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Runoff Rundown |
Welcome to the 17th edition of Runoff Rundown, the Center for Watershed Protection's electronic newsletter!
| Watershed Protection Institute March 28 - April 1, 2005 US Fish and Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center Shepherdstown, WV http://www.cwp.org/wpi_wvabout.htm |
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Be sure to get your registration in for the Watershed Protection Institute!
Register Early and Save!
Early Registration is $1,100 when postmarked prior to January 24.
Regular Registration is $1,200 between January 24 and February 14, 2005
Plan to join the Center for Watershed Protection and River Network for the Watershed Protection Institute (WPI) this March in Shepherdstown, WV! The WPI is an intensive, interactive five day program designed to train watershed leaders on practical watershed and site planning techniques to protect the health of less developed watersheds, a need that is particularly great in rural and recently urbanizing communities. For additional information visit http://www.cwp.org/wpi_wvabout.htm or contact Rebecca Winer at rrw@cwp.org or 410-461-8323 x213.
STAFF NEWS:
Since our last Runoff Rundown, two of our four pregnant staffers have become moms. Pam Rowe brought Elizabeth Marie into the world November 22nd and Stephanie Sprinkle delivered Jason Alexander October 24th. Unfortunately for the Center, Jason’s birth has prompted Stephanie to pursue full-time motherhood, leaving the Center behind. She will be missed! The Center continues to expand however, and in October welcomed a new Communications Manager, Lauren Lasher, who has marketing and web experience with international development non-profits, and a Masters degree in public and environmental policy. The Center is also looking to add a Program Manager to our team. Check out our website at http://www.cwp.org/hr/pmposition1104.htm for more information and spread the news!
More exciting things over the holidays for other staffers –Angie Temple (keeping her name—for now) married James Shupp on November 13 and honeymooned in Mexico. Congratulations also go to Rebecca Winer and Jessica Brooks who both got engaged to their longtime boyfriends!
The holidays wouldn’t be the holidays for the Center without the annual Christmas Hike. The staff was fortunate to have a mild winter day and a great location easy enough for pregnant staff and moms carrying newborns.
http://www.cwp.org/rr_photos/jan05/hike.htm
THIS JUST IN:
It’s Finally Here: The latest installment in our Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual Series - Manual 4: Stream Repair Practices. It concentrates on practices used to enhance the appearance, stability, structure, or function of urban streams. An electronic version of the manual can be downloaded for free for a limited time by going here - http://www.cwp.org/USRM_verify.htm. This page also directs you to our online store where you can purchase a hard copy.
It’s Almost Gone!: USRM Manuals 1, 8, 10, 11 are undergoing a facelift (changes include formatting and terminology changes for consistency purposes and a few fixes) and will be released by early February as Version 2.0. The downside of this news is that it marks the end of the free download period. Check our online store - http://centerforwatershedprotection.goemerchant7.com/ - in February to get these latest versions.
If you have trouble downloading any of the manuals or other downloadable resources, see the FAQ on downloading here: http://www.cwp.org/faq_free_download.htm
PROJECT UPDATES:
What We're Wrapping Up:
Working tirelessly through the holiday season, Center staff was able to push through numerous successful projects. Over 80 participants from 10 states attended the three-day Stormwater Program and Design Institute in White Plains, NY in December. We would like to thank our local panelists and outside experts (Roger Bannerman, Dave Hirschman, Andy Reese, Melissa Desantis, Rich Claytor, and Deb Caraco) for bringing their perspectives to our training programs.
We are wrapping up work with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control in the Appoquinimink watershed. Efforts focused on identifying priority activities (e.g., ordinance adoption, conservation area protection, stormwater retrofit and stream corridor restoration, and enforcement opportunities) that the local watershed coordinator and watershed organization can start implementing as part of the state's Appoquinimink Pollution Control Strategy to meet Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) criteria.
Also in the final stages is a project for the Town of Edisto Beach, SC. Like many other coastal communities, Edisto Beach is facing tremendous growth pressures, and as a result, there are increasing concerns about the impacts of this development on their natural resources. The Center developed a series of recommendations related to Town staffing, capital projects, code and ordinance revisions, septic systems, aquatic buffers, stormwater hotspots, and education and outreach.
We have also finished this year's round of community watersheds projects with a subwatershed plan in the Paxton Creek Watershed, a retrofit inventory in Sligo Creek, a baseline report for the Jones Falls Watershed Association, and finalized copies of Adopt-a-Stream and Adopt-a-Pond guidance manuals for Baltimore County, MD. Work continues with the South River Federation, and we look forward to upcoming projects with the James River Association, Spa Creek Conservancy, Antietam Creek Watershed Association, and Port Tobacco Conservancy. For more information on our community watersheds program, or if your organization is interested in working with us, please contact Jennifer Zielinski at 410-461-8323 x218 or jaz@cwp.org.
What We're Working On:
The Center is pleased to be working with Emmons & Olivier Resources, a Minnesota consulting group, to develop a new state-wide stormwater manual for Minnesota. As part of our effort, we have been developing "issue papers" that summarize research, findings and recommendations associated with key stormwater design-related topics such as cold climate considerations, sizing criteria, effective treatment practices, and more. The project will continue throughout 2005.
The Center is assisting the NY Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to develop an update of their publication, “Reducing the Impacts of Stormwater Runoff from New Development.” This guidance document will describe important stormwater management considerations to educate local developers and will address topics such as better site design, stormwater credits, redevelopment, and transportation applications. The project is well underway with the first half nearly complete.
The Center is working with Biohabitats in Rockville, MD's College Gardens subwatershed, and facilitated a set of workshops and public meetings on Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater techniques last fall. There were solid turn-outs of watershed residents and they were enthusiastic about using native plants, rain gardens and rain barrels on their properties. A review and final selection of LID stormwater practices is expected within the next few weeks.
In partnership with the Parks and People Foundation and the City of Baltimore, the Center has been working to identify ultra-urban stormwater treatment practices that may be applied in a 39-acre catchment of Watershed 263, a storm sewershed in Baltimore City's Harbor Watershed that outfalls to the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River. The project goal is to achieve measurable reduction in non-point source nutrient pollution by applying specifically designed and innovative bio-restoration techniques and management practices along streetscapes, alleyways, and on vacant residential lots. This project will result in model innovative stormwater, forestry, and soil restoration projects and practices. The Center is working to finalize a list of recommended projects and will develop designs for 30 of these projects this spring, with construction expected to begin this summer.
Following a very well-attended stakeholder meeting last November, the Center is in full swing with crafting a watershed restoration plan for the Centennial Lake and Wilde Lake watersheds in Howard County, MD. The Center is working with Tetra Tech, Inc. and the Howard County Department of Public Works to produce a plan by May of this year and its progress can be tracked on the website at http://www.cwp.org/howardcounty/index.htm.
WHAT WE'RE JUST STARTING:
The Center staff is involved in the Little Lick Local Watershed Plan and will conduct the Unified Stream Assessment (USA) for the mainstem and tributaries in this Durham, NC watershed by the end of January. The Center and the Upper Neuse River Basin Association will use the field observations to identify potential restoration sites and select sites for the Unified Subwatershed and Site Reconnaissance (USSR) and retrofit inventory to be conducted in March.
The Center looks forward to beginning work with Mike D'Annucci and Sympoetica this winter in another DE watershed, the Murderkill River. Efforts include a land use conversion study, compilation of existing data into a baseline report, and application of the Watershed Treatment Model.
EPA Region 3 recently visited with CWP staff in our Ellicott City office to exchange information and update each other on current work and initiatives. Together, we hope to look for opportunities to collaborate and partner to improve Region-wide watershed restoration and stormwater management efforts. It is our hope to have Region 3 staff participate in upcoming watershed and stormwater institutes. Thanks to Paula Estornell of EPA for coordinating the visit.
FEATURED ARTICLE:
Paxton Creek North Subwatershed Project Update
The Center is pleased to announce the release of several comprehensive technical and educational materials that are a result of a partnership with the Paxton Creek Watershed and Education Association, located in Harrisburg, PA. Part of our Community Watersheds program, this project involved conducting stream and subwatershed assessments in the Paxton Creek North subwatershed, one of the lesser-developed subwatersheds in the Paxton Creek Watershed. The assessment results, combined with stakeholder input and a review of monitoring data, led to the development of the Paxton Creek North Subwatershed Restoration Plan.
Part of this project involved the creation of an educational brochure and slideshows that were targeted to educate specific groups -- homeowners, business owners, developers and local governments. The material focuses on how each group can take steps to protect their watershed. While the information presented in the educational materials may be geared toward those living in the Paxton Creek watershed, it is applicable for watershed protection in general, and makes a real effort to translate technical and complex ideas to the general public. More information about this project, as well as downloadable versions of the restoration plan and educational materials are available online at: http://www.cwp.org/Community_Watersheds/Paxton/paxtoncreek.htm
FEATURED ARTICLE:
James City County Roundtable
A diverse group of James City County planners, engineers, environmentalists, builders, developers, lawyers, and other stakeholders agreed on a set of recommended development principles and code changes to protect water resources in the area, as part of a local site planning roundtable conducted under the Builders for the Bay project. For the complete article, please go to: http://www.cwp.org/rr_photos/jan05/jccreport.pdf
FEATURED ARTICLE:
Snow, Road Salt and the Chesapeake Bay by Tom Schueler
We can soon expect our annual doses of wintry weather, with the inevitable snow and ice storms. On average, we can expect measurable snowfall, sleet, or freezing rain just under twenty days a year. Even a small amount of wintry weather can create headaches for commuters who drive along the 200,000 mile network of roads that connect communities across the Chesapeake Bay. It is not surprising that local and state highway agencies make Herculean efforts to quickly remove snow and ice from roads and freeways so our society can keep moving. Increasingly, they rely heavily on salt, sand and other deicers to keep roads open and safe. This article examines what happens to the salts and other chemicals applied to the roads and what is known about their impact on the environment. For the complete article, please go to http://www.cwp.org/rr_photos/jan05/snowandsalt.pdf.
UPCOMING INSTITUTES:
March 28 - April 1, 2005: Watershed Protection Institute http://www.cwp.org/wpi_wvabout.htm
Shepherdstown, WV
Early Registration deadline – January 24th
May 20-24 : River Rally 2005
http://www.rivernetwork.org/rally/index.cfm
Keystone, CO
Scholarship Deadline - March 18th
Stormwater Institute – Fall 2005 (EPA Region 3)
Date and Location TBA – Stay tuned for registration information!!
Stay informed of the latest Institutes in the Coming Soon! section at the bottom of the Center’s front page:http://www.cwp.org
Just a Reminder: The Center also conducts workshops that can be tailored to meet the needs of a wide range of technical topics and professional audiences. Contact Jennifer Zielinski at 410-461-8323 x218 or jaz@cwp.org if you’d like to discuss organizing a workshop in your area.
FYI:
CONFERENCE: “World Water and Environmental Resources Congress 2005: Impacts of Global Climate Change” May 15-19, 2005 in Anchorage, AK. This conference is organized by the Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) annual conference, a specialty organization within the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
http://www.asce.org/conferences/ewri05/index.cfm
CONFERENCE: “Watershed 2005: Managing Watersheds for Human and Natural Impacts: Engineering, Ecological, and Economic Challenges” July 19-22, 2005 in Williamsburg, Virginia. This conference is also organized by EWRI. For technical program and general info: http://www.asce.org/conferences/watershedmanagement2005/index.cfm
RESOURCE: The 2004 Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual provides guidance on the measures necessary to protect the waters of the State of Connecticut from the adverse impacts of post-construction stormwater runoff and can be downloaded here: http://dep.state.ct.us/wtr/stormwater/strmwtrman.htm
RESOURCE: Although it’s the middle of winter, it’s a good time to plan for a spring garden. How about a rain garden? Considered a Roger Bannerman "oldie but goldie," a valuable how-to rain garden manual, complete with sample plans, is available for download here: http://clean-water.uwex.edu/pubs/raingarden
RESOURCE: “Nitrogen Input from Residential Lawn Care Practices in Suburban Watersheds in Baltimore County, MD,” published in the September 2004 issue of the Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, was written chiefly by our own Neely Law during her doctoral work before joining the Center last year. For more information about this publication - http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/online/0964-0568.asp
RESOURCE: The Department of Defense has published Design: Low Impact Development Manual under its United Facilities Criteria. This new 100-plus page document provides some useful graphics and is available at http://www.ccb.org/docs/UFC/3_210_10.pdf
RESOURCE: “Catching the Rain: a Great Lakes resource guide for natural stormwater management” by Gary Belan & Betsy Otto (a Center Board member) was released last year from American Rivers. This handbook offers an easy reference to a variety of natural stormwater management approaches suitable for the Great Lakes region. http://www.amrivers.org/doc_repository/Stormwater_Guide_Book_FINAL2.pdf