HOWARD COUNTY STORMWATER MANAGEMENT DIVISION Patuxent River and Patapsco River Watershed Assessments Howard County, Maryland Thorough watershed assessment helps Howard County, Maryland chart the course toward county-wide water quality improvement. conducted stream assessments For the second phase of of the County’s two water- each watershed assessment, sheds: the Southern Middle Biohabitats developed con- Patuxent, and the Patapsco cepts for the highest priority River South Branch. The goal proposed retrofit and res- of the assessments was to toration opportunities. The identify and prioritize oppor- concepts, which included tunities to improve water qual- approaches such as channel ity through stream restoration, stabilization, Regenerative outfall stabilization, new Stormwater Conveyance stormwater Best Management (RSC), bioretention facili- Practices (BMP), tree planting, ties, and tree plantings, were and BMP conversion projects. designed to provide eco- The assessments integrated ele- logical habitat and stormwater from top: Watershed assessment of Howard County’s ments of the Stream Corridor filtration while also helping natural resources; Severly eroded initial conditions Assessment (SCA), Rapid the County estimate imple- Bioassessment Protocol (RBP), mentation costs and meet oward County’s Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit Bank Assessment for Non- Total Maximum Daily Load H Water Management requirement. To tackle the point source Consequences (TMDL) targets established Division set an ambitious daunting task that encom- of Sediment (BANCS), and for phosphorus and sediment goal of performing compre- passed a 253-square-mile Retrofit Reconnaissance in the local watersheds. hensive assessments of the study area, Howard County Inventory (RRI) with other County’s watersheds over a turned to their team of on- qualitative site data on the SERVICES two-year period to satisfy their call consultants. Working feasibility of a project including Management National Pollutant Discharge closely with the County and land ownership, constraints, Public Outreach Elimination System (NPDES) their other on-call engineer- and ease of access. Policy Municipal Separate Storm ing consultants, Biohabitats conservation planning ecological restoration regenerative design Physiographic Province Piedmont Bioregion Chesapeake/Delaware Bays Watershed Middle & Little Patuxent River & Patapsco River 1.