Watershed Protection | University of Maryland Extension

Updated: June 4, 2025

Wednesday Water Webinars

Updated: May 20, 2025

Pet Waste Stations

Installation of pet waste stations involves providing bags for waste pick-up and a trash can for depositing wastes. Long-term maintenance is critical for the success of a pet waste station. Waste bags should be replaced as needed and the dog waste in the collection bin must be removed at regular intervals and properly disposed of.

Updated: May 20, 2025

Lawn Depression/Infiltration

A lawn depression collects and infiltrates stormwater runoff from the surrounding area. It is designed and built similarly to a rain garden or bioretention basin but differs from these practices in that it is often larger, shallower, and planted entirely with turf grasses.

Updated: May 20, 2025

Litter/Dumpsite Cleanup

Voluntary trash and debris cleanup events can occur in a stream and its surrounding buffer or outside a stream buffer within the greater watershed.

Updated: May 20, 2025

Infiltration Trench or Basin

An infiltration trench or basin is a long, narrow, stone-filled trench that collects stormwater and allows for infiltration into the soil, or a constructed depression where runoff and sediment are trapped while water infiltrates the soil.

Updated: May 20, 2025

Riparian Buffer Planting

The riparian area is the strip of land running parallel to a stream, river, bay, or other waterway. Maintaining this area in a vegetated state that includes a variety of trees, shrubs and grasses creates a buffer that protects the waterway from land use activities.

Updated: May 20, 2025

Shoreline Management

Shoreline management refers to a variety of practices that reduce shoreline erosion. There is no one-size-fits-all method for managing shorelines, as site-specific plans for stabilizing a shoreline must take into account local geology, wave energy, sea level rise, and historic and current erosion conditions.

Updated: May 19, 2025

Maryland’s Nutrient, Animal Waste, and Technology Landscape (FS-2024-0737)

Authors: Lillian Masson - Elizabeth Thilmany - Stephanie Lansing - Derek Wietelman

A culmination of recent research on Maryland’s livestock sector assesses nutrient production, management practices, and treatment technologies, highlighting areas where nutrient outputs exceed processing capacity to support informed policymaking, strategic investments, and public awareness. Authors: Lillian Masson, Elizabeth Thilmany, Stephanie Landsing, and Derek Wietelman; Title: Maryland’s Nutrient, Animal Waste, and Technology Landscape (FS-2024-0737).

Updated: May 15, 2025

Green Roof

Also known as vegetated roofs, living roofs, or ecoroofs, green roofs are alternative roof surfaces that typically consist of waterproofing and drainage materials, along with an engineered growing media designed to support plant growth.

Updated: May 15, 2025

Bioswales and Open Vegetative Channels

Open channels convey stormwater runoff and provide treatment as the water is conveyed. Runoff passes through vegetation in the channel, the subsoil matrix, and/or infiltrates the underlying soils.