Deby Sarabia

Members of the public testified to Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council on July 6. Please continue to send comments, and/or present comments in person Monday, July 12, at 7:30 p.m. https://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/government/virtual-meeting-information

7/6/2021 Update: An agenda item at the July 6 Mayor and City Council meeting to approve a construction contract for the Solitaire Court Stream Restoration project has been delayed. A discussion of the history of the project and how the restoration aligns with the City’s approach to stormwater management will instead take place at a Mayor and City Council Work Session on Monday, July 12, at 7:30 p.m. View the meeting live on YouTube. Register to participate in the meeting here.

https://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/government/projects-in-the-city/solitaire-court-stream-restoration

The City of Gaithersburg plans a major stream restoration on a tributary of Longdraft Branch as part of its MS4 stormwater permit requirements. The stated goal of the proposed project is to stabilize the stream banks and gain credits toward the City’s MS4 permit requirements. 

The project site is in Diamond Farms Park in Gaithersburg along the Longdraft Branch stream greenway that connects to Seneca Creek State Park at Clopper Lake. A trail connects the two parks.

The project proposes to clear 3.14 acres of riparian forest from the City’s portion of the greenway, fragmenting the continuity of the forest habitat from city to state land. The forest has a variety of native hardwood canopy and understory trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses and ferns.

Read our comments HERE:

The Gaithersburg City Council meets (virtual) on TUESDAY July 7 at 7 pm. to VOTE on the project. Please ask the Council to place a hold on this project due to excessive impacts and lack of public participation. Please be polite with your correspondence.

You may contact Mayor Jud Ashman and Council members at 301-258-6300, [email protected], or:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

PROJECT PAGE 

https://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/government/projects-in-the-city/solitaire-court-stream-restoration

PROJECT MANAGER

Robbie Diebert – 240-805-1275, [email protected]

STORMWATER PROGRAM

Beth Forbes – 240-805-1327, Beth.Forbes@gaithersburgmd.gov

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WITH PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN

https://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/9060/637559938059570000

The Seneca Creek watershed is very large- it covers 129 square miles. It is roughly bounded by Darnestown, Poolesville, Clarksburg, Damascus, Germantown, Montgomery Village. Laytonsville, and Gaithersburg. The headwaters of Seneca Creek are near Damascus and the mouth is at Rileys Lock on the Potomac River. Major tributaries are Little Seneca Creek and Dry Seneca Creek. It isn’t possible for just a few people to take care of it. There’s no shortage of creative ideas! Join us for an event, or ask us to help you organize your own.

Here’s just a few possible topics:

Canoeing and Kayaking

Communications

Cultural history

Education

Environmental equity and nature access

Grants and Fundraising

Journalism, Photography, Video

Multilingual outreach

Native plants and wildlife

Outdoor performance and visual arts

Policy and Regulations

Public outreach

Spatial data-GIS

Stormwater

Stream Sampling

Trails and Greenways

Trash Cleanups

Weed Warriors

Wetlands

Winter Salt

Do you want to “dive in” deeper? We welcome new directors who help guide our mission and activities. Directors serve renewable 2-year terms, commit to several meetings annually, and lead or participate in activities according to their interests or expertise. We also have an immediate need for a Board secretary and/or treasurer. Email us at [email protected] or call Deby at 505-412-1827 to discuss.

Secretary – Records board and committee actions; takes minutes at meetings; distributes meeting announcements, agendas and minutes; and maintains membership mailing list.

Treasurer – Receives and disburses all funds and manages the finances; files annual tax reports; keeps financial books and records; assists in budget preparation and fund-raising plans; and makes financial information available to the board, the membership and the public.

CONNECT WITH US–

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/Seneca-Creek-Watershed-Partners-104298247975989/

Local Watersheds

Seneca Creek Watershed Partners has a new Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Seneca-Creek-Watershed-Partners-104298247975989/ Check it out!

We are working to remove the old FB pages.

by Laura Friend

As terrible as the COVID19 pandemic is, it gives us all a chance to re-evaluate and possibly create a new paradigm shift of our community’s attitudes. We have a chance to re-center what we base our economy on. Either we go back to the status quo or change it for the better. A creative, resilient people can turn any lemon of a situation into lemonade.

For example, we can direct our efforts toward:

• Improving human health for all, which lowers the current and future pandemic risks for all
• Improving ecosystem health, which promotes resilience to climate change impacts
• Promoting green landscaping programs such as Rainscapes & other ecosystem friendly methods to address stormwater
• Building up community gardens and the “Food Forest” to reduce food insecurity and the environmental impacts of our global food markets
• Change how we look at natural areas and watersheds to a more holistic view

In times past, the environment has often been under-appreciated by the many due to accepted norms. COVID19 has given us a chance to shift this. More people are spending time outside surrounded by nature, and telecommuting has reduced air & water pollution. We can either go back to the former rat race of an economy based on “Producing & Consuming” or it could blossom into something grander with goodness beyond comprehension- an economy based on “Healthy Ecosystems & People.”

Mere words alone cannot explain nature’s complexities & health. These are better captured and understood when we interact with all our sensory systems in a fully functioning ecosystem. As the future comes flying towards us, it will not be enough for Marylanders to know only parts of things. It will be crucial that we understand all the parts of our planet, big & small, as one unit, with charity & balanced innovation. 

So, let’s get busy. What will burst forth from each of our efforts?

🍃 Laura Friend

Laura is a director of Seneca Creek Watershed Partners.

The City of Gaithersburg Department of Public Works is implementing a stream realignment and reinforcement project for Whetstone Run and Watkins Mill Run within Blohm Park. The construction phase is scheduled to begin late spring 2020 and continue into the fall. Replanting the area with native trees and shrubs will begin once the new control structures are complete.

Note that Blohm Park will be closed during the construction.

https://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/government/projects-in-the-city/watkins-mill-road-and-travis-avenue-stream-restoration-project