Public Invited to Stream Restoration Webinar Series

Stream restoration is a complicated and passionate debate for many and can even be quite polarizing. It is not a black and white subject and can contain a lot of grey depending on perspectives. For this reason, Montgomery County has created a webinar series to discuss the topic and various aspects of the County’s restoration program, the techniques used in practice, and future planning efforts.

The webinar series kicked off with an opportunity for residents to speak on stream restoration during a listening session on November 17, 2021 at 7:00 pm moderated by Sadie Drescher, Chesapeake Bay Trust.  The session will be recorded, and a summary will be provided to attendees.

The listening session will help shape the remainder of the webinar series (all sessions will be recorded and available to the public). The County values its residents and their experiences and wants to listen and learn from them. We hope you can join us throughout the webinar series so we can learn from each other and ensure Montgomery County has a clear blueprint for restoration success.

Session Archives

Montgomery County Stream Restoration Listening session

November 17, 2021, 7pm -8:30pm

Video recording: https://youtu.be/wsiwxbUPwYQ

The purpose of the listening session is to:

• • hear from Montgomery County residents about stream restoration,
  • help guide the content of the remaining webinars in the series.

When registering for the listening session consider these 2 questions to help DEP build the remainder of the webinar series:

• • What is one top action you would like DEP to do to improve stream restoration?
  • What one stream restoration topic would you most like to learn more about from DEP?

Watershed Management and Stream Restoration in Montgomery County Session

January 12, 2021, 7pm-8:30pm

Video Recording: https://youtu.be/1w7oCUCyqQ8

Speakers: Scott Lowe, McCormick Taylor, and Solange Filoso, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

The session will include discussion on the topics raised from the Nov. 17th listening session.

The session will begin the dialog of topics raised from the listening session on Nov. 17^th

Possible topics include:

• • describing stream function, the science behind stream restoration as an important water quality tool, including new and evolving science and research,
  • why stream restoration is performed in Montgomery County and why streams and our aquatic life face hardships

Stream Restoration: Trees, Nonnative Invasives, and Maintenance

February 16, 2022, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Video Recording: https://youtu.be/8oduH6oB-W4

This session continued our dialog and focused on:

• • The Forest Conservation Law and Natural Resources Inventory – Steve Findley,
  • Tree Trade-offs Research in Stream Restoration Projects: Impact on riparian groundwater quality – Dr. Sujay Kaushal, University of Maryland
  • Montgomery County DEP’s Evaluation and Assessment process of Trees for Stream Restoration – Laura Miller, Montgomery County Forest Conservationist and Christy Ciarametaro, Watershed Planner
  • Non-native invasives, Biodiversity and Stream Restoration – Lauren Hubbard, owner, Native by Design.

Stream Restoration Round Table

March 9, 2022, 7 pm – 8:30 pm  

Video Recording: https://youtu.be/UOU-1HxsRRM

The session included:

• • Recap the topics discussed in the webinar series
  • Include an open round table discussion about stream restoration in Montgomery County as we welcome back our panel of speakers throughout the series and continue to address questions, concerns and interests from the public.

Stream restoration

Stream restoration is complex and as a growing and evolving method can be challenging for both practitioners and the public to understand and achieve success. Overall, stream restoration is performed to improve the environmental health of a river or stream within their present environmental context in support of biodiversity, recreation, flood management and/or landscape development. It’s a difficult balance, particularly in an urban setting, but it focuses on restoring function and value, generally found in stable, natural stream systems which protects aquatic life and the health of our aquatic systems.

Erosion is a natural process but as humans continue to change land use, watershed hydrology is altered. Streams are not static by nature and a “Do Nothing” strategy can result in irreversible and more costly impacts. Restoration practices have changed over time and a technique or method that works in one area may not work in another as research continues to better understand the environmental benefits, impacts and effectiveness of these techniques including floodplain reconnection, stream buffer reforestation and revegetation, which provide long-term protection.

While each project has specific goals, stream restoration is ​typically designed to:

• stabilize stream channels
• reduce erosion of channel beds and streambanks
• reduce sediment pollution occurring downstream
• establish healthy aquatic habitat, and
• protect essential public infrastructure and private property

It is also important to note that practitioners strive to improve and continue to learn from each project.

Hollywood Branch Stream Restoration

Woodlawn Stream Restoration