As Montgomery County continues to undergo further development, it has started up new programs to better manage growing stormwater runoff. Addressing this issue is especially pertinent in neighborhoods where high-density development has led to high rates of impervious coverage. GreenStreets and Rainscapes, two of the county’s new programs, tackle the problems from increased runoff by improving stormwater management in residential areas.
GreenStreets
GreenStreets is a county initiative to retrofit neighborhoods that have poor stormwater management practices and limited space with holistic stormwater management improvements. The program incorporates various methods of capturing and slowing down stormwater runoff, including rain gardens, bioretention, bioswales, and tree boxes. Projects are implemented in county right of ways in high priority neighborhoods, typically located in the southeastern quarter of the county. The following are GreenStreets prioritized neighborhoods:
- Kensington Estates, Kensington
- Manor Woods, Rockville
- Wheaton Woods, Aspen Hill/Rockville
- Cannon Rd, Silver Spring
- Glenmont Forest, Silver Spring
- Springbrook Estates, Silver Spring
- Sligo Woods, Silver Spring
These projects provide comprehensive benefits to GreenStreets communities that extend beyond just improved stormwater management. Native plants are incorporated to provide habitat for local pollinators and other animals, and the gardens add aesthetic value and create a cohesive identity for neighborhoods. Of course, the benefits of improved stormwater management are also great. By slowing down stormwater and capturing it in soil, GreenStreets projects replenish groundwater and stream baseflows and improve water quality by filtering out pollutants and letting water cool down before it enters waterways, providing valuable environmental services.
Both GreenStreets neighborhoods and the county as a whole benefit greatly from the implementation of GreenStreets projects, but they cannot be as successful as possible without grassroots community involvement. If you live in a GreenStreets prioritized neighborhood or you think your area would be a good place for the Department of Environmental Protection to look into, contact the DEP.
Rainscapes
Rainscapes is a program that provides tax rebates for property owners outside of the municipalities of Gaithersburg, Takoma Park, and Rockville who retrofit their land to better manage stormwater. Residential properties can earn up to $2,500 in rebates; commercial, multi-family, and institutional properties can earn up to $10,000 in rebates.
On 6/6 we cohosted a public education event with Montgomery County's Department of Environmental Protection, Friends of Sligo Creek, Audubon Naturalist Society, & the Stormwater Partners Network. We detaied the existing programs for interested community members. We livestreamed the event and you can check out the video here:
Resources: