Indian Head Charrette

Indian Head, Charles County
Maryland

Population: FY'96 Budget: Households: Municipal Property Tax: Median Household Income:

4,000 $3.8 million 1,200 $400,000/yr. $35,000

Town Background

Located in Charles County, Maryland, the town of Indian Head lies on a small peninsula surrounded by the Potomac River and Mattawoman Creek. It forms the terminus of Indian Head Highway (Maryland 210), a major link with Washington, DC, located 22 miles to the north.

Indian Head has a population of about 4,000 residents, and it borders the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Indian Head Division. The town has actually developed around the base during the past 100 years, though Indian Head's early settlement dates back to 1636. NSWC was founded in 1890, and the town incorporated in 1920, with 24 annexations since that time. The town attracts considerable tourism since it is located on Mattawoman Creek, site of the best fishing in the county. Also, Smallwood State Park, across the creek from Indian Head Ñ as well as a pier which the NSWC owns and makes available for public use Ñ provides a popular destination for tourists and residents.

The Issue

Indian Head lies in the Atlantic Coastal Plain and is characterized by steep slopes in the northern corner along the Potomac River, with a ridge running through the town from that point south-south westward to Mattawoman Creek. Along the creek, within the town boundaries, the land is very low-lying and marshy.

The largest stormwater management pond in town, which collects a good deal of the town's stormwater, is currently being maintained per development agreement by one of the townhouse associations. It is the town's opinion that more could be done to maintain and take advantage of the pond's stormwater management functions. Along the way to the pond, a series of feeder ditches, swales and concrete culvert pipes under MD Route 210 collects water from the streets and low lying areas. There are also several sediment ponds on commercial private property required by the town's stormwater management ordinances. The NSWC owns 2,000 buildings and recognizes its stormwater management problem but has, to date, approached stormwater in a piecemeal fashion rather than develop a plan to address the problem comprehensively.

Clearly, a concerted study or plan is needed that would detail where the peninsula's feeder flows come from and where they all empty into the system. As to calculated flows and velocity, there is some information gathered through development projects built within the town; but there is nothing that depicts or details the whole area. The study would enable the town to determine whether there is anything else they can do to help alleviate their stormwater problems.

Environmental Context

During its lifetime, the town has had 24 annexations and has grown along the Potomac, and its adjacent "Critical Area." Most of the town's topography is flat, low lying with many springs that compound the drainage problem. The town is primarily residential with a business corridor running alongside MD Route 210, Indian Head Highway, which divides the town in two. The town is further divided by a 100-foot U.S. Government right-of-way, which includes the railroad that supplied the base during the mobilization phases of an earlier era. The town's drainage system flows through this right-of-way from the Potomac to the Mattawoman. Along the right-of-way are drainage ditches that need to be maintained.

Pollutants and excess nutrients from stormwater runoff could potentially degrade the water quality and damage the ecosystem of Mattawoman Creek, surrounding wetlands and adjacent waters. This, along with standing water on the village green and in several neighborhoods, would have an adverse impact on the overall quality of life for people living in the area, as well as for other life dependent on the marine environment, from microorganisms to fish populations.

A subdivision to the north-east, Potomac Heights, also contributes to stormwater runoff. In addition, the town has formed an economic development council that hopes to develop industry and tourism for Indian Head. Increased impervious surfaces from future hotel roofs and parking lots could increase the drainage problem, resulting in negative impacts, such as excess nutrient loadings into the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.

Project Financing

The town is currently seeking funding sources for a comprehensive stormwater management plan. Below are a list of recommendations to establish start-up fees and funds for Indian Head's stormwater management plan.

Recommendations and Observations

• In order to address inadequate maintenance at the largest stormwater retention pond in town, it was suggested that a cost-share program be developed. The program would coordinate the townhomes located around the pond, the town, NSWC, Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), the County, the Army Corps of Engineers, and any relevant industry in the area. In addition, it was suggested that all parties that are potentially contributing to and affected by the stormwater management problem participate in a comprehensive planning effort.

• Understanding the relative sources of stormwater pollution is critical to determining a strategy for treating those sources. It was suggested that a Citizen Monitoring Group be formed that would consist of town volunteers and the town council. This group could develop reports to help characterize the sources and composition of stormwater inputs. Once the sources are identified, partnerships between various organizations (i.e., NSWC, MDOT, etc.) could be formed to address the town's stormwater runoff problem. One panelist suggested making a video tape of a stormwater event to introduce the public to the problem.

• It was noted that different areas of town could benefit from different programs, i.e.: low-income areas could take advantage of a Community Development Block Grant; areas of standing water could avail themselves of the National Flood Insurance Program, which may offer up to $50,000 for 5 years; stormwater containing excess nutrients, heavy metals and toxics could use stormwater funds such as Section 319 funds and the Coastal Zone Management Grant. Also, agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers are an excellent source for funds and can provide assistance for initial studies.

• The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) encourages diverse modes of travel, increases the community benefits of transportation investment, strengthens partnerships between State and local governments, and promotes citizen involvement in transportation decisions that directly affect their daily lives. It was suggested that ISTEA synergies be considered between relevant capital projects and the stormwater management project.

• The panel suggested establishing a fund dedicated to stormwater management costs only. For example, parking meter money could be diverted to a start-up fund, or the town could charge a flat fee of $25 per registered vehicle for 1 year.

• The town could create a special taxing district where costs are allocated according to the "polluter pays" principle.

• Impact fees for stormwater management could also be established, where a developer pays development-related costs up front, then passes those costs on to the buyer.