Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts

We support Pennsylvania’s Conservation Districts who work for clean water and healthy soil every day.

Engineering Assistance Program

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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.

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:

Bloomsburg Office Staff
Conservation Technician Andy Wodehouse 570-317-9473
Conservation Technician Ian Abernethy 570-447-2337
 
Clarion Office Staff
Conservation Engineer Danielle Kalp, PE 814-421-1505
Conservation Technician Cassie Daniels 814-297-5260
Conservation Technician Jake Kennedy 814-226-8160
 
Lebanon Office Staff
Conservation Engineer Jeff Sholly, PE 717-376-3484
Conservation Technician Vacant  
 
Somerset Office Staff
Conservation Technician Phillip Wilson 814-445-8979 x4254