Watershed Science Bulletin
Published by: Center for Watershed Protection Association
Editor-in-Chief: Karen Cappiella (kc@cwp.org)
Associate Editor: Lisa Fraley-McNeal (lfm@cwp.org)
About
Watershed Science Bulletin is an online, peer-reviewed journal featuring practical, science-based solutions to water resource problems. The Bulletin publishes research results on innovative ways that stormwater managers can respond to regulatory requirements (e.g., TMDLs), design stormwater practices, and set up and fund water resource programs. We also publish literature reviews, case studies and discussion papers on these and other pioneering watershed strategies. The Bulletin accepts article submissions on a rolling basis and our Editorial Committee of nationally-respected watershed and stormwater management professionals provides peer review.
The Bulletin is the first publication to directly serve the community of watershed management professionals. These busy professionals typically do not have access to academic research databases for the numerous disciplines that inform watershed and stormwater management. The journal’s mission is to synthesize both research and experience from these disciplines and readily transmit this valuable information to those who need it to protect and restore their watersheds. The information provided in the Bulletin is vital to the continuing education of watershed management professionals.
Current Issue
MS4 Survey of Best Practices for Winter Maintenance Implemented in Maryland
September 2020
Wong, C., Fox, J., Stack, B.
Abstract
Sodium chloride is a growing pollutant of concern in waterbodies throughout the United States. As chloride continues to impair waterbodies, regulations to reduce the use of sodium chloride for road deicing will increase. The Center for Watershed Protection, Inc. (the Center) conducted a literature review and survey on best practices for winter maintenance to determine the most prevalent salt-reduction strategies and the amount of implementation in Maryland Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) communities. The literature review included a compilation of the latest information on salt-reduction practices around the country, and the Center used the findings from the literature review to develop the survey. With response rate of 37%, the survey results were able to capture a sample of best management practice implementation in Maryland’s Phase I and Phase II communities. Some of the common concerns with salt-reduction practices are cost, manpower, education, and training. There is also a disconnect between the stormwater managers and the winter maintenance team, indicating a need for improved management and, potentially, implementation of automated data collection systems. This study highlights the tremendous opportunity for salt reduction in Maryland MS4 communities that can improve water quality without sacrificing public safety. Although contractor and private applicators are a large contributor to salt use, the scope of the survey was limited to understanding the baseline winter maintenance practices used in MS4 communities to understand where improvements can be made at the jurisdictional level.
Last Issue
May 2020
Jepsen, R., Caraco, D.,and Fraley-McNeal, L.
Abstract
The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin and the Center for Watershed Protection conducted a pilot study for three subwatershed monitoring locations in Maryland to characterize stormwater discharges and evaluate watershed restoration activities. The main objectives were to determine if there are trends in water quality over time and if they are related to watershed restoration or best management practices (BMPs). This article focuses on a pilot study of the Airpark Business Center in Carroll County, Maryland. Trend analysis of water quality parameters, unit loads, and runoff coefficients was implemented on the water chemistry data using a variety of statistical methods. Overall, the Carroll County subwatershed showed the most noticeable response to BMPs of the three watersheds studied in the pilot, with decreasing metals and nitrogen species noted at the outfall site, where a large wet pond retrofit had taken place. The results suggested that the impacts of the retrofit at the Carroll County outfall could be directly linked to reductions in both pollutant concentrations and pollutant loads.