8/14/2019 Department of Public Works Press Release Mountain Biking at City Reservoirs

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThursday, December 10, 2009

Mountain Biking at City ReservoirsRecently there has been a rumor circulating that mountain biking is to be banned on Baltimore City reservoirproperty. This rumor is unfounded.

Baltimore Citys three reservoirs provide 1.8 million customers the best quality drinking water every day. In order to dothis we must continually protect these bodies of water from degradation and sedimentation. Runoff of soil into LochRaven, Prettyboy and Liberty Reservoirs not only damages water quality, it also reduces the amount of water availablefor use. Additionally water becomes more difficult and more expensive to treat if it is laden with silt.

There are many threats to our reservoirs including over-browsing by deer, invasive plants and aquatic life, road salt andseptic issues. Mountain bikes have created their own set of problems which is why a Mountain Bike Plan wasagreed upon and adopted by both the Mountain Biking Community and the City of Baltimore in 1998. This planlays out clear guidelines and responsibilities for all parties to follow so that recreational biking can occur

without negative impacts on our drinking water.

Unfortunately the approved trails, the Woods Roads, were not sufficient for many and singletracks now honeycombLoch Raven. Vegetation has been destroyed, trees damaged, ramps built and the resulting erosion is threatening ourdrinking water supply. Our watershed lands are not parks and have never been parks. They are buffers toprotect our most precious natural resource.

Baltimore City welcomes the responsible enjoyment of these magnificent lands, but when destruction occurswe must protect them. We have to be even more restrictive than many parks in terms of our regulations for just thatreason.

An additional rumor implies that mountain bikers are being ticketed. The only citations issued were to three bikerswho were in the woods at night. Biking and other watershed activities such as fishing are only permitted fromsunrise to sunset. Mountain bikers who are singletracking are given notification that this activity in prohibited.

Our new Watershed Rangers are in the process of clearly marking legal trails and educating bicyclists on the rules andregulations governing our watersheds. Informational kiosks are being refurbished. Maps and other printed guidelinesare being prepared. Until all this work is completed, mountain bikers are only being informed that going off of theover 50 miles of approved trails is prohibited.

Next week the Department of Public Works and Mountain Biking organization leaders will informally discuss theseissues. A public hearing is anticipated in the near future.

To see the Mountain Biking Plan please go to:http://www.baltimorecity. ov/ overnment/dpw/water/rnrs/downloads/A%20Plan%20for%20Mountain%20Bikin .pdf

http://www.baltimorecity.gov/government/dpw/water/rnrs/downloads/A%20Plan%20for%20Mountain%20Biking.pdfhttp://www.baltimorecity.gov/government/dpw/water/rnrs/downloads/A%20Plan%20for%20Mountain%20Biking.pdf

8/14/2019 Department of Public Works Press Release Mountain Biking at City Reservoirs

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BALTIMORE CITY RESERVOIRS APPROVED BIKE TRAILS

Liberty:Marriottsville Route 3.53 milesLiberty Rd Route 2.33 milesSykesville Rd Route 2.99 milesBollinger Mill Rd Route 5.05 milesWestminster Pike Route 3.44 milesNicodemus Rd Route .68 milesIvy Mill Route 3.72 milesWards Chapel Rd Route 1.48 milesLiberty Dam Rd Route 1.10 milesLiberty total mountain bike route miles: 28.93Loch Raven:Seminary Ave. Route 4.06 milesMerrymans Mill Rd Route 1.59 milesJarrettsville Pike Route 2.46 milesMorgan Mill Route 2.63 milesLoch Raven Drive Route .87 milesLoch Raven total mountain bike route miles: 11.61

Prettyboy:Traceys Store Rd Route 1.67 milesGunpowder Rd Route 2.33 milesRockdale Rd Route 3.71 milesClipper Mill Rd Route .64 milesNorth Gunpowder Rd Route 1.69 milesSpooks Hill Rd 1.03 milesPrettyboy total mountain bike route miles: 11.07

Total mountain bike route miles for all three reservoirs 51.61 miles

8/14/2019 Department of Public Works Press Release Mountain Biking at City Reservoirs

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Mountain Bike Damage Loch Raven