Provided by BOCS Chair Ann Wheeler’s Office
PWC sits in the Chesapeake Bay watershed along with parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, D.C., West Virginia and Delaware. The Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (Bay TMDL) has set pollution limits in the Bay watershed for nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment. The County has until 2029 to achieve 100% of its assigned pollutant reductions.
As of 2022, the County’s Watershed Improvement Program has helped achieve reductions of just over 70% for sediment and phosphorous, and just under 40% for nitrogen. Based on the projects currently planned, the County is on track to achieve all of its required reductions by the deadline.
Stream restorations and stormwater retrofits are two primary projects the PWC Public Works Department implements to meet Bay TMDL reductions. Stream restoration projects create sustainable stream channels that minimize erosion, reconnect the floodplain, protect infrastructure and create a diverse forest community.
Stormwater retrofit projects increase the pollutant removal efficiency of existing stormwater management facilities. Additionally, reforestation replaces impervious surfaces such as concrete and asphalt with native forest trees and meadow plants. You can learn more about the County’s program here.
