connected to existing drainage system.

Problems from state Rt. 51 drainage into a ditch along Todd Farm Road in Rostraver Twp. were solved.

Severe streambank erosion threatens the Style-Rite Kitchen building

250 feet of actively eroding streambank were stabilized.

Smithton Borough post construction stabilized streambank

Approx. 500 ft. of streambank was stabilized on an unnamed tributary to the Youghiogheny River.

Old Franklin Road Low Volume Road Project

Improvements were made to roadside drainage to help prevent erosion in Donegal Township.

Duff Park in Murrysville after rip-rap, bank grading, trail resurfacing

Stabilized and reduced accelerated erosion along Turtle Creek and an Unnamed Tributary (UNT) of Haymaker Run in the Municipality of Murrysville.

Mosaic Community Development Rain Garden in Jeannette after construction

Students at Mosaic Community Development will learn about stormwater management as the rain garden controls stormwater runoff from the adjacent building.

The Great Allegheny Passage trail bridge over Cedar Creek after its eroding foundation was stabilized

A multi-phase project at Cedar Creek Park in Rostraver Twp. repaired the GAP trail bridge and improved the streambanks of the Cedar Creek.

Camp Run Road in Donegal Township built up and stabilized

Improvements to Camp Run Road help control erosion, help prevent flooding and make driving easier and safer.

Stormwater Detention Improvements at Fox’s Pizza Corporate Headquarters, Murrysville, PA

To help prevent flooding the new basin will capture, control and slowly release stormwater.

Green Valley Road, Low Volume Road Project, Hempfield Township

The installation of additional cross pipes greatly limits the amount of water directly entering Township Line Run.

Poole Farm Manure Management Improvements Project

The project addressed potential sediment and nutrient runoff from this farm into an unnamed tributary to Buffalo Run in the Sewickley Creek Watershed.

Snyder Road, Low Volume Road Project, Donegal Township

Managing drainage to the roadway by using cross pipes to a stable outlet prevents water from eroding the ditch line. The stabilized outlet promotes infiltration before the drainage reaches the stream.

Style-Rite Kitchens – Pucketa Creek Streambank Stabilization, Lower Burrell, PA

April 2024, significant rainfall caused Pucketa Creek to cut a new path directing the stream to the back of the Style-Rite Kitchens building. Over 260 ft. of eroding streambank were stabilized with 1,105 tons of rip-rap.

Todd Farm Road, Low Volume Road Project, Rostraver Township

By containing drainage from Rt. 51 into a storm sewer system that outlets to a stabilized area, the water does not continually erode the ditch line.

Haymaker Run Stream Habitat Improvement Project

Along Haymaker Run in Murrysville, in-stream jack dam structures were retrofitted to meet current PFBC design standards to create better fish habitat and more stable streambanks.

Frescura Farm Grazing System Project

Approx. 12,000 sq. ft. of animal walkway improved.

2025 Conservation Farmer of the Year – Terry Matty – Matty Farms

Terry's lifelong devotion to farming and a deep respect for the land, exemplifies the ideal of a conservation-minded farmer. Practices include rotational grazing, no-till and minimum tillage to save soil, manure management and animal walkway improvements.

Sugar Run Road Stream Crossing Improvement Project

An undersized metal pipe with a four foot outlet waterfall was replaced with a seventeen foot wide bottomless aluminum box culvert. This reconnected the continuity of the stream for aquatic life and helped reduce erosion.