Engaging Communities, Restoring the Landscape, One Watershed at a Time.

Behavior Change: Pet Waste in Southgate of the Highlands

3/30/2014 4/7/2014 4/26/2014 6/5/2014

Site 3" rain 0.48" rain 0.00" rain 0.55" rain

1 7400 300 108 6250

2 7200 220 120 10,000

3 7500 240 116 10,750

4 4100 740 88 11,900

5 2800 820 84 10,700

Enterococci Acceptable Limit = 100

CFU/100 ml

Southgate Formative Research Barriers Benefits/Motivators

Leaving Poop in the backyard “does no harm” Poop is a fertilizer Poop breaks down easily Poop left in my back yard isn’t bothering anyone.

LOTs of Neighborhood Pride Keeps a “neat and clean” yard Sanitation It’s the neighborly thing to do

Southgate Strategies Direct Mail

Canvassing

Commitment

Door Hanger

Magnet Prompt

Block Party

More Direct Mail

Southgate Canvas and Commitments Red: Not yet visited Green: Not home, no dog or no commitment made. Blue: Commitment made! I commit to always “Scoop Poop” after my pet, even in my backyard. Commit to educate others about the importance of picking up their pets’ waste. I also commit to always carry extra doggy bags when I walk my pet. SCOOP IT, BAG IT, & TRASH IT.

Southgate Strategies

Southgate Strategies

Stay tuned this fall to find out what happened!

Anne Arundel County

Watershed Summary

• 12 watersheds

• 354 sub-watersheds

• 35 sub-watersheds

with >30% impervious

area

• 75 sub-watersheds

with 20% - 30%

impervious area

When it rains, water

flows across the land

and impervious

surfaces, carrying

with it our trash,

debris and sediment.

Rainwater collected by

pipes and discharged

into stream channels

causes erosion

Sediment run-off quickly

clouds waterways cutting

off sunlight critical to the

Bay’s ecosystem.

Resource impairment is uniform and ubiquitous.

Sector

Acreage

%

Nitrogen Load

(lbs/year)

%

Phosphorous

Load (lbs/year)

%

Anne Arundel Co.

Government Land 32,398 12% 164,984 15% 19,042 13%

Private Sector Land 170,749 64% 497,390 46% 56,311 39%

Federal Owned Land 20,309 8% 36,630 3% 4,930 3%

State Owned Land 19,277 7% 91,308 9% 13,041 9%

City of Annapolis 4,533 2% 43,710 4% 5,480 4%

Agriculture Land 18,384 7% 243,878 23% 46,224 32%

TOTAL 265,650 100% 1,077,900 100% 157,324 100%

Phase II WIP Distribution of Existing Stormwater Loads Between

Source Sectors

14

HOW: Network Resources to Build Capacity and Provide Support

Identify citizens within communities who are capable

of and willing to act as Master Watershed Stewards.

Educate an army of Master Watershed Stewards on

relevant Bay issues to engage, empower and coordinate

communities to take action.

Support Master Watershed Stewards with a

consortium of support professionals and resources as

they carry out education and restoration initiatives.

What is a Community?

15

What do Master Watershed Stewards do? Assess Their Neighborhood

16

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What do Master Watershed Stewards do? Educate and Engage their Community

Over 97 presentations and outreach events

were held, reaching over 9,000 people

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What do Master Watershed Stewards do? Coordinate Action

Reduce Pollutants RainScape

Unified Subwatershed and Site Reconnaissance (USSR)

Developed by

Designed to:

Identify Pollution Sources

Identify ways to manage pervious surfaces, utilities and public areas to benefit water quality.

Identify potential upland restoration projects.

Assess a subwatershed pollution index and potential for restoration.

On a subwatershed scale.

4 Components of the USSR

Neighborhood Source Assessment

Hot Spot Investigation

Pervious Area Assessment

Streets and Storm drains

Neighborhood Source Assessment

Yards and Lawns

Driveways, Sidewalks, and Curbs

Rooftops

Common Areas

Pollution Sources in Residential Areas

Nutrients Untreated wastewater discharges

Fertilizer- excessive use

Organic matter in gutter/ catch basin

Vehicle/sidewalk washing discharge

Poorly maintained sewer/septic

Pet Waste/ Urban wildlife

Boat discharges

Bacteria

Erosion of dirt roads and construction sites

Lawn/ yard erosion

Driveway deterioration Sediment

Pollution Sources in Residential Areas

Trash Dumping

Poor dumpster management

Poor vehicle maintenance

Oil/ grease in gutter

Household hazardous waste storage/disposal

Oil/ Hazardous Waste

Excess Runoff Volume

Downspouts draining to impervious surface.

Excess, untreated impervious cover

Getting Ready to Conduct a Neighborhood Source Assessment

Maps Subwatershed level

Equipment (Camera, clip board, forms, map)

Staffing Two person team, about 1 to 2 square miles/day

Moderate level training

Desktop Analysis Predetermine neighborhoods, hotspots, and pervious

areas

Neighborhood Source Assessment

Part A: Neighborhood Characterization

• Neighborhood Name?

• Lot Size?

• Estimated Age of Neighborhood?

• Percent of homes with garages? Basements?

• Sewer service?

• Infill, Redevelopment, remodeling?

% of lot with impervious cover?

% of lot with turf grass?

% of lot with landscaping?

% of lot with bare soil?

Part B: Yard and Lawn Conditions

Proportion of total neighborhood turf

lawns with the following management

status:

NSA: Yard & Lawn Medium

High

Low

% of driveways that are impervious?

Are driveways clean? Stained? Dirty? Breaking up?

Part C: Driveways, Sidewalks & Curbs

Part D: Rooftops

% Directed to Impervious Surface?

% Directly Connected? % Discharge to Pervious Area? Room for a Rain Garden?

% Discharge to Rain Barrel?

Designated Use

Buffer Ecroachment

Open space present?

Pet waste? Dumping?

Buffer encroachment?

Part E. Common Areas Undesignated Use

Part F. Recommendations

• Reducing Pollution Sources through Behavior Change

• Residential RainScaping Actions • Pollution Severity • Restoration Opportunity Index • Community Property Opportunities

Yards and Lawns

Problems

High management turf

Potential pesticide use

Non-target irrigation

Extensive turf cover

Low forest canopy

Improper yard waste disposal

Soil erosion

Construction activity

Presence of septic systems

Presence of swimming pools

Stewardship Technique

Reduced fertilizer use

Reduced pesticide use

Xeriscaping /Education

Natural landscaping

Tree planting

Yard waste composting

Erosion repair

Single lot control

Septic system clean-outs

Safe pool discharge

Driveways, Sidewalks, and Curbs Problems

Driveway/curb flows

Driveway conditions

Outdoor car

maintenance

Sidewalk in bad

condition

Stewardship Technique

Safe car washing

Driveway sweeping

Car fluid recycling

Pet waste pick-up,

Streetscaping

Rooftops Problems

Downspout connection

Stewardship Technique

Rain Barrels

Connect Downspout to Rain Garden or other

pervious area

Common Areas Problems

Evidence of pet waste

Stormwater ponds

Turf cover in open space

Condition of storm drain inlets

Sidewalk zone

Evidence of dumping

Stewardship Technique

Pet waste education

Stormwater maintenance

Bufferscaping, reforestation

Storm drain stenciling

Streetscaping

Dumping prevention

Other Assessment Forms

Hot Spot

Pervious Area

Streets and Storm Drains

What Would You Do Here?

Put It All Together

Identify Parts of the Neighborhood with Highest Pollution Severity Identify Parts of the Neighborhood with Highest Restoration Potential (low hanging fruit) Create A Plan: 1-2 Rainscaping Practices to promote 1 Behavior to Change.

Your Challenge… Choose 1 or 2 Stewardship behaviors or best management practices to promote in your community.