Volunteer Opportunities

The Little Falls Watershed Alliance is an all volunteer endeavor - everyone including the lawyer who filed our 501 c(3) application, the webmaster, the graphic designer, the invasive weed event leader and the speakers at our events. All of us volunteer for this important effort because the watershed needs us.

But we can't do it alone. We need your help. With many hands, we can get a lot done.

Please contact us about volunteering -

If you only have a few hours to spare, we can use people to help with
invasive weed control - plants@lfwa.org
storm drain stenciling (in the spring) - stormwater@lfwa.org
trash abatement - trash@lfwa.org

If you walk in the park regularly, we are looking for STEWARDS to adopt a section of the Little Falls trail and act as the eyes and ears of the park. The stewards would report problems to proper authorities and help coordinate clean-up and invasive removal events. info@lfwa.org

If you would like to get involved with the organization of LFWA, we are looking for
a Fund raising chair info@lfwa.org
a Membership coordinator info@lfwa.org
and help with the website info@lfwa.org

Together, we can make a difference in the watershed.

River Smart Homes

Last month, some of us attended a watershed stewardship workshop sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government. I was looking over my notes and thought I should share this information from the District Riversmart program. You can find out about their incentive program on-line at Riversmart Homes but even without the incentives, they have some really good tips for getting storm water into the ground. Don’t forget, Montgomery County also has an incentive program on-line at their rainscapes page.

So from the Riversmart web page, here are five things you can do on your property that can make a big difference!

Plant Large Shade Trees - Anyone who has taken shelter under a tree during a rainstorm knows that trees trap rainwater. The City is interested in planting large shade trees because they help reduce stormwater while helping to reduce air pollution and the urban heat island effect. Homeowners like them because they can reduce heating and cooling bills and they increase property values. Currently the DDOE and Casey Trees have teamed up to provide a $50 rebate for homeowners who plant large canopy trees.

Install Above Ground Cisterns - Above ground cisterns are also commonly called rain barrels. Cisterns are used to capture water from your rooftop and store it to be released at a time when it is not raining. Cisterns help reduce stormwater pollution by trapping stormwater rather than having it flow off your property. Homeowners like them because they can use the water to water their gardens or wash their car and save money on their water bills.

Replace Impervious Surfaces with Pervious Ones - Sidewalks, driveways, and patios are a major source of stormwater pollution. By replacing traditional asphalt and concrete with permeable or porous pavers you help allow water to infiltrate naturally into the soil, but most homeowners install them because they feel the paving stones are more attractive than traditional concrete.

Construct Rain Gardens - A rain garden is a low point in your yard where you deliberately direct stormwater. The soils in the garden are amended to allow water to rapidly infiltrate and special plants are installed that can tolerate getting their "feet" wet. The City likes these gardens because they infiltrate and treat stormwater naturally, but you'll love them because they allow you to plant interesting and beautiful plants that cannot tolerate drier conditions.

Bayscape Your Yard - Bayscaping is a fancy term for planting gardens beds with plants that are native to the Chesapeake Bay region. The City is promoting native landscaping because native plants have deeper roots and more complex above ground structures than grass and therefore they capture more rainwater than turf. You'll love your Bayscaping because it invites songbirds and butterflies by providing food (nectar and seed) and habitat for our animal friends!

Death by Stormwater Run-off

Water is killing our waterways! This was the message I took from Diane Cameron's informative talk and discussion last week. And it's not what's in the water, but the volume and velocity of water running down the impervious surfaces of our roofs and roads into the storm drains that's the problem. The creeks just can't handle this tsunami.

Here in the Little Falls watershed, where every day we have more and more impervious surfaces being created with bigger houses replacing smaller, new roads and sidewalks being built to meet the growing demand for infrastructure and infill development creating new roofs and parking lots, stormwater run-off is probably the major contributor to the decline of the waterways.

The good news, Diane reported, is that governments are catching on to the idea that managing the water before it hits the streams is an important part of the solution to saving our creeks, rivers and bay.

Diane pointed to several key things that residents could do to improve the situation on their property - all having to do with redirecting the stormwater away from the impervious surfaces - be they driveways, sidewalks or streets - and into the ground.

The cheapest and easiest solution was to use flexible drain pipes (those 4" black hoses) to carry the water away from your house and into your yard. Diane pointed out that a shade tree during the growing season can actually absorb most of the water. Actually planting a little grove of trees to take this water was the best solution - especially if the trees are canopy trees like oaks or poplars.

Another solution was for residents to build rain gardens. The county has a rebate program which grants up to $1,200. (I think the county's goal is 30 percent of homeowners to have rain gardens) The idea of the garden is to divert the water from your roof directly to this special garden that will allow the water to soak into the ground. Below we have listed some landscapers who could help you get started.

Using porous pavers instead of asphalt and concrete is another way to cut down the run-off. The county also has a rebate program for this available for new construction or for retro-fitting.

Municipalities can also build rain gardens and divert stormwater away from the drains. Curb-cut gardens are becoming increasing popular. Check out the Green Street Program in Portland to see what one city is doing. Make sure you down load the Green Streets tour map . It has fabulous pictures of all the projects. We could do this in the Little Falls watershed. Contact, Sarah at stormwater@lfwa.org if you would like to coordinate an effort to convince the county to give us curb-cut parks.

A big thank you to Diane from us at LFWA. She has promised to get me her talk in PDF form. As soon as I get it, I'll post it.

Sarah Morse
Blog master!

Rain garden designers:

Yolanda Del Buono (Yoli)
gwobonanj@yahoo.com
phone: (240) 506-6914
Rain Garden Design and Installation
Student at the GWU in Landscape Design Master’s program.

Carol Foster Hall
carol.f.hall@verizon.net
Rain Garden Design; advice on plant selections.

Kit Gage
kgage@verizon.net
Site Evaluation; Rain Garden Design; help with identifyng contractors/ volunteers; and with arranging for DEP-provided soil and plants.

Fran McClure
flmcclure@earthlink.net
Rain Garden Design; connections with other landscaping experts and contracting firms.

Holly Olson
hjo1629@hotmail.com
Site Evaluation; Rain Garden Design; Arranging for soil and plants.
Student in the GWU landscape design Master’s program.

Jenny Reed
jenny010@earthlink.net
Rain Garden design through her firm, naturalresourcesdesign.com.
Jenny and her partner, Lauren Wheeler, work with homeowners, the City of Takoma Park, and
the District Department of the Environment designing and implementing LID practices such as
pervious paving, raingardens, bio- swales and cisterns.

There is a part of the Montgomery County web site at: www.rainscapes.org that provides further information on the Rainscapes Rebates program. Pamela Rowe leads this program; her contact information is also listed below.


Pamela Rowe
pamela.rowe@montgomerycountymd.gov
Rainscapes Coordinator
Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection
Information on Rainscapes Rebate Applications, help with obtaining soil and plants.


Municipal Programs for Inspiration!

Green Streets Programs Across the Nation:*

Portland, Oregon:
www.portlandonline.com/BES/index.cfm?c=44407

New York, New York:
www.streetsblog.org/2008/02/14/greenstreets-of-new-york-new-and-improved/
and
www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/trees_greenstreets.html

Seattle, Washington:
www.seattle.gov/UTIL/About_SPU/Drainage_&_Sewer_System/Natural_Drainage_Systems/Street_Edge_Alternatives/index.asp

Federal Green Highways Partnership: www.greenhighways.org/

Riders on the Storm: How to Catch the Rain in Public and Private Yards

Our creeks are dying and the water coming out of the sky is killing them. Every time it rains, water runs off the roofs, down the streets and into the storm drains. The volume and velocity of this water entering the creeks creates little tsunamis that wipe out life and cause erosion.

On Wednesday at 7:30, we are pleased to present a talk by Diane Cameron, Audubon Naturalist Society, about low-impact solutions like rain barrels, rain gardens and pervious pavers that residents and municipalities can initiate to keep the water out of the storm drains. Her talk will include a discussion of funding sources for stormwater control that are available to both residents and municipalities, as well as the current stormwater legislation in Montgomery County.

For those of you who don't know, Diane Cameron is one of the best environmental policy people in the country. With a Master’s in Environmental Engineering in 1987 from the University of Maryland, Diane has focused on Clean Water Act implementation, regulation, and public education. She is presently the head of the Montgomery County Stormwater Partners and Director of Conservation at the Audubon Naturalist Society in Chevy Chase.

The talk will be at the Somerset Town Hall, 4510 Cumberland Ave, Chevy Chase, MD. Refreshments will be served! If you have any questions, email us at info@lfwa.org

Looking for Stewards

Yesterday, I walked my dogs along the Little Falls Trail from Dorset Ave to Norwood Park. The colors are amazing, but the park needs so much work. Porcelain berry is smothering most of the trees, especially on the "creek edge" and along the western edge of Norwood park and the entire area needs cleaning and invasive control. However, as I passed fellow dog walkers and greeted friends and neighbors, I thought, if we could get an army of park users to spend just a few hours, we could free many of the trees and make a dent in the invasives.

This fits right into the steward program that LFWA is trying to launch. What we are looking for are people to adopt a section of the Little Falls Park (which runs from McArthur Blvd to Norwood Park). The steward would be the eyes and ears of their section as well as help organize clean-up events once or twice a year. LFWA board would support them and provide tools, equipment - whatever they need. We were thinking that this would be a perfect role for people who already use the park - dog walkers, runners, hikers and the like.

If you would like to be a steward, contact Suzanne Richman at info@lfwa.org for more information. And even if you don't want to be a steward, but would like to organize the West Chevy Chase neighborhood for a invasive weed removal effort, contact Lynnwood at plants@lfwa.org. She can help get you started and even has a lot of clippers to lend.

And don't forget we have Diane Cameron coming to talk about stormwater control on November 12. The old way to control stormwater run-off was to line the creek with concrete like they did to the Willett Branch which runs along the Little Falls Trail near Norwood Park. Diane will talk about new solutions that don't involve concrete!

Sarah Morse
blog master

ISO Stewards

An important facet of a group like Little Falls Watershed Alliance, Inc., is having a brigade of volunteers called Stewards who walk the parks and act as the eyes and ears for the Little Falls Stream Valley Park and the tributaries flowing into the Little Falls Branch or Minnehaha Branch. If anything is amiss, Stewards alert the proper authorities. If they choose, they also would handle oversight, leadership and hands-on work for their section. The ideal Steward is one who spends time outside in the park such as dog walkers, hikers, bikers and cares about its health.

On October 30, at 7:30 pm, there will be a brainstorming meeting about organizing these volunteers. If you are interested in coming to this meeting, please RSVP to Suzanne Richmond, info@lfwa.org , The meeting will be at her house, 4712 Overbrook Road, Brookdale. And, if you can't make the meeting, but have ideas, please email Suzanne. She's happy to hear from everyone.

Until we get the steward program going (and after for that manner!), anyone who sees something amiss in the watershed is encouraged to call the proper authorities. Below is a list of people to call. Thank you to Alice Mayio for compiling them.

Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection

Report water quality problems such as odors, oil, sediment – 240-777-7770 or 240-777-7700. After working hours, your call will go to a hotline.

Report sediment runoff from a construction project – 240-777-6259 (County sediment control/permitting services)

Report blocked drains, overload of winter sand or salt, other road-related problems – 240-777-6000 (Department of Public Works and Transportation)

Report illegal dumping (e.g. trash, construction materials) on county land -- 240-777-DUMP

Report drainage from a neighbor’s property --240-777-3785 – (Housing code enforcement)

Online, you can send an email to the county describing the problem to askDEP@montgomerycountymd.gov or go to

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/deptmpl.asp?url=/content/dep/eforms/home.asp to fill out a complaint form (click on water quality)

Maryland Department of the Environment

Call 1-800-633-6101 during the hours of 8 am – 5 pm, M-F), 1-866-633-4686 after hours and on weekends

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

Report water leaks, sewer overflows, sediment runoff as a result of WSSC activities --

301-206-4002 (WSSC emergency 24-hour number)

Park Police

Report suspicious or unsafe activity in the stream valley park – 301-949-3010 (Emergency)

Free the Trees!

Believe it or not, there are trees under there! About 15 of us were out last Friday morning working on the Little Falls Trail clearing out the porcelain berry and other vines and the good news it that we found trees - alive and happy to be freed from the weight of the vines. As we cut the vines back, sunlight streamed into the area, prompting one volunteer to exclaim - "I can just hear the tree expressing gratitude for the warm sun on its bark." For some of these trees, it's the first time in years that they have had the sun on their trunks.

For those of you who have never done invasive weed control before, we cut a window in the vines - cutting as high as we can reach and then again at the ground. The vines are left in the trees where they will die. We also leave the cut pieces on the ground to decompose. It's hard work and it can take two hours or more for one person to free just one tree. So it was great to see so many people there. Thank you especially to the Sidwell Friends Upper School students who came as part of their community service day. And thank you to our invasive weed control coordinator, Lynnwood.

If you have a group that would like to do a project, contact her at plants@lfwa.org. You don't even need to bring clippers - she has a group set! Lynnwood also leads a group in the Little Falls Stream Valley every second and fourth Saturday at 8:00. Contact her for more information.

Here are some pictures of the freed trees!

National Academy of Science Says EPA Stormwater Policy Needs Complete Overhaul

Well, this just came in - National Academy of Science's report on the EPA's stormwater program.  It says it's in total need of an overhaul!  Who knew!

I love their description of stormwater runoff:
"the toxic brew of oil, fertilizers and trash picked up by rain and snowmelt as the water flows over parking lots, roofs and subdivisions."
I'll have to use it on my next creek walk.  The report also highlights one of my favorite points - it's not what's in the water that's always bad but the volume and velocity of the water.  In the Little Falls Branch, the water is actually not bad, but the stormwater runoff creates little tsunamis that wipe out anything trying to live there, not to mention causes so much erosion and silting that we have habitat loss right here.  You don't need to go to the rain forest or north pole to witness.

I've pasted the first paragraph of the press release below.  If you want a copy of the whole report, you can get it at the National Academy of Science website http://www.nationalacademies.org/morenews/20081015.html
You can download the whole thing!  I'm sure it's interesting reading.

By the way, Diane Cameron from the Montgomery County Stormwater Partnership (just one of her many hats) is going to talk to us on November 12 at 7:30 about what we can do to control stormwater runoff.  (See events listing on the right for details).  There's a lot regular residents can do and money from the county too, so mark your calendars!
Publish Post
Sarah Morse
Stormwater Chair

EPA's Stormwater Program Needs a Significant Overhaul

To Improve its Effectiveness and the Quality of Urban Streams

WASHINGTON -- Radical changes to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's stormwater program are necessary to reverse degradation of fresh water resources and ensure progress toward the Clean Water Act's goal of "fishable and swimmable" waters, says a new report from the National Research Council. Increased water volume and pollutants from stormwater have degraded water quality and habitats in virtually every urban stream system. To provide meaningful regulation, all stormwater and other wastewater discharge permits should be based on watershed boundaries instead of political boundaries. Moreover, the program should integrate stormwater management and land management practices, and focus less on chemical pollutants in the stormwater and more on the increased flow of water.

Welcome to Little Falls Watershed Alliance

Greetings,
We finally have a stewardship group for the Little Falls Watershed. We have a board of directors, we have committees, we have applied for non-profit status, we have a list serv and now we have a blog! It's very exciting and we invite you to join us.

Here's a map of the watershed. The main creeks are Little Falls Branch, Willet Branch and Minnehaha Branch in North Bethesda. Jennifer Run also comes into the Little Falls Branch. As you can see, we are bordered by Cabin John and Rock Creek Watersheds.

You can join our list serv by emailing Suzanne at info@LFWA.org. She's our president and she'll sign you up!

For more information, email Suzanne too. We can get you set-up clearing invasive weeds (every other Saturday at the Little Falls Stream Valley Park) or picking up trash - both by the creek or on the roads. You could also join us as a creek steward, or join a committee.