In the upcoming year, HCWA plans to coordinate:

• Watershed educational programs with the local schools
• Volunteer water quality monitoring programs
• Stream bank restoration project
• Watershed assessment.
• Spring/Summer Wetlands/Ponding Cleanup Project

To Date 2004 HCWA Projects

• A DEP Growing Greener Grant presented to Exeter Borough in February to work with the HCWA to clean up illegally dumped trash along the LCRA Railroad In West Wyoming & Exeter Borough. A Spring Cleanup Project was held in early May.
• The firms of Borton Lawson, Skelly & Loy and Haestead Methods joined and were selected unanimously for the development of the Hicks Creek Watershed Assessment Project. This project is funded by a Growing Greener Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). They began the process by conducting an Initial Stream Walk in late April.
• Volunteers helped DEP conduct a Flood Damage Inventory of the Hicks Creek Watershed by going door-to-door and interviewing and documenting flood damage reported by residents.

In 2003 HCWA Projects included:

• Production of HCWA Brochure. (Click here to download the PDF version of the brochure.)
• Received a $1520 Grant from EPCAMR for equipment & educational expenses, part of which purchased a desktop display.
• Guest speakers Jake Kernoschak & Dave Lambert from DEP Flood Protection discuss the flood protection project installed between Slocum & Sturmer Streets.
• Dick Strittmatter DEP Bureau of Waterways met with Exeter Borough officials & residents to discuss intermittent flooding & stagnant water in Hick’s Creek behind Donna’s Way.
• Members volunteered in the Spring Run Creek Cleanup in Wilkes-Barre.
• HCWA by-laws were adopted.
• Members volunteered to man the Luzerne Conservation District’s “Watershed of Luzerne County” tent at the Luzerne County Fair.
• Influential in getting Exeter Borough to amend its Litter ordinance to clearly specify no littering of yard waste in the creek.
• "No dumping signs" installed at intersections with the creek.
• Announcement of www.hickscreek.org Website.
• GIS database of watershed prepared & presented by Wilkes University Students.
• Final RFP for watershed assessment sent to engineering firms.

In 2002 HCWA Projects included:

• Annual stream cleanup.
• Annual stream walk.
• $700,000 DEP Flood Control Project awarded to Exeter Boro.
• Wilkes University environmental engineers evaluated potential impact of proposed development to assist local officials with better educated land use decisions.
• Public education through flyers, informative newspaper articles and monthly educational newsletters.
• Partnered with Luzerne Conservation District (LCD) and Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR) for technical assistance and training.
• Partnered with Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) to perform water quality testing to support a baseline assessment.