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Applying Soil Amendment and Decompaction Techniques on Compacted Urban Land
Stormwater runoff is a major contributor of pollution to the District’s waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. Stormwater is generated during a wet weather event as precipitation runs off developed lands. The high volumes and velocities of urban stormwater runoff washes sediment from park spaces into local waterways, polluting and clogging rivers downstream. Heavy sediment loading also reduces the lifespan and functionality of our stormwater management practices.
Stormwater management, runoff reduction and pollution source controls are key strategies the District employs to lessen the negative impact of developed lands on the District’s waterways.
DOEE’s Watershed Protection Division is working with vendors to assess compacted open lands as a potentially significant source of stormwater and sediment runoff. The more sediment can be maintained onsite, the less negative impact it will have on our upland stormwater control measures and downstream waterways, the better conditions it will provide for existing trees and/or users of the site.
To get this done, we will:
- identify and assess compacted urban lands in the District;
- research and test out different decompaction techniques;
- assess the techniques’ effectiveness and practicality; and
- provide guidance and recommendations on best practices for land management going forward.
Background:
This project was born out of a common occurrence observed in the District: open space areas experiencing soil loss but with complicating factors (existing tree canopy, heavy public usage, etc.) that would prevent traditional field restoration techniques from being employed.
Grant: RFA#2022-2224-WPD
Project Status: Grant awarded December 2022. Two-year effort.
More Information:
Check back here often for updates as the project progresses. For questions or more information about this project, please contact: Cecilia Lane: [email protected]; 202-535-1961