chesapeake bay trust

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works has just completed an urban Best Management Practice (BMP) demonstration "theme park," a hands-on teaching tool for stormwater practitioners all over the country. This Theme Park pilot project brings the latest thinking in stormwater management to the East Coast and to highly urbanized communities like Baltimore.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust awarded $100,000 in 2006 to Baltimore City for this project through our Pioneer Grant program which supports projects that reduce the amount of harmful nutrients and sediments flowing into the Chesapeake Bay.

The City has installed new facilities to treat stormwater in six locations; they have been integrated with the surrounding streetscape and landscape. Also, pavement from streets and parking lots -- that carry pollutants such as oil, pesticides, fertilizer, and antifreeze into the Bay when it rains -- has been removed.

The City of Baltimore is now able to provide low-maintenance methods of reducing pollution in the Bay while decreasing the amount of stormwater runoff and adding aesthetic value to the surrounding neighborhood.

Later this year, watershed associations and municipalities throughout the United States will be able to access a virtual tour of the project!

The project is a cooperative effort with the local community (Franklin Square Community Association members provided feedback that was incorporated into landscape designs), the Center for Watershed Protection, the Parks and People Foundation, the Bon Secours of Maryland Foundation, and EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc.