Watershed Group Has Meeting Thursday on Butternut Creek Care

The Butternut Creek Watershed Management Plan Steering Committee invites interested residents to attend a stakeholder meeting on Thursday February 13th at 6 p.m. in the Town of Burlington Municipal Building located at 6011 State Highway 51, Burlington Flats, NY 13315.

The Committee, comprised of members of the Otsego County Conservation Association, the Otsego County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Otsego County Planning Department, the Otsego Land Trust, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Butternut Valley Alliance is in the process of developing a management plan for the Butternut Creek watershed. When completed, the Butternut Creek Watershed Management Plan will identify water quality and water supply issues facing the watershed and will establish a corresponding set of goals and objectives to address them.

Covering 11 municipalities, the Butternut Creek watershed covers approximately 130 square miles, with an estimated population of 4,489 people. “The Butternut Creek Watershed Management Plan will help guide the targeted investment of grant funds to municipalities throughout the watershed,” said Danny Lapin, OCCA Environmental Planner. The plan, which is scheduled to be completed in late 2020, will complement ongoing efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The stakeholder meeting will include a brief presentation on the Watershed Management Plan and provide an opportunity for further discussion on how the Plan can benefit the community. Public input will then be considered and may be incorporated into the draft Plan.