Water and Chesapeake Bay

Watershed Restoration & Protection Program

Improving water quality through stormwater management and watershed restoration techniques

Watershed Restoration Specialists work with local and state governments, watershed organizations, and community groups in Maryland to build partnerships, identify funding sources, and advise/assist in the planning, implementation and monitoring of restoration projects. Specialists facilitate measurable reductions in water pollution in the following ways:

• Classes and workshops teach homeowners how to improve water quality in their own backyard with practices like rain barrels, rain gardens, and tree planting.
• Technical Assistance Programs help communities address Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) regulations and requirements.
• Watershed Restoration Projects emerge from collaborative partnerships and effective funding techniques to reduce nutrient and sediment loads.
• Watershed Restoration Specialists also connect watershed science to policy makers and community leaders to make the most effective water quality decisions.

Learn more about this work by reading the latest issue of Headwaters, a newsletter produced by Maryland Sea Grant Extension Watershed protection and Restoration Program.

Programs & Workshops Provided:

• Watershed Stewards Academy
• Rain Barrel Workshops
• Rain Garden Workshops
• Environmental Stewardship Event [pdf]
• Backyard Buffer Program

Contact:

Jackie Takacs
Watershed Restoration Specialist
takacs@mdsg.umd.edu
240-393-6508

Nicole Basenback
Watershed Restoration Educator
nicoleb@umd.edu
410-535-3662