Laughlintown workshop to outline remedies for storm-damaged driveways

The past two water-logged years, when the Pittsburgh region experienced up to 20 inches more precipitation than the annual average of 37.66 inches, have left many unpaved driveways and lanes washed out and filled with ruts.

The Westmoreland Conservation District and Brandywine Conservancy are joining forces to offer some solutions to property owners at a March 24 workshop, “After the Storms: How to Repair and Maintain Gravel Driveways and Unpaved Lanes.”

The program, which costs $5 per person, will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. at Penguin Court, 104 California Ave., off Route 30 in Laughlintown. The former family home of the late Tribune-Review publisher, Richard M. Scaife, Penguin Court is now a preserve of Brandywine Conservancy.

This workshop will show participants how to make cost-effective repairs to storm-damaged access roads and how to prevent repeat problems.

The program will be led by Chelsea Walker, watershed specialist for the conservation district. She said the strategies she plans to explain will “not only make property improvements for the landowner, but will benefit the community by preventing pollution from entering nearby streams.”

The registration deadline is March 13. Visit wcdpa.com to register and pay online or to download a flier that can be mailed with payment.

The Westmoreland Conservation District was established in 1949, when local farmers, seeking help to conserve their soil and water resources, approached the county commissioners. Since then, the conservation district has introduced programs to help protect the county’s soils, forests, streams, farmland and open spaces.

Located in a restored 1880s-era barn at 218 Donohoe Road in Hempfield, it also serves as a clearinghouse for conservation information.