Prince George’s County School Ground Greening
Parts of the Chesapeake Bay watershed contain a high percentage of impervious cover – paved or other hard surfaces such as roofs and roadways that prevent rain water from being absorbed into the ground. Instead, water runs along these surfaces, collecting trash and substances such as motor oil, lawn fertilizers, and pesticides. This polluted stormwater flows into streams and rivers, where it threatens aquatic ecosystems and public health.
Effective stormwater management, on the other hand, creates safe paths for polluted runoff to be captured and filtered through the ground before it reaches waterways. This helps keep the environment clean and our communities healthy!
Project location: Hyattsville, MD and Landover, MD
Problem: The school grounds of two Prince George’s County schools – the G. James Gholson Middle School in Hyattsville and the Cora L. Rice Elementary School in Landover – were experiencing erosion and pollution challenges due to stormwater from the surrounding area.
Solution: As part of Prince George’s County Clean Water Partnership stormwater effort, the school grounds were retrofitted with permeable sidewalks and bioretention rain gardens planted with species that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The new features not only control flooding and erosion; they have also beautified the school properties and created learning opportunities for students.
Funding sources: Prince George’s County stormwater fees
More information: https://thecleanwaterpartnership.com/the-clean-water-partnership-perform...
