Watershed Retrofit Study

A watershed retrofit is the addition of a stormwater facility to an area that currently doesn’t have one. Adding a stormwater facility can help slow down and filter stormwater runoff before it flows into local streams. This is important in areas like Arlington, where much of the County was developed before stormwater requirements were enacted. One example of a watershed retrofit is a green street.

We worked with the Center for Watershed Protection to develop watershed retrofit plans and a County-wide project inventory. During the process, all of the County’s watersheds were studied to find space where small stormwater facilities can be added. The Watershed Retrofit Study was completed in December 2013. This effort is part of the Stormwater Master Plan.

Prioritizing Retrofits

The sites were scored and prioritized based on several factors:

Runoff reduction: The capacity to decrease stormwater runoff from the drainage areas they capture.
Pollutant removal: The capacity to reduce pollutants from the sites they capture.
Alleviation of drainage problems: The capacity to alleviate existing drainage problems, when feasible.
Education and outreach: The capacity to provide outdoor learning and community outreach opportunities on public lands, where possible.
Construction: The ability to construct based on site constraints such as property ownership and utilities.
Maintenance: Requirements for County maintenance.