Watershed Restoration: RainScapes at Home

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1 Watershed Restoration: RainScapes at Home Overview Why do we need RainScapes? What are Rainscapes RainScapes Program RainScapes Resources FAQs Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection Watershed Management Division RainScapes Program August 1, 2013 Local and Regional Significance Your Connection to the Chesapeake Bay Montgomery County Potomac River 1. Anacostia 2. Cabin John 3. Lower Monocacy 4. Lower Potomac District 5. Patuxent 6. Rock Creek 7. Seneca Creek 8. Upper Potomac District Your Watershed Let s look at the Cabin John stream and its impact on the bay The Cabin John Watershed flows into the Potomac River which flows into the Chesapeake Bay I Love the Chesapeake Bay! 1

2 Cabin John Watershed Impervious Area Impacts Rockville Cabin John Watershed Impervious Area Impacts Parking Lots Rockville Potomac Potomac Bethesda Bethesda Potomac River Potomac River Cabin John Watershed Impervious Area Impacts Parking Lots Roads Rockville Cabin John Watershed Impervious Area Impacts Parking Lots Roads Buildings Rockville Potomac Potomac Bethesda Bethesda Potomac River Potomac River 2

3 Problem: stormwater runoff What happens when it rains? Aqua, the raindrop What is it? Rain that falls in a storm (stormwater) Stormwater runs off impervious surfaces, gets Polluted and goes straight into storm sewers and streams into our Rivers and Chesapeake Bay = Stormwater Runoff 10% or less surface runoff 40% 30% 30% or more surface runoff 35% 4% Storm, polluted runoff water hotter, dirtier, full of nutrients (and more!) + 56% + 35% Landcover change from Forest to Urban Causes water to behave differently Impacts of urbanization 3

4 Where is all this imperviousness??? Compare the surface condition of a forest and a parking lot where can the water can soak in? driveway rooftop on-street parking roadway Walhonding ROOFTOPS and STREETS Tuscarawas In typical urban residential areas, rooftops account for 30 40% of the total impervious area capturing runoff from residential rooftops and in the streets CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, capturing runoff from up to 100% of the IA in residential Our own impervious surfaces are part of the problem Water flowing off a roof can reach 140 F Unchecked runoff pollutes, causes erosion What is in stormwater runoff? Sandy Flowers,Eco Savvy

5 What is in stormwater runoff? What are the effects of stormwater runoff What else happens with an increase of stormwater Sanitary Sewer Overflows / Threats to infrastructure Stream Resource Conditions Down cut and enlarged, shallow streams LOSS of navigation and commerce Bladensburg was a busy port, shipping out flour and tobacco, until the river silted up by p?url=/content/dep/maps/introwqm.asp There are over 1,500 miles of streams in Montgomery County. Most households are within ½ mile of a local stream, yet many of us are unfamiliar with this aquatic ecosystem literally in our backyards. 20 5

6 What about the fish? Indicators of water quality Green Sunfish What and who else needs clean water? Baltimore Checkerspot caterpillar Rock Bass Turtle hatchling Brown trout Rosyside Dace Peeper frog Hog Sucker Northern Green Frogs Yellow Bullhead Catfish url=/content/dep/water/subwatershed.asp Images: Montgomery County DEP Biological Monitoring Group Cabarus diogenes Rain Barrel Cistern Reduce - infiltrate Watershed Restoration LID and RainScapes: Multi-benefit Solutions Rain Gardens Permeable Pavement Tree Canopy Conservation Landscapes LID retrofits Recycle evapo-transpirate/reuse materials Reuse store &irrigate Tree Canopy Conservation Landscapes Green Roofs Rain Barrel Cistern RAINSCAPES Started as a grant funded pilot focused on outreach and demonstration projects Now is part of the WMD Watershed Restoration Section focused on implementation of projects with predefined goals and measurable results MS4 Permit and the Implementation plan mandated County WQPC Funded d Program elements RainScapes Neighborhoods Targeted Subwatershed Approach RainScapes Rewards Rebate Program Partnerships with Watershed Groups Workshops for Residents Demonstration Projects Landscape Professionals Training RainScapes for Schools Treatment goal: 50 Impervious Acres controlled for the first 1 of rain by Feb

7 What Does a RainScape Look Like? Commercial / Institutional examples Ultra urban Slope by parking lot Preferential parking and slope stabilization Sometimes it looks like part of the hardscape Many scales and settings 200 sf of planting area by patio US EPA HQ DC Rain garden/ stormwater planter Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement Driveway Cistern 7

8 RainScapes Techniques in Action RainScapes Rewards Incentive Program Rebates for single family residences: $2,500 per property with lifetime project caps Rebates for multi-family/commercial / institutional: $10,000 per property with lifetime project caps All County property owners outside of municipalities Rockville, Gaithersburg and Takoma Park are eligible for rebates RainScapes Technique Canopy Trees Maximum Residential Rebates $2500/parcel $200/tree; # trees determined by space on parcel. Must shade or cover impervious area $2.00/square foot with no ponding Maximum Commercial, Multi- Family, HOA common land, and Institutional Rebates $10,000/parcel $200/tree; # trees determined by space on parcel. Must shade or cover impervious area $2.00/square foot with no ponding Conservation Landscaping $3.00/square foot with 2 of ponding $3.00/square foot with 2 of ponding - Replacement of turf or Project must replace turf or invasives Project must replace turf or invasives invasive species Project needs to intercept runoff Project needs to intercept runoff 250 square foot minimum 350 square foot minimum Dry Wells $1.00 per gal ; $600 maximum $1.00 per gal; $600 maximum Green Roofs $10/square foot, 250 square feet minimum $10/square foot; 300 square feet minimum Rewards Rebate Program: Rain Gardens Residential $1,200 $2500 Rebate varies depending on depth of soil profile amended or modified Permeable Pavers and $4/square feet or $1200, whichever is greater; $4/square feet or $5000, whichever is greater; 100 square feet minimum i Porous Concrete 100 feet minimum i square Pavement Removal $4/square foot if replacing with conservation $4/square foot if replacing with conservation landscaping landscaping $2/square foot if replacing with turf 100 square $2/square foot if replacing with turf 300 square feet minimum feet minimum Rain Garden Based on square foot of ponding area and soil replacement (media)depth: 1 of media: $5/ square foot 2 of media: $7/square foot 3 of media; $9/square foot or $1200/ rain garden, whichever is greater see RS design manual for sizing charts Based on square foot of ponding area and soil replacement (media)depth: 1 of media: $5/ square foot 2 of media: $7/square foot 3 of media; $9/square foot or $2500/ rain garden, whichever is greater see RS design manual for sizing charts Water Harvesting: Cisterns $1/Gallon (minimum 250 gallons, up to 500 gallons) $1/ Gallon (minimum 250 gallons, up to 2000 gallons) Water Harvesting: Rain Barrels $250 (must capture 200 gallons if single family home; 100 if Townhome); $1/gallon $250 (must capture 200 gallons); $1/gallon 31 8

9 Rewards Rebate Program: Rain Gardens Commercial, Multi Family, or Institutional $2500 $10,000 Rebate varies depending on depth of soil profile amended or modified and size of the rain garden Rewards Rebate Program: Conservation Landscaping $2.00 $3.00 per square foot depending on project Minimum 250 square foot conversion of turf area or invasive species. Soil must be de compacted 9 with 2 of compost added Must be designed to intercept stormwater Rewards Rebate Program: Conservation Landscaping Commercial, Multi Family, or Institutional $ per square foot depending on project Minimum 350 square foot conversion of turf area or invasive species. Soil must be de compacted 9 with 2 of compost added Must be designed to intercept stormwater Rewards Rebate Program: Tree Canopy up to $200 per tree Number of trees determined by available space Minimum 1 caliper Must be providing shading or cover to impervious surface Must be on our canopy tree list 9

10 Rewards Rebate Program: Permeable Paver Retrofits $1,200 or $4.00 a square foot up to $2500 (Whichever is greater residential) $5000 or $4.00 a square foot up to $10,000 (whichever is greater Commercial/institutional) Must be for conversion of existing hardscape and be a minimum area of 100 sf Rewards Rebate Program: Pavement Removal $4 per square foot for conversion to a conservation landscape $2 per square foot for conversion to turf. 9 of de compaction and 2 of compost required Must be for conversion of existing hardscape and be a minimum area of 100 sf (residential) or 300 sf (commercial/institutional) Rebate Program: Green Roofs $10 per square foot Residential Must be on an existing roof and cover either ¼ of the roof area or 250 square feet Commercial, Multi Family, or Institutional Must be on an existing roof retrofit and cover 300 square feet Requires approval letter from structural engineer Rebate Program: Rain Barrels $250 per property Must capture 200 gallons Maximum rebate is $250; $1/gal. 10

11 Rewards Rebate Program: Water Harvesting: Cisterns Residential $1 per gallon 250 gallon minimum $500 maximum rebate Exterior irrigation only Rewards Rebate Program: Water Harvesting Cisterns Commercial, Multi Family, or Institutional $1 per gallon 250 gallon minimum $2000 maximum rebate Exterior irrigation only Rewards Rebate Program: Dry Wells $1 per gallon $600 maximum rebate Can be a DIY linear drywell Can be a contractor installed conventional drywell Ask yourself What Can you do at home on your private property? RainScapes Rewards Projects distribution map 11

12 Help yourself visualize your new RainScape with technology A simple change to a conservation landscape that will slow the flow and improve access to the back Installed in a day! Overlay images created with ipad and Skitch Turf removed Ground decompacted Soil amended with compost Native plants added Presto-Change-o! Before and After Conservation Landscape flower yard 12

13 Before and after 3 lots of drainage captured Very compacted turf Conservation landscape and dry wells plus underdrained rain garden above Tough turf to Green oasis HOA Before and after RainScapes Rewards Conservation Landscape Project Making a beautiful environmentally sound community entrance Combined RainScapes Rewards project types Conservation Landscape + Rain Leisure World Mutual 11 Removing invasive species and replacing with native species and other acceptable non-invasive ornamentals Reduces runoff, attracts pollinators, beautifies the community Master Gardener led project on HOA land 13

14 What kinds of Plants are good? Right plant in the right place! Group plants by similar requirements Plan for four seasons of interest Spring Spring Spring 14

15 Summer Summer Fall Fall 15

16 Fall Color and then winter comes Winter Winter Late Spring Fall Gardens change over a year 16

17 Spring Summer Fall Winter 4 seasons 7 kinds of plants Defining spaces, creating places Before After RainScapes add stormwater management to a site beautifully Cisterns Rain Gardens Street Trees Conservation Landscapes Rain Barrels Green Roofs Helps to Achieve Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) TMDLs setpollutant reduction goals Bacteria, sediment, nutrients, with trash under development Reduces pollution Increase use of Environmental Site Design (ESD) to the maximum extent practicable (MEP) Assure public input and stewardship opportunities 68 17

18 Application Process online form For more info: Where could you do a RainScape? What s the next set of steps? Check out our website for more info on designs Step 1: On line application 72 18

19 Starting screen Enter your property and project information STEP 2: Before you Begin the Project Wait for Department of Environmental Protection RainScapes to contact you after you submit. Contact MISS UTILITY and have the project area marked prior to site inspection. Upon verification of eligibility, you may begin work on your project. Projects must be installed within six months of the preliminary inspection date. 74 STEP 3: Completion after you install Contact the DEP RainScapes program Schedule the mandatory final inspection. Correct installation of the project will be verified, and the project area will be photographed. Itemized receipts, contractor bills and/or invoices i for all project costs must be submitted. All projects require a signed property owner agreement. If all requirements are met, the rebate will be approved, and a check will be issued by the County Department of Finance within three to six weeks. Other administrative details You must initiate the request for final inspection rainscapes@montgomerycountymd.gov 75 19

20 Questions? Plant plants! Help nature stay clean! 20