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Using funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), DOEE is now the lead agency in coordinating the maintenance of all District-owned Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI).
GSI are the suite of practices that mimic the natural environment and protect against the harmful impact of stormwater runoff. This engineered infrastructure helps to filter and hold polluted stormwater runoff and prevent it from making its way into our waterbodies. These practices help the District meet our federal regulatory requirements under the EPA’s Clean Water Act to support healthy waterways and a healthy Chesapeake Bay; and, along with other efforts focused on water quality and restoration, will help make the District’s rivers and streams fishable and swimmable.
There are several different types of GSI. They include:
- Bioretention practices (also called rain gardens)
- Green Roofs
- Permeable Pavement
- Rainwater Harvesting (rain barrels and cisterns)
- See more on the different types of GSI used in the District.
All green infrastructure practices, including those found on District-owned lands, require maintenance to ensure functionality and continued value to our waterways.
To ensure that all District GSI is maintained, DOEE has established the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Maintenance grant program, administered by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, who equip local landscaping firms to manage over 300 practices in the District quarterly. A major goal of the GSI Maintenance Program is to train and sustainably employ District residents and returning citizens in green infrastructure. The Alliance is proud to partner with Clean Decisions, Ancient Greene, and Rock Creek Conservancy on this program. Each of these contractors hires District residents they are able to sustainably employ them year-round. In addition, training in green infrastructure maintenance will be provided by the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC) through its Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) training. Each local contractor and their crews will participate in CBLP-Crews training to gain valuable field experience in GSI maintenance as they embark on the regular maintenance of District GSI.
- Read more information about the program via Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.