Tidal Back River Greening – A Case Study in Watershed Restoration

As a result of environmental degradation in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, local, state, and federal agencies have developed regulations to address poor water quality and restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. In 2011, the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) assigned nutrient load reductions to individual states and ultimately local jurisdictions to achieve watershed restoration in the Chesapeake Bay. Municipalities in the region are under constant pressure to identify ways to improve water quality and meet the stringent TMDL requirements designed to protect the Chesapeake Bay. As a case study, this paper will specifically discuss the process undertaken by the Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability (EPS) and Parsons Brinckerhoff for the selection of watershed restoration opportunities in the Tidal Back River Small Watershed Action Plan, and the resultant design and construction of various green infrastructure projects at the 9 sites comprising the Tidal Back River Greening Project.