RETTEW performed a stream restoration, which included riparian buffer design and a native meadow along the Cocalico Creek and its associated floodplain. This project is adjacent to the Autumn Hills development, on a 16-acre tract of land owned by Ephrata Township. The Township undertook the project primarily to address the required pollutant reductions for their MS4 Permit.
Ephrata Township was awarded more than $590,000 by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Lancaster Clean Water Fund to complete the project. RETTEW staff provided grant writing and administration services to manage the funding.
The project features include a small boat/kayak launch, an ADA-accessible fishing pier, walking trails, a rain garden, and parking lot. The social, environmental, and educational benefits achieved by this project are a great asset to the community.