In 2011, we partnered with the Hopkins Dairy Farm (Green Acres Farm, Inc.) in Lewes on a project to improve water quality in Love Creek by restricting cattle access to one of its headwater streams. The Hopkins family operates the largest dairy farm in Delaware and a popular dairy-made ice cream store at their farm in Lewes.

The project objective was to keep the cows and their manure out of the stream channel, and to buffer the stream to limit nutrient-rich runoff from entering it. Design and permitting started in the fall of 2011. The installation of the stone stream crossings was completed in September 2012. Installation of fencing and gates continued through late 2012 and 2013. The project was completed in the late summer of 2013.

Today, approximately 850 feet of stream channel is protected by fencing that was erected at least 35 feet on either side of the steam channel. Three stone stream crossings, gates, and fencing were built to allow the cows to move to and from the feeding areas and the loading corral.