Black Creek Watershed symposium planned

The first event in an effort to form a Black Creek Watershed Coalition is a symposium planned in Black Creek Park on March 7. It is open to all who live or work in the watershed, including municipal officials and staff, environmental groups, farmers, businesses, those with sports and recreation interests, homeowners and interested citizens. Each person has something different to contribute and participation is welcomed.

The Black Creek watershed consists of all the land that drains to Black Creek and its tributaries. This watershed incorporates all or part of the towns of Bethany, Batavia, Stafford, Byron, LeRoy and Bergen in Genesee County and the towns of Riga, Ogden, Wheatland, Sweden and Chili in Monroe County. Clarendon in Orleans County and Middlebury in Wyoming County also contain small portions of the watershed.

The goal of the intermunicipal Black Creek Watershed Coalition is to work cooperatively in overseeing the development of a Black Creek Watershed Plan. The plan will be designated to protect the water quality of Black Creek and to address flooding issues. The first environmental planning initiative will be to assist a consultant in the preparation of a "state-of-the-basin" report.

The purpose of the symposium is to introduce the concept and benefits of watershed planning and to share information about the Black Creek Watershed. Speakers will present information on development history along the watershed, plant and animal life it supports, chemical and biological health of the Creek, and active and passive recreation opportunities within the watershed. Participants will be encouraged to share their ideas about the problems and opportunities that exist in the watershed and to offer ideas for group/family activities to help Coalition members better understand the watershed. Attendees will also be given an opportunity to join the Black Creek Watershed Coalition.

The symposium will run from 3 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, at the Woodside Lodge in Black Creek Park. There is no fee to attend. The symposium is made possible by River Network's Watershed Assistance Grant Program (WAG), a program funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

River Network is an organization dedicated to helping people protect and restore rivers and watersheds. Black Creek was one of 11 WAG grantees selected by River Network out of 180 applicants. The grant will also support expenses related to the formation of the Black Creek Watershed Coalition, the preparation of the state-of-the-basin report, and other activities within the watershed for the next 15 months.

To register or for information, contact Rochelle Bell at 428-5464 or Kathy Mahns at 428-5631.