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A Targeted Neighborhood is a community that is selected for more intensive stormwater control due to factors such as:
- Nearby watershed restoration projects that require better stormwater control from the neighborhood area to be effective.
- The neighborhood itself has identified drainage problems which require more intensive runoff reduction.
- An active watershed group or community association exists which is interested in supporting the stormwater control effort.
RainScapes Neighborhoods in the County
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Click on the Map of RainScapes Neighborhoods to view enlarged
Goals and Methods
The County has set a goal that a minimum of 30 percent of properties in a RainScapes Neighborhood will have some form of stormwater control project. The purpose of this goal is to achieve a measurable reduction in stormwater runoff. We hope that RainScapes in these neighborhoods will result in better stormwater control at the subwatershed scale, resulting in clean, healthy local streams while adding value through attractive landscaping throughout the community.
We encourage every resident in the neighborhood to select an appropriate RainScapes technique to install, or take other easy steps to reduce stormwater pollution from their yard.
DEP conducts an inventory of potential project opportunities and constraints in these neighborhoods as the initial step, and holds workshops and training events to help residents understand how various projects work. Projects such as rain gardens, conservation landscaping, rain barrels and cisterns, drywells and tree planting are then offered to be installed on properties that qualify, based on our assessment. Property owners who wish to participate in the program sign an agreement with teh County to maintain all projects.
DEP will monitor the level of participation and the amount of runoff reduction that can be achieved within small drainage areas in these neighborhoods with a combination of flow monitoring equipment, follow-up surveys, and site visits.
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RainScapes Neighborhood Selection
How does a community qualify as a RainScapes Neighborhood? This is a determination made by DEP based on watershed conditions, local community support, existing/ongoing infrastructure improvements in the neighborhood, and other landscape factors. The geographic locations of RainScapes Neighborhoods are primarily in more populated watershed regions of the County including Rock Creek, the Anacostia River drainages (Sligo Creek, Northwest Branch, and Paint and Little Paint Branch), and selected watersheds that drain directly to the Potomac River. We are not adding any new neighborhoods at this time for the targeted RainScapes Neighborhoods approach (effective Summer 2012).
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How to Participate
DEP encourages local watershed organizations to lead stewardship efforts, and DEP is interested in neighborhood partnerships to help control stormwater, which pollutes local streams. DEP provides technical assistance and supplies for project installation through the local watershed organization. We are currently working with the Friends of Sligo Creek in several neighborhoods and expect to expand the effort in the Rock Creek watershed with the help of the Friends of Rock Creek’s Environment group. If you interested in learning more about RainScapes Neighborhoods, please email us at RainScapes or call 311.
Projects which are in the Rainscapes neighborhood but not on a selected property may apply for a Rainscapes Rewards Rebate after the neighborhood assessment is completed.
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