Upper Gwynns Falls SWAP
Baltimore County, MD
AMT prepared a Small Watershed Action Plan (SWAP) for this 13,600-acre planning area to help meet requirements for NPDES/TMDL county goals, Maryland Tributary Strategy goals, and using the EPA watershed planning criteria. The SWAP defines 8 goals, 48 associated objectives and 58 actions to occur over 10 years to help the county meet their MS4 requirements. AMT led the stakeholder meetings to develop the community goals of improving and maintain physical and chemical stream conditions, preserve high quality streams, restore and maintain aquatic biodiversity, increase tree & forest coverage, promote environmentally sensitive development & redevelopment, restore stream hydrology, reduce trash, promote recycling programs, and improve access to stream valleys.
AMT investigated restoration strategies for SWM conversions, stream restoration, illicit discharge detection and elimination (IDDE), nutrient management, downspout disconnects and other pollution prevention methods. An analysis was performed to quantify the pollution reduction potential for each strategy, with costs, schedules, responsibilities, and funding sources noted for each. Other SWAP activities included 52 stormwater facility assessments, upland assessment protocol results for the planning area, and upland pollution source assessments for high risk pollution areas including: 90 Neighborhood Source Assessments (NSA’s); 30 Hotspot Investigations (HIS’s); 20 Pervious Area Assessments (PAA’s); and 60 Institutional Site Investigations (ISI’s).
AMT developed the Characterization Report that summarized the upland assessment protocol and results, summarized data and the GIS analysis of the planning area. Water quality, living resources and habitat data were analyzed including chemical and biological data to determine the pollutant loads from the watershed. AMT developed restoration and preservation option narratives, figures and tables including county, community and combined efforts.
