Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Growing Greener Program

The Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds (C-SAW) has developed and implemented a successful capacity-building model that provides watershed groups the necessary program and technical assistance to effectively address local water-quality concerns across the state. The willingness of private citizens to take action to protect and restore local streams, as evidenced by the many groups looking to the C-SAW program for support, is improving water quality and preserving streams throughout the Commonwealth.

Several organizations have joined forces to form the Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds (C-SAW) to assist local watershed groups achieve their goals of watershed protection. C-SAW is a team of professionals available to provide technical assistance to your watershed group. Depending on the needs of your group, C-SAW can provide technical assistance in three main areas: Watershed Specific Technical Assistance, Mentoring Assistance, and Quality Control Assistance for water-quality and macroinvertebrate monitoring programs.

C-SAW's record illustrates the magnitude and scope of this program. Over the past seven and half years, C-SAW has:

     assisted 298 local watershed organizations, municipalities, and conservation
         districts across the state;
     provided 2,064 consults (including planning sessions, meetings,
         and consultations);
     implemented 388 training/workshops;
     assisted over 22,817 individuals;
     processed over 1,540 chemical quality control samples to help watershed
         groups ensure the credibility of their monitoring data.

CSAW's work has led to the creation and implementation of effective monitoring programs, design and implementation of technically-sound restoration projects, enhanced data quality, improved data utilization, greater vigilance and citizen involvement at the local level, and the formation of sturdy structures that contribute to long-term organization sustainability.

This project has received continued funding.  For further information visit the
CSAW homepage.

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