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3. Goal: Clean Water

Protect and improve local stream quality and reduce pollution of the Chesapeake Bay. Minimize flooding, pollution, sedimentation and damage to ecology by conserving waterways, wetlands and sensitive parts of stream valleys. 

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Nitrogen in the bay

Source: US EPA Estimate of amount of nutrients delivered from the Montgomery County to the Chesapeake Bay. The Tributary Strategy goal is a proportional breakdown of the total Tributary Strategy Goal.

Percent streams rated excellent

Stream quality map 2001-2005

Stream quality map 1994-2000

Source: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

The Clean Water Act’s primary objective is to “restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation’s waters” (Section 101a).  Local stream quality is important to maintain fish populations, reduce flooding and erosion, and protect the water supply. The County has been assessing the biological, chemical, and habitat conditions of its streams and has developed a strategy for their protection. Yearly, County environmental monitors report on changes to the number of “good” and “excellent” conditions in local streams.

More than 15 million people live within The Chesapeake Bay watershed 1 , the nation’s largest inland estuary. For centuries, it has supported both the millions of people and thousands of species that live in or by its waters.

However, when the health of the Chesapeake Bay became increasingly compromised by runoff and development, local governments began to take notice. While small amounts of nutrients are beneficial and necessary to the health of the Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystem, large amount of nutrients contribute to the eutrophication of the bay’s waters.

In recent years, the millions of dollars spent to reduce the nutrients discharged to the bay has started to pay off, as Montgomery County has reduced the amount of nitrogen it contributes to the bay.

1. Population Growth and Sprawl in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Comment on this indicator

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1. Are nitrogen contribution to the Bay and stream water quality appropriate measures for gauging progress toward the goal?

2a. What is the story behind the trend lines for nitrogen contribution to the Bay and stream water quality? The "story behind the trend lines" should be a list, in order of priority, of those root causes that have the greatest influence, positive and negative, on the trend lines for the indicators.  Please bullet and prioritize the top 3-5 root causes.

2b. Assuming there is no substantial change in policy and factoring in any significant variables that might impact nitrogen contribution to the Bay and stream water quality, what is a reasonable trend forecast?

3. Who are the key partners with a role to play? "Key partners" are those stakeholders (from all sectors and levels of government) with a role to play in addressing the root causes identified in the story behind the trend lines and, thereby, in "turning the curve" of the trend line for the indicators.  Please identify what you think are the top 3-5 key partners and the respective roles you think that they can play.

4. What will work to make a measurable difference? “What will work” means those strategies – actions and policy options – that would work best to change or accelerate the curve of the trend lines for the indicators.  Presumably, policymakers and other stakeholders will be interested in strategies that address the most important root causes identified in the story behind the trend lines, and therefore, will have the most impact on the trend lines of the indicators.  At the same time, they will consider the feasibility of each strategy.  Please bullet and prioritize the top 3-5 strategies.


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