At a Glance
Each of the 16 subwatersheds of the Little Gunpowder Falls has a specific action plan that maps out a comprehensive strategy for protecting, restoring, and managing water quality.
Project Description
Measuring over 57 square miles and supporting over 153 miles of tributaries, the Little Gunpowder Falls watershed is located along the eastern edge of Baltimore County, Maryland. Spanning both rural and urban land uses, the river eventually makes it way to the Chesapeake Bay.
Using a watershed conservation and restoration framework, Biohabitats developed the Little Gunpowder Falls Watershed Management Plan for the Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability. The comprehensive plan not only satisfied National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System obligations, but provided the County with a blueprint for balancing future growth and ecological health.
The two-year study identified and evaluated non-point source stormwater pollution and stream degradation; determined management measures to reduce non-point source pollution and re-establish stream stability; and provided a watershed restoration framework for the County’s Capital Improvement Program.
Engaging stakeholders, including community groups and government agencies with jurisdiction within the watershed, was critical to the development of water quality management strategies. Biohabitats worked to achieve consensus among the various competing stakeholder interests throughout the planning process.