Low Impact Development Training

Module 9: Maintenance Requirements

Dennis Chestnut

2

Sponsors

District Department of Transportation

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration

The Low Impact Development Center, Inc.

University of the District of Columbia

Funding for this project was provided through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation

3

Contributors

The Low Impact Development Center, Inc.

John Shorb Landscaping, Inc.Logo

Groundwork Anacostia River, D.C.

4

Copyright

Unless otherwise noted, Low Impact Development Traning, funded by DDOT & DDOE, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Content provided by cited entities remains the property of those entities and may not be used without their explicit permission.

5

Overview

• District maintenance requirements• Maryland maintenance requirements• Virginia maintenance requirements

• This module will cover District of Columbia maintenance requirements in detail

• Maryland and Virginia requirements will be covered in a more abbreviated form

6

Expected Outcomes

• Know how a site’s maintenance requirements are established and where to find them

• Know how maintenance requirements are enforced, and how to handle violations

7

District Maintenance Requirements

• The maintenance requirements for BMPs in the District are established in DDOE’s Stormwater Management Guidebook (the Guidebook)

8

Maintenance Responsibility

• A maintenance agreement and maintenance schedule must be submitted as part of the Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP)

• The property owner is responsible for maintaining the BMP in good condition, and in accordance with the approved SWMP.

9

Declaration of Covenants

• A Declaration of Covenants specifically states the property owner’s maintenance responsibilities

• This is recorded with the owner’s deed• Provides for regular inspection by DDOE• Binds current and future owners to the

maintenance schedule contained in the approved SWMP

10

Maintenance Inspections

• DDOE inspects all BMPs twice per year for the first five years of operation, and once every three years thereafter

• A standardized maintenance inspection form is used, and a report is prepared and maintained by DDOE

11

Corrective Actions

• If violations are found, DDOE will send written notice to the property owner

• Generally, maintenance work and repairs must be done within 45-60 days

• If maintenance is not performed, DDOE will perform the necessary work and the property owner will be responsible for reimbursing DDOE for the cost of the work plus applicable penalties

12

Waste Removal

• When waste material is removed from a bioretention cell, it must be disposed of in compliance with federal and District laws.

13

DDOT

• Projects in the right-of-way are under DDOT’s control, and should follow DDOT’s bioretention maintenance schedule

14

Maryland Maintenance Requirements

• The Maryland Department of the Environment sets out basic standards and maintenance requirements for bioretention cells

• Additional requirements are imposed at the county level

15

Montgomery County, MD

• Landscape contractors performing maintenance on LID facilities must be certified by the county Department of Environmental Protection

• Training courses are offered once a year• http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/de

ctmpl.asp?url=/Content/dep/water/stormwatercontractor.asp

16

Virginia Maintenance Requirements

• The State of Virginia requires that a maintenance agreement be executed between the property owner and the local stormwater program

• The VA DCR Bioretention Design Specification contains recommended maintenance and inspection schedules for bioretention

• http://vwrrc.vt.edu/swc/NonProprietaryBMPs.html

17

Regular Bioretention Maintenance

• All facilities located within the right-of-way must follow DDOT’s recommended bioretention maintenance schedule

18

General Maintenance

• Remove trash and animal waste

Method• By hand

Frequency• Quarterly and as

needed

Time of year• Year-round

Photo Courtesy of DDOT

19

Drainage System Maintenance

• Inspect curb cuts and velocity dissipators for debris, sediment, and blockages

• Clean debris, sediment, and blockages from curb cuts and velocity dissipators

• Inspect velocity dissipators, weirs, and check dams for stone placement and weirs and check dams for debris accumulations

• Clean debris, sediment, and blockages from weirs and check dams

20

Drainage System Maintenance (cont’d)

• Replace stone at velocity dissipators, weirs, and check dams

• Inspect for standing water in excess of 2 days

• Inspect cleanout pipes and underdrains• Flush out debris from underdrain to clear

pipe when filled with debris and when standing water exceeds 2 days

21

Inspect curb cuts and velocity dissipators for debris, sediment,

and blockagesMethod• Visual

Frequency• Quarterly

Time of year• Year-round

Photo Courtesy of the Low Impact Development Center, Inc.

22

Clean debris, sediment, and blockages from curb cuts and

velocity dissipatorsMethod• By hand

Frequency• Quarterly and as

needed

Time of year• Year-round Photo Courtesy of Emily Ayers

23

Inspect velocity dissipators, weirs, and check dams for stone

placement and weirs and check dams for debris accumulation

Method• Visual

Frequency• Twice a year

Time of year• Year-round

Photo Courtesy of DDOT

24

Clean debris, sediment, and blockages from velocity

dissipators, weirs, and check dams

Method• By handFrequency• Twice a year and as

neededTime of year• Year-round Photo Courtesy of the Low Impact Development Center, Inc.

25

Replace stone at velocity dissipators, weirs, and check

dams

Method• By hand per plan

Frequency• As needed

Time of year• November-March

Photo Courtesy of the Low Impact Development Center, Inc.

26

Inspect for standing water in excess of 2 days

Method• Visual

Frequency• Twice a year

Time of year• Year round

Photo Courtesy of the Low Impact Development Center, Inc.

27

Inspect cleanout pipes and underdrains

Method• Visual

Frequency• Twice a year

Time of year• Year-round

28

Flush out debris from underdrain to clear pipe when filled with

debris and when standing water exceeds 2 days

Method• High pressure water

hose or drain snakeFrequency• As neededTime of year• Year-round

29

Plant Maintenance

• Remove weeds and non-desirable plants• Water plants regularly during the first three

years• Water plants during drought conditions (no

rain for two weeks) after three years in ground

• Remove stakes and wires• Inspect plants for disease and pest

problems

30

Plant Maintenance (cont’d)

• Treat plants for disease and pest problems if needed using the least toxic method possible

• Remove plant debris and prune plants as appropriate for each plant species

• Remove dead and diseased plants as needed• Replace dead plants with same species and

cultivar during spring or fall planting season.

31

Remove weeds and non-desirable plants

Method• By hand

Frequency• Three times a year

Time of year• March-April, June-

July, Sept.-Oct. Photo Courtesy of Emily Ayers

32

Water plants regularly during the first three years

Method• By hand

Frequency• When rainfall is less

than one inch per week

Time of year• May-October

33

Water plants during drought conditions (no rain for two weeks)

after three years in groundMethod• By hand

Frequency• Weekly during

drought

Time of year• May-October

34

Remove stakes and wires

Method• By hand

Frequency• Once

Time of year• Six months after

plantingPhoto Courtesy of DDOT

35

Inspect plants for disease and pest problems

Method• Visual

Frequency• Three times a year

Time of year• March-April, June-

July, Sept.-Oct.

36

Treat plants for disease and pest problems if needed using

least toxic method possibleMethod• By hand

Frequency• As needed

Time of year• At appropriate time for

disease or pest treatment

37

Remove plant debris and prune plants as appropriate for each

plant speciesMethod• By hand

Frequency• Twice a year and as

needed

Time of year• February-April,

September-November

38

Remove dead and diseased plants as needed

Method• By hand

Frequency• As needed

Time of year• At appropriate time for

disease or pest treatment

39

Replace dead plants with same species and cultivar during spring or fall planting

season. If entire group of plants has declined or died, replace with more

suitable species and cultivar.Method• According to planting

specifications

Frequency• As needed

Time of year• March 15 – April 30 or October

15 – Nov. 30

40

Soil and Mulch Maintenance

• Inspect mulch and soil• Repair erosion and bare areas with new

mulch• Much with 2 inches shredded organic

mulch• Remove mulch layer before applying a

new layer

41

Inspect mulch and soil

Method• Visual

Frequency• Quarterly

Time of year• Year-round

Photo Courtesy of Seattle Public Utilities

42

Repair erosion and bare areas with new mulch

Method• By hand

Frequency• As needed

Time of year• Year-round

Photo Courtesy of the Low Impact Development Center, Inc.

43

Mulch with 2 inches of shredded organic mulch

Method• By hand

Frequency• Once a year

Time of year• February – April

Photo Courtesy of the Low Impact Development Center, Inc.

44

Remove mulch layer before applying a new layer

Method• By hand

Frequency• Every three years

Time of year• February – April

45

Review

• Maintenance recommendations and requirements vary depending on who has jurisdiction over a given site

• Bioretention in the ROW should follow DDOT’s recommended maintenance schedule

• Other bioretention installations in the District should follow DDOE’s maintenance schedule

46

Resources

• DDOT Bioretention Maintenance Schedule

• 2013 District of Columbia Stormwater Management Guidebook (http://ddoe.dc.gov/swregs)