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Watershed Restoration:

RainScapes at Home

Montgomery County Department of Environmental ProtectionWatershed Management Division RainScapes ProgramAugust 1, 2013

Why do we need RainScapes?What are Rainscapes   RainScapes  Program RainScapes Resources FAQs

Overview

Local and Regional SignificanceLocal and Regional Significance

Montgomery Montgomery CountyCounty

Potomac RiverPotomac River

1. Anacostia2. Cabin John3. Lower

Monocacy4. Lower Potomac

District5. Patuxent6. Rock Creek7. Seneca Creek8. Upper Potomac

District

Your Connection to the Chesapeake Bay

Your Watershed

The Cabin John Watershed flows into the Potomac River which flows into the Chesapeake

Let’s look at the Cabin John stream and its impact on the bay

I Love the Chesapeake

Bay!

Bay

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Cabin John WatershedImpervious Area Impacts

Potomac

Rockville

Bethesda

Potomac River

Cabin John WatershedImpervious Area Impacts

Potomac

RockvilleParking Lots

Bethesda

Potomac River

Cabin John WatershedImpervious Area Impacts

Potomac

RockvilleParking Lots

Roads

Bethesda

Potomac River

Cabin John WatershedImpervious Area Impacts

Potomac

RockvilleParking Lots

RoadsBuildings

Bethesda

Potomac River

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Stormwater  runs off impervious surfaces, gets  Polluted and goes straight into storm 

Problem: Problem: stormwater runoffstormwater runoff

What is it? ‐ Rain that falls in a storm (stormwater)Aqua, the

raindrop

g g gsewers and streams into our Rivers and Chesapeake Bay = Stormwater Runoff

Storm, polluted runoff water– hotter, dirtier, full of nutrients (and more!)

What happens when it  rains?

10% or less 10% or less surface surface runoffrunoff

30% or more 30% or more surface surface runoffrunoff

30%

56%

4%

40%

+

35%

35%+

Landcover change from Forest to Urban Causes water to behave differently

Impacts of urbanization

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Compare the surface condition of a forest and a parking lot

where can the water can soak in?

Where is all this imperviousness???   

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driveway

rooftop

ROOFTOPS  and STREETS

In typical urban residential areas, rooftops account for 30In typical urban residential areas, rooftops account for 30‐‐40% of the total 40% of the total impervious area impervious area –– capturing runoff from residential capturing runoff from residential rooftops and in the streetsrooftops and in the streets

CAN MAKE A CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, capturing runoff from up to 100% of the IA in residential DIFFERENCE, capturing runoff from up to 100% of the IA in residential 

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Walhonding Tuscarawas

on-street parking

roadway

Our own impervious surfaces are part of the problem

Water flowing off a roof can reach 140°F

Unchecked runoff pollutes, causes erosion 

Sandy Flowers,Eco Savvy 2004

What is in stormwater runoff?

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What is in stormwater runoff? What are the effects of stormwater runoff

Sanitary Sewer Overflows / Threats to infrastructure

What else happens with an increase of stormwater

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LOSS of navigation and commerceBladensburg was a busy port, shipping out flour and tobacco, until 

the river silted up by 1800. http://www.bladensburg.com/html/history.html

Down‐cut and enlarged, shallow streams

Stream Resource Conditions

2020

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.

http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/dectmpl.asp?url=/Content/dep/maps/introwqm.asp

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What about the fish? Indicators of water quality

Green Sunfish

Rock Bass

Brown troutRosyside Dace

Hog Sucker

Yellow Bullhead Catfish

Images: Montgomery County DEP Biological Monitoring Group

http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/dectmpl.asp?url=/Content/dep/water/subwatershed.asp

What and who else needs clean water? 

Turtle hatchling

Baltimore Checkerspotcaterpillar

Peeper frog

Cabarus diogenes

Northern Green Frogs

Watershed RestorationLID and RainScapes:

Reduce - infiltrate

Reuse –store &irrigate

Rain BarrelCistern

LID and RainScapes:Multi-benefit

Solutions

Recycle – evapo-transpirate/reuse materials

•Tree Canopy•ConservationLandscapes

•Green Roofs

•Rain Gardens•Permeable Pavement

•Tree Canopy•ConservationLandscapes•LID retrofits

Rain BarrelCistern

RAINSCAPES2004‐ 2013

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 C t WQPC F d d County WQPC Funded 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 2015

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What Does a RainScape Look Like?Commercial / Institutional examples

Ultra‐urban Slope by parking lot Preferential parking and slope stabilization

Many scales and settings 200 sf of planting area by patio

US‐EPA HQ DC

Sometimes it looks like part of the hardscape

Rain garden/ stormwater planter CisternPermeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement Driveway

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RainScapes Techniques in Action

Rebates for single family residences: $2,500 per property

with lifetime project caps

Rebates for multi-family/commercial /

RainScapes Rewards

Incentive Program

Rebates for multi-family/commercial / institutional:

$10,000 per propertywith lifetime project caps

All County property owners outside of municipalities Rockville, Gaithersburg and Takoma Park are eligible for rebates

RainScapes Technique

Maximum Residential Rebates$2500/parcel

Maximum Commercial, Multi-Family, HOA common land, and

Institutional Rebates$10,000/parcel

Canopy Trees$200/tree; # trees determined by space on parcel. Must shade or cover impervious area

$200/tree; # trees determined by space on parcel. Must shade or cover impervious area

Conservation Landscaping - Replacement of turf or invasive species

$2.00/square foot with no ponding$3.00/square foot with 2” of pondingProject must replace turf or invasivesProject needs to intercept runoff250 square foot minimum

$2.00/square foot with no ponding$3.00/square foot with 2” of pondingProject must replace turf or invasivesProject needs to intercept runoff350 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

Permeable Pavers and P C t

$4/square feet or $1200, whichever is greater; 100 f t i i

$4/square feet or $5000, whichever is greater; 100 f t i i

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Porous Concrete 100 square feet minimum 100 square feet minimum

Pavement Removal

$4/square foot if replacing with conservation landscaping$2/square foot if replacing with turf 100 square feet minimum

$4/square foot if replacing with conservation landscaping$2/square foot if replacing with turf 300 square 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 foot3’ 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 foot3’ 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

Rewards Rebate Program: Rain GardensResidential 

• $1,200 ‐ $2500

• Rebate varies depending on depth of soil profile amended or modified

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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

• $2.00‐3.00 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 addedadded

•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 surfaceimpervious surface

•Must be on our canopy tree list

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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•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.

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•$1 per gallon

•250 gallon minimum

•$500 maximum rebate

•Exterior irrigation only

Rewards Rebate Program: Water Harvesting: CisternsResidential

•$1 per gallon

•250 gallon minimum

•$2000 maximum rebate

•Exterior irrigation only

Rewards Rebate Program: Water Harvesting ‐ CisternsCommercial, Multi‐Family, or Institutional

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

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Help yourself visualize your new RainScape with technology

Overlay images created with iPad and Skitch ©

A simple change to a conservation landscape that will slow the flow and improve access to the back

Installed in a day!

Turf removedGround decompactedSoil amended with

compost Native plants added

Presto-Change-o! Before and After – Conservation Landscape – flower yard

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Before and after –3 lots of drainage captured

Very compacted turfConservation 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 

Removing invasive species and replacing with native species and other acceptable non-invasive ornamentals

Combined RainScapes Rewards project types Conservation Landscape + Rain Garden @ Leisure World Mutual 11

Reduces runoff, attracts pollinators, beautifies the communityMaster Gardener led project on HOA land

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What kinds of Plants are good?

Right plant in the right place!Group plants by similar requirementsPlan for four seasons of interest

Spring

Spring Spring

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Summer Summer

Fall

Fall

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Fall Color and then winter comesWinter

Winter

Late Spring Fall

Gardens change over a year

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Spring‐Summer‐Fall‐Winter 4 seasons – 7 kinds of plants

Defining spaces, creating placesBefore After

CisternsCisterns

Rain GardensRain Gardens

Street TreesStreet Trees

Conservation LandscapesConservation Landscapes

Rain BarrelsRain Barrels

Green RoofsGreen Roofs

Helps to Achieve Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)Helps to Achieve Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

TMDLs set pollutant reduction goalsTMDLs set pollutant reduction goals

RainScapes add RainScapes add stormwaterstormwater management to a management to a site beautifullysite beautifully

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TMDLs set pollutant reduction goalsTMDLs set pollutant reduction goals

Bacteria, sediment, nutrients, with trash under developmentBacteria, sediment, nutrients, with trash under development

Reduces pollutionReduces pollution

Increase use of Environmental Site Design (ESD) to the maximum extent practicable (MEP)Increase use of Environmental Site Design (ESD) to the maximum extent practicable (MEP)

Assure public input and stewardship opportunitiesAssure public input and stewardship opportunities

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Where could you do a RainScape?

What’s the next set of steps?

For more info:

Application Process – online form

Check out our website for more info on designs

Step 1: On‐line application

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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.

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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 i i f ll j t t t binvoices 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. 

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Other administrative details You must initiate the request for final  inspection

Email: rainscapes@montgomerycountymd.gov

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Plant plants! Help nature stay clean!

Questions?

www.rainscapes.orgwww.rainscapes.org

ann.english@montgomerycountymd.gov ann.english@montgomerycountymd.gov

rainscapes@montgomerycountymd.govrainscapes@montgomerycountymd.gov