Stormwater Partners Network

The Anacostia Watershed Citizens Advisory Committee will be hosting a Watershed Advocacy Workshop on Saturday, June 13^th from 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m, with registration and refreshments provided from 8:30 a.m.   The workshop focus will be on how to effectively promote Low Impact Development and other important watershed issues with local government officials and fellow citizens.  The plan is to break out into panels based around the three jurisdictions, Montgomery, Prince Georges, and the District, and have a discussion about key issues in each jurisdiction.  The workshop will be held at the Council of Governments Building near Union Station in Washington, D.C.  You can RSVP by emailing anacostia@mwcog.org by June 11^th.  For more information a flyer about the event can be seen at http://www.anacostia.net/advocacy.html.

This article in the Washington Post on Monday describes how the new MS4 permit is requiring changes in the way Montgomery County Public Schools will manage stormwater on its many properties.

“The Montgomery County Council took a first step last week, offering preliminary backing for $500,000 to help the school system inventory its aging storm-water management systems, some in schools built before the environmental movement began”, the article reports.

Parks is hosting a big grand opening of the Matthew Henson Park on May 9 from 1 to 4 pm.  (see attached PDF) This is a Parks event, but DEP will also be there helping lead tours of the restoration sites and discussing what their plans to implement LID practices throughout the Turkey Branch subwatershed.    There will be both self guided and guided trail walks to talk about the various stream restoration practices.  The guided tours are scheduled to start tentatively from 1 to 2 and from 3 to 4 pm.

Don Dorsey, Ann English, Dan Harper and Doug Marshall from DEP are expected to be at this event.  The designer of the restoration project is also expected to be there.   DEP is planning LID projects throughout the Turkey Branch Watershed as part of this restoration effort (Aspen Hill Library Rain Garden Project and the RainScapes Targeted areas in Turkey Branch).  This is something we have strongly supported.  The Turkey Branch Watershed Restoration is the County’s biggest effort to date on watershed restoration which is required in the Stormwater Permit.  I think it would be very useful for stormwater partners to come to the site and see first hand what watershed restoration means and what the challenges are.    

What is really needed now is helping get the communities organized for stewardship of this watershed and stream.  Is there any interest in setting up a table near where the guided trail starts where residents could sign up or get more information about organizing their communities? If so, you could use our listserv at stormwaters@googlegroups.com as one way to help you organize the table.