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Executive Order 13508 Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration was put into effect in May of 2009 with the goal of reducing harmful nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay by 2025, requiring a watershed implementation plan to strategize meeting the monumental 2025 goal. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, Planning Division has been actively supporting this effort through their work on military installations across the Baltimore District’s area of operations, taking into account the impact these sites have on the Bay.
In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided revised Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorous, and Total Suspended Sediment.
Source sectors that were the biggest contributors to nitrogen and phosphorous were identified: sanitary sewer and septic, urban stormwater runoff, and forest and agriculture. Stormwater and sanitary plants were the easiest to target, as it was clear what was coming directly out of the sanitary plants and at what rate. Urban stormwater runoff was more difficult to determine, lacking the checks or controls of what would eventually flow into the Chesapeake Bay.
A large portion of military installations are located in urban areas, directly contributing to the runoff effecting the Chesapeake’s TMDL. USACE, Baltimore District supports a robust military program including 14 military installations in Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
The first step in helping these installations to meet the 2025 reduction goal was to acquire baseline data at each of the sites.
“This has been a very large effort from the beginning,” said Jason Rinker, USACE, Baltimore District TMDL program manager. “It was a collective effort between agencies to conduct stormwater surveys and determine best management practices.”
USACE’s Planning Division mapped stormwater systems for each installation and worked with GIS Program Manager, Jared Scott, to create a database tracking best management practices (BMPs). This allowed the team and installations to access the data in real-time to inventory, inspect, and track maintenance and TMDL progress for all BMPs.
From the initial baseline data that was acquired, the team was able to create a TMDL Action Plan for each individual installation. This plan outlined the starting points, the reduction goal, and the necessary steps to take to reach those goals by 2025.
Once the TMDL Action Plans were created and submitted the State agencies, the Baltimore District teams could design and construct BMPs. Baltimore District Civil Engineer, Erin Cox played a crucial role in facilitating the planning concepts into site designs. From there, the Planning Division team was able to partner with the district’s Programs and Project Management Division to see the project’s through construction.
The U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) funded the design and construction for approximately $40 million in projects implemented by the Baltimore District, including at Adelphi Lab Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Meade, Joint Base Myer – Henderson Hall, USAR 99th Regional Support Command, Army National Guard facilities, and Joint Base Andres Naval Air Facility.
Small-scale stormwater management design and construction applications to treat runoff near the source included bio-retention, bio-swale, grass swale, permeable pavement, infiltration practices, tree box filters and pavement removal. Large-scale projects included parking lot redevelopment with bio-retentions and permeable pavement, underground stormwater quality facilities and dry pond retrofits.
Once construction is complete, the team continues to perform BMP inspections and assists in developing maintenance plans. Each installation receives federal funding to maintain the projects. USACE provides the framework for necessary maintenance throughout the year based on the data gathered during inspections and how it relates to reaching the overall reduction goal.
“We have been able to get to know the installations and the people that work there intimately,” said Rinker. “The relationships that we’ve built have been incredibly rewarding. It’s a team effort of us all getting to the same goal.”
As of August of 2025, all installations within the Baltimore District’s area of responsibility have met their goals but one.
Looking forward, the EPA and the Chesapeake Bay Program are looking to expand this strategy beyond 2025, to reach projected goals based on scientific modeling.
“This effort will continue on past 2025,” said Rinker. “We have the expertise and are in a good position to continue supporting DoD and these requirements.”
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.10.2025 11:54 |
| Story ID: | 553713 |
| Location: | BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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