admin, Author at Center for Watershed Protection

Stormwater Improvements at Audubon Naturalist Society’s Woodend Sanctuary

The Audubon Naturalist Society’s Woodend Sanctuary is a haven for native plants that is visited by thousands of students, individuals, and families from the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area each year. The Center assisted with an ambitious plan to improve the property that included green infrastructure projects, a permeable path along the stream, and a large play space. The Center designed, obtained permits, and managed construction for a series of green infrastructure projects to address severe stream erosion and polluted runoff. The Center’s design converted 1,400 feet of eroding stream running through the property into a series of 45 sequenced step [...]

admin2021-08-18T12:16:27-04:00August 18th, 2021|

Redevelopment and Stormwater Management Projects Transform Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area

Six years in the making, this project rehabilitated a large impervious area at the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (NRMA) in Cecil County, Maryland. The site included a large barn complex that had deteriorated over the years and was destroyed by a significant fire. The remaining asphalt and compacted gravel generated large volumes of runoff that flowed untreated directly into Big Elk Creek during storms. With funding from the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund, the Center for Watershed Protection (the Center) designed a complete redevelopment of the site. This project complements a recent stream stabilization along parts [...]

admin2021-08-18T12:16:35-04:00July 26th, 2021|

Easy Water Conservation Tips

Save money and water by following these tips. Most people are not aware of how small adjustments in water conservation can bring a significant impact. According to Statista, “An average U.S. family of four pays about 72.93 U.S. dollars for water every month as of 2019 if each person used about 100 gallons per day.” Homeowners can save money and reduce wasteful water usage by making easy changes in the home. We’ve put together a quick list of changes you can make to help conserve water. You can find a pro to do it for you at Porch. In order [...]

admin2021-08-18T12:16:42-04:00June 10th, 2021|

Analysis of MS4 Monitoring Data in Maryland: What are the Effects of Restoration on Stream Quality?

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase I Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permittees in Maryland have been conducting monitoring for more than 20 years to meet their permit requirements, the most recent of which specifies the use of monitoring to assess the effectiveness of watershed restoration efforts. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) directed the MS4s to focus their monitoring efforts on small watersheds where significant restoration opportunities were planned, and to conduct pre- and post-restoration monitoring to evaluate whether the best management practices (BMPs) were effective in restoring physical, chemical and/or biological conditions. As a result [...]

admin2021-05-20T11:56:22-04:00May 20th, 2021|

2021 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference Highlights

On April 13th through April 16th, the Center for Watershed Protection hosted its sixth annual National Watershed & Stormwater Conference virtually. Our National Watershed & Stormwater Conferences are offered each Spring, and they provide a forum for sharing fresh ideas on the principles and practices of watershed and stormwater management. For the second year in a row, the 2021 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference was held virtually to keep our attendees, presenters, sponsors, and staff safe and healthy. This year, we worked especially hard to create opportunities for the same interactive and engaging networking as the Center’s in-person events. We [...]

admin2021-05-18T16:08:17-04:00May 17th, 2021|

Building Tree-Friendly Policies in the City of Charlotte

The City of Charlotte, North Carolina has adopted a “50% in 2050” city-wide tree canopy goal in recognition that trees and other green and open spaces are central elements to connect urban places and create access to the natural environment in Charlotte; and that the urban forest generates resiliency, sustainability, and supports a livable and healthy Charlotte. In 2020, the City’s Department of Planning, Design & Development led a study to better define policies that preserve, restore and enhance tree canopy in the context of the City’s anticipated growth. The City contracted with the Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) and [...]

admin2021-03-26T16:06:49-04:00March 25th, 2021|

Great Lakes Communities to Gain Stormwater Expert

February 17, 2021 Marquette, MI – The Center for Watershed Protection, a national leader in stormwater management and watershed planning, is expanding its work to the Great Lakes region. Greg Hoffmann, the Center’s Director of Stormwater Services, recently opened a satellite office in Marquette, Michigan to serve the watershed. “Opening the Great Lakes office provides an opportunity to expand our reach and protect critical water resources in another vital United States watershed,” said Hye Yeong Kwon, the Center’s Executive Director. “We are thrilled Greg will be bringing his wealth of stormwater knowledge to the largest freshwater system in the world [...]

admin2021-02-26T12:56:34-05:00February 25th, 2021|

Stop The Drip! Water Conservation Around The Home

It's our most precious resource, yet millions of us think nothing of wasting water, and throwing money down the drain. Protecting our watershed starts with water conservation around the home- both inside and out. Here are some easy ways to start conserving water around your home -- and cut down on the pollution flowing into our rivers and streams. Low Flow Low flow toilet Photo credit: Flickr Low flow toilets and showers weren't popular with consumers at first, because low flow also meant less water pressure. That meant some unpleasant surprises got left behind and showers took longer. [...]

admin2021-02-26T12:39:12-05:00February 25th, 2021|

Town of New Market Step Pool Storm Conveyance System

A stormwater retrofit designed by the Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) and constructed by Resource Restoration Group (RRG) in the Town of New Market, Maryland is now complete. This project transformed an historic fire pond into a step pool storm conveyance system that reduces stormwater pollution in the Linganore Creek watershed, a drinking water supply that is part of the larger Potomac River Basin. The project was initially identified as a top priority in the Town’s Stormwater Retrofit Plan developed by CWP in 2019. The New Market fire pond was constructed more than 68 years ago as a water source [...]

admin2021-01-11T15:05:55-05:00January 11th, 2021|

Innovative Stormwater Management in the District of Columbia

The Center for Watershed Protection (the Center) has been helping the District of Columbia stay up-to-date on stormwater management standards for over 20 years. The Center first assisted the District in 1999, with revisions to their draft Stormwater Guidebook, which dated back to 1994. The new guidebook contained what at the time were innovative new sizing criteria for water quality, overbank flood control, and extreme flood control for new development. In 2013, the Center worked with the District Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE) to again revise their Stormwater Management Guidebook. This time, the update focused on how to [...]

admin2020-12-02T14:09:55-05:00December 2nd, 2020|

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