In 2003, the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) completed a source water assessment for the Schuylkill River Watershed. This assessment identified threats to drinking water in the Schuylkill River Watershed, including pollutants from agriculture, abandoned mines, stormwater, and sewage. Since the majority of the watershed is outside of the City of Philadelphia’s jurisdictional boundaries, PWD knew they had to work with upstream partners to address these threats. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pennslyvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), and PWD spearheaded the creation of the SAN, a network of partners collaborative in various workgroups to address pollution sources. The workgroups included Abandoned Mine Drainage, Agriculture, Pathogens/Compliance, and Stormwater, as well as a Planning Committee and Executive Steering Committee.
In 2004, PWD and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE) received a $1.15 million EPA Targeted Watershed Implementation Grant for SAN partners to take action on the ground. This is an example of SAN at its best: a diversity of organizations and agencies leveraging skills to bring new resources to the watershed that address watershed issues in a strategic way. Projects included abandoned mine drainage remediation, stormwater best management practices (BMPs), agricultural restoration, and educational projects. View the SWIG projects here.
After strategic planning facilitated by the Planning Committee, the decision was made to develop a Watershed Land Protection workgroup dedicated to preserving high-value lands.
In 2007, the SAN worked with Mobius New Media, Inc. to create its website, www.SchuylkillWaters.org. This website serves as a clearinghouse for information on the Schuylkill Watershed, SAN projects, and provides a public outreach component of the network.
Through the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE), a full time SAN Coordinator was hired to oversee the day-to-day operation of the SAN, facilitate collaboration amongst members, and advance workgroup goals by securing funding and resources for priority projects.
In 2011, the SAN updated it strategic plan for another 5 years (2011-2016). This plan renewed commitments of the SAN workgroups, integrated new initiatives and workgroups strategies into the process, and set out an ambitious agenda to strengthen SAN’s presence in the watershed.
In 2013, the SAN celebrated it 10 year anniversary, which was commenced with a series of events throughout the year, including a celebration that recognized the many milestones that the SAN was able to achieve, commitments of SAN partners, and a renewal of the stakeholders that contributed to making SAN what it is today. The SAN also released a 10-year progress report that highlighted all of the workgroup accomplishments since the SAN’s inception.
The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE; the coordinating organization for the SAN) and SAN partners became a part of the William Penn Foundation’s (WPF) Delaware River Watershed Initiative (DRWI). The WPF invested $35 million in eight targeted geographies, or “clusters,” to protect and restore the Delaware River Basin’s water quality and overall health. There are three clusters that are fully or partially within the Schuylkill River Watershed: Schuylkill Highlands, Middle Schuylkill, and Upstream Suburban Philadelphia.
SAN partners participated in strategic planning listening sessions to guide the direction of the SAN for the next 5 years.
As a result of the strategic planning process, the decision to create a Recreation workgroup was made. Partners felt that outdoor enthusiasts were a group that should be engaged in the SAN.
Working again with Mobius New Media, Inc., the SAN website was upgraded to include many new features.
In 2018, the SAN held a year-long series of special events to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Schuylkill Action Network.
Cover photo credit: Ed Bacon