Harris Creek Watershed Strategy

The initial Department of Public Works Grant to the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association was to develop a Stormwater Management Plan for reducing Trash and Pollution in the Watershed. We had an advantage in that we had a Trash Interceptor at the Outflow which was collecting 5 tons of Trash each month. The Therapy for this problem was to implement BMPs or Best Management Practices ( success stories learned from the Watershed 263 Project) throughout the 17 neighborhoods and two Parks in Watershed 246 (Harris Creek Watershed). The initial Grant was to contract with Parks and People Foundation and do the "people phase" of the Project. We were to develop a way to identify Stakeholders from the neighborhoods,get input from the residents through a Survey Questionnaire,educate Community Associations about the Stormwater Problem and finally to get adequate representation from the 17 neighborhoods to engage in several Workshops that would allow for the development of a Stormwater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershe. The Workshops were part of the second phase and wre to be funded through a Grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund and the Service to be performed by the Center for Watershed Protection in collaboration with the Parks and Peolple Foundation,the Baltimore City Department of Public Works and coordinated through the efforts of the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association.

The Survey Questionnaire has been perfected and has been completed by about 400 persons so far. We are anticipating 700-800 at the completion date (end of January 2010).At that time,we will begin our Workshops (second week in February) and these will lead to the development of a Stormwater Management Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed.

We have benefitted greatly during this Journey through the efforts of Donna Kirsh (BHWA) who has been able to obtain the second Grant as well as another small Grant for the Harris Creek Park. We have interacted with many Groups working within our Watershed and have benefitted fom theis advice as well as help. We realized right from the beginning that Education and Knowledge was not enough to change behavior of the citizens within the Watershed......and that which was needed was a "change in culture" and this was going to be a real challenge. We were helped a great deal from the symposiul on Humane Metropolis Baltimore....that Key Elements needed to be present to bring about a Culture Change.....and that Cities needed to become more GREEN;to protect and restore urban biodiversity and ecological services....more HEALTHY;to promote outdoor exercise and fitness,reduce respiratory threats....more SAFE;to reduce crime rates,lower risk of fire,floods and other hazards.....more EFFICIENT;to employ a better use of water,energy,materials etc.......more EQUITABLE; to embrace environmental and social justice,affordable housing,access to Jobs........more NEIGHBORLY; to foster Pride of Place and Community.

In addition to these six, Dr.Lenneal Henderson proposed that three additional characteristics of the New City develop.....these being CREATIVITY,COMMUNICATIVE and ARTISTIC for obvious reasons. The Goal of all of these was to Restore Nature within the Urban Regions. One could sum up this approach with the statement "Creating Community through Horticulture and Engaging Gathering Places. If we could get more people out more,engaging in community activities such as Community Gardens,get them talking to one another.......bringing out our Humanity,we could bring about Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods.......then problems such as Trash and Pollution could be addressed.

This is a step in the right direction that we have taken,but along the way we have encountered elements that need to be addressed.....some positive....some negative. The latter may include the distrust we have encountered that has as its basis the Environmental Injustice Practices in the Watershed over many years. These are real and we have to help in addressing and working to correct them if we want to change culture within the Watershed. On the other hand,we have come upon the emerging development of Hoop Agricultural Farming that potentially could provide a harvest of vegetables and fruits all year round that is locally and easily assessible....and could be placed at City Schools for School Children . This needs to be tested ,but has great potential. The Harris Creek Watershed is working with Civic Works to see if this can be accomplished in the Schools in the Harris Creek Watershed. As a result of our interest in Environmental Justice,we are forming a partnership with Environmental Justice Partnership.....and also trying to become a partner with Source for our Watershed Project at Johns Hopkins.

What is Important here is the Fact that this Project becomes more that just a Stormwater Project,but one of trying to Improve the Quality of Life for the residents in the Watershed and that can only come if we approach the Project as a "Work in Progress" and be open to discuss all Issues and put them all on the Table. We become better persons in the Process. We have more to do and more roads to travel.The Direction we now know is Clear.

Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD Coordinator Harris Creek Watershed Project

Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association