Restoration Projects Restoration Projects

The MS4 permit requires permittees to implement projects that reduce the amount of pollution carried by stormwater runoff to the Chesapeake Bay. All the states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have similar programs aimed at reducing pollution in order to meet the Chesapeake Bay total maximum daily load (TMDL). A TMDL is the maximum amount of pollutants that a body of water can receive to still be considered healthy. 

Permittees can select from a wide range of project types to accomplish their restoration requirements. These are described in the MDE 2021 MS4 Accounting Guidance. Two common types of restoration projects are stormwater best management practices (BMP) and stream restoration. Stormwater BMPs are depressions in the ground that capture and filter pollutants from stormwater runoff before it travels through natural waterways. Stream restoration is a practice that can be implemented when a stream system is eroding. Streams often become eroded and incised when storm flows are increased due to development in the watershed. Stream restoration generally involves stabilizing the banks and improving conveyance to reduce further sediment transport downstream. Both of these practices can have additional co-benefits such as flood mitigation, ecological uplift, and esthetic improvements.

Other types of projects permittees can use for credits towards the restoration requirement include tree plantings, street sweeping, and impervious area removal. So far, Smithsburg has made progress towards its restoration requirement through native tree plantings.