Explore County’s water quality restoration work through interactive map and learn ways to save money!

Green Street project on Dennis Avenue, Silver Spring, MD

This past June, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) developed an interactive web map with dynamic infographics.  The interactive map displays the County’s restoration efforts that have taken place between 2010 and 2018. This includes projects such as stream restorations, improving stormwater ponds, tree plantings and installing rain gardens.  

How to use the interactive map: 

Green Street project on Lanark Way, Silver Spring, MD

You can use this map to find restoration projects that have been completed near your home and much more. Just type in your address and you can see the great projects that have been completed around your community. Thanks to amazing staff, the map application has filtering options that can dynamically change the infographics. Residents can filter by restoration project type and even by watershed. Want to know all the restoration projects that were completed in the Rock Creek watershed since 2010? Click the watershed filter, and Whammo! There they are. Interested to know where the stream restorations have been done in the County? Kablammy! There you have them.

This really is a great tool, and we are proud of it but it’s no magic act. Creating this map took lots of skill and an enormous amount of data that our staff had to process to get just right.

Water Quality Protection Charge (WQPC)

Believe it or not, most of the projects shown are funded through the WQPC. This is a line item on your annual tax bill and the lifeblood to improving our water quality in Montgomery County.   

Along with State funded grants and loans, cost share from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Tree Montgomery Program, the WQPC is the lynchpin that makes Montgomery County’s comprehensive stormwater management program one of the best in the nation. The WQPC provides funding for stream monitoring, pollution investigations, volunteer engagement, educational programs, and community grants.  All of which are aimed at reducing pollution in our streams!   

While the collective restoration accomplishments are great for the number crunchers of the world, two of the best capabilities of this map are… Money Saving! and exploring what has been done to improve water quality in your neighborhood, maybe even by your friends and neighbors.

By entering your address in the mapping application, you can:  

1. Find out what has been done in your neighborhood to protect your local stream. 
2. See if something exists on your property that manages stormwater and if it is eligible for a WQPC credit (reducing your tax bill!). If so, apply! 

If no qualifying project exists on your property, you can create one! 

Learn about and consider applying for a RainScapes Rebate.  By installing a new stormwater project on your property, you can apply for both a rebate with the RainScapes program and a WQPC credit. Isn’t that amazing?  

Years of work!

Derwood Station #2 ribbon cutting 2018 -Crabbs Branch Watershed

This map represents the culmination of years of restoration work implemented in Montgomery County by DEP and many other partners and agencies to meet a federal mandated Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) permit issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE).  Never heard of it? Check it out, we get one about every 5 years. It lists all the things we must collectively do as a County to improve and protect our water quality.  

Our staff works hard to protect and improve our water quality and we hope you find this map very useful, particularly if you can save some money. Give it a try here. Click on the individual project points for more information. 

Restoration Project tour in Cabin John Watershed, 2014