Blog

This post was written by Jim Caldwell, the new Stormwater Manager with Howard County’s Office of Environmental Sustainability. Welcome, Jim! As a college undergraduate my major was wildlife biology. I enjoyed studying the life histories of animals, the evolutionary changes that helped species adapt, and the ecologic principles that made it all possible. Many of my classmates took a more practical approach studying wildlife management – the science of balancing human and wildlife ecology. All these years later I still enjoy the wonders of wildlife biology, but the reality is that long ago environmental management became the foundation of my career. The impact of human action on the natural environment led me on a quest to achieve reasonable balance with

Prior to installing my rain barrel, rainy days went unappreciated. As a kid, rain meant I couldn’t run around in the yard. As an adult it meant I had to schlep my umbrella, get my shoes wet, and likely spend the day with frizzy hair. Luckily for me and my joy of simple pleasures, I was home the first time it rained after installing the barrel. I jumped out of bed, tossed on my rain coat and rubber boots (not a good look with pajamas) and stood in the yard grinning as it filled higher and higher. As it began overflowing after only 20 minutes of rain, I exclaimed “Wow! I need a second one! And a third one!” I

This blog was written by Julie Napolitano, intern with The Office of Environmental Sustainability and student at UMD studying Environmental Science-Natural Resource Management. Thank you Julie! In the mood to enjoy some of the beautiful weather we had last week, I decided to take my son for a walk around Font Hill wetland park near our home. This is one of my favorite places to walk, although I had not been there in over a year. It is smaller and less crowded than Centennial Lake and offers more opportunities to see wildlife such as turtles and songbirds. As we passed through the marshy area towards the main pond, I noticed something different. There were islands of plants floating in the

The Patapsco River and Ellicott City share the best of times and the worst of times. The river powered the Ellicott Brothers’ mill which spawned the city’s growth and prosperity in the late 1700’s and beyond. That same river, however, periodically brings the city despair. Flood waters ravaged the historic town many times over the last two centuries including major events in 1868, 1952, Agnes in 1972 and Eloise in 1975. As the city grew so did rooftops, sidewalks, roads and parking lots. All these impervious surfaces create more storm runoff and greater flooding potential. Now, the problem not only comes from the Patapsco overflowing its banks. As we learned with Tropical storm Lee this past fall, upstream storm drains

Wow, have you been to the new Miller Library in Ellicott City? The joint was jumping last Saturday when I finally took my daughter over there. We enjoyed checking out the new space; the kids area, computers, meeting rooms and quiet study areas. The Historical Society room on the second floor is neat and it’s all so clean and new, it’s just fantastic. There is free Wi-Fi and a “Café” (3 vending machines and lots of nice tables). We recommend the Butterfinger coffee drink. I have 2 favorite parts of the new Miller branch – the upstairs outdoor terrace overlooking the green roof, and the Enchanted Garden. The green roof “absorbs rainwater, conserves energy and roofing materials, mitigates the heat

GreenFest began long, long ago in a far off land as an idea cooked up in someone’s cubicle on a rainy day in March 2007 (before I arrived in Howard County). With only a month to plan an Earth Day event, Laura Miller (then of DPW) and Sue Muller (DRP staff) somehow pulled together an event in the parking lot of the Howard County Dorsey building on a spring Saturday in April. The event included free shredding and had a dozen or so vendors with displays, some free trees and drew an amazing crowd of over a thousand people. GreenFest was born. The moment I stepped through the door at Howard County I was named to the team of GreenFest

Some ask us why it is important to inspect stormwater infrastructure on an annual basis. For owners, inspections are the best way to ensure their facilities are functioning correctly. Inspections can also reduce the cost of maintenance by catching small problems before they grow into more expensive issues. We recently encountered a situation that illustrated a more urgent reason to inspect — to make sure the operators (or tenants) are not discharging illicit materials (i.e. pollutants that should not end up in the natural environment) into the stormwater system. We are not naming any names in order to protect identities. Our client, the local municipality, will be taking care of enforcement. Behind a restaurant in a shopping center our inspectors

The forgotten utility is coming out of the shadows. For the last 18 months I have been blogging about the underfunded and often misunderstood stormwater management program. After years on the back burner, the status of this important environmental program is about to change. Last week, County Executive Ulman introduced legislation to create a dedicated Watershed Protection and Restoration Fund – more commonly referred to as the stormwater utility fund. This fund, required by State law, is fundamental in our efforts to manage the only growing source of pollution to our streams and the Chesapeake Bay. In the Chesapeake region, before the influence of modern society, stormwater was dampened by an extensive tree canopy and then quickly absorbed into the

This blog was written by Rachel Beebe, a new member of the Howard County stormwater team. Too often, environmental discussions turn into polarizing battles. You’re either 100% in one camp, or 100% in another. This turns the middle ground into a no-man’s land. We fail to grasp, in situations like these, that we’ve created a false dichotomy. When we engage in these crusades—we remember how well those went—we aren’t fighting some great evil, we’re fighting our friends, acquaintances, and future generations. We are directly sabotaging our ability to protect and enjoy a common resource. When we believe the myth that compromise means compromising our values, it really isn’t “us” versus “them,” it’s us versus ourselves. So, let’s stop wasting our

Could you imagine if the water supplied to your house, or the wastewater leaving your house was treated, transmitted and available for unlimited use without a charge? Likewise, think about the electricity that powers all those appliances and gadgets throughout your home. What if it was provided at no cost? Fat chance you say – and you are right. We have long recognized that the infrastructure vital to our way of life cannot be effective, reliable, and … free. We accept that there is a constant need for maintenance, repair, new equipment, expanded service, environmental controls, and some administration to keep connections, accounts and service needs under control. We understand that for every cubic foot of water used or wastewater