Engineering Assistance Program

Background

The PACD Engineering Assistance Program, funded through the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Program and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, provides statewide engineering and soils technical assistance to entities developing or implementing a watershed assessment, watershed restoration plan, or watershed protection plan. Program staff are based out of four regional offices and cover all river basins in Pennsylvania.

PACD employs professional engineers and conservation technicians who follow professional engineering principles and ensure that projects are completed according to PA Technical Guide Standards. Staff can identify problems, scope solutions, identify engineering needs, estimate costs and realistic time-frames, identify assistance needed to implement solutions, and assist future Growing Greener applicants in the development of sound applications.

Since its inception in 2001, the PACD Engineering Assistance Program has completed over 1,300 projects worth an estimated $60 million in environmental improvements, while working in partnership with hundreds of local Pennsylvania organizations and individuals.

Brochure and Final Report Highlights

Please click the links below to view the program brochure and final report highlights.

• PACD Engineering Assistance Brochure
• Final Report Highlights – December 2015 to July 2017

Who is eligible for assistance?

The following entities are eligible to sponsor an application for engineering assistance:

• Watershed organization (incorporated or pending)
• County conservation district
• Non-profit organization 501(c)(3)
• Counties, municipalities, or their subdivisions
• Educational institutions

What kind of assistance does the program provide?

Types of technical assistance provided by PACD include:

• Inventory and evaluation of problem areas
• Identification of possible solutions and feasibility of solutions
• Preliminary cost estimates based on selected solutions
• Soil investigations
• Surveys and project design
• Design consultation, review, and approval
• Engineering advice to private consultants
• Quality assurance oversight (assistance and training to those doing assurance) and assistance to evaluate special conditions encountered during construction
• Training to conservation district staff, RC&D staff, consultants, and watershed organizations in project scoping, developing solutions, identification of data needs, and developing requests for proposals from private engineering or consulting firms

How Does an Eligible Entity Apply for Assistance?

1. Submit a completed Request for PACD Technical Assistance to the Engineering Assistance Staff at the appropriate regional office
2. Staff will review completed requests, determine their ability to assist, and provide technical assistance according to their ability and schedule

Questions? Contact the PACD Engineering Assistance Staff: