Officials recently honored the Conestoga River as Pennsylvania's River of the Year for 2026. The ceremony was held in Lancaster County Central Park and was a part of Lancaster Water Week, an annual celebration of the 1,400 miles of streams and rivers in Lancaster County, hosted by Lancaster Conservancy. This week of events encourages people to enjoy and learn about the waterways throughout the county and to volunteer and take action to clean and protect them.

Historically, the Conestoga River was highly polluted, and many tributaries are still considered impaired. However, the river has become a source of increased recreation and enjoyment for local communities. It received 2,510 votes for River of the Year.

Efforts to clean up the river have included work by Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) staff members. Senior watershed planner Brian Gish, a Lancaster native, led a multi-year effort to develop a comprehensive plan to improve the headwaters of the Conestoga River. Ashley Spotts, CBF's Lancaster restoration biologist, has spent more than two decades working on projects along the Conestoga as well. She specializes in planting riparian buffers, groups of trees along waterways that filter out pollutants.

CBF is planning an event, led by Spotts and scheduled to occur in August, that will bring together landowners, farmers, and partners to launch a watershed improvement plan developed by Gish for the Upper Conestoga watershed. Developing water quality plans in priority watershed areas, with support from partners and landowners, is central to CBF's water improvement work throughout Pennsylvania.

CBF is celebrating 40 years of protecting and restoring Pennsylvania's environment.