Neighborhood Advisory

Design Work Underway for Major Stream Improvements in
Woottons Mill Park: Public Meeting Scheduled for July 8 to Present 60% Designs

Why the Meeting Is Important to You…
City Staff and engineering consultants are in the final design stages of a plan that will help improve the water quality and stabilize the stream banks of the Watts Branch Stream.  The scope of this design work includes all major portions of the stream that run through Woottons Mill Park.  This work is critical for the long-term health of the watershed and will help stop erosion along the steam banks.  It also will protect the nearby sewer line from damage from potential widening of the stream. 

Project Status
The design will be completed this Fall and construction is anticipated to start in Spring 2005. The project is behind schedule from the previously reported Spring 2004 to late Fall 2004 construction period. There have been difficulties coordinating the construction of this project with Washington Gas, who maintains a 20” gas line through the park. Additionally, staff was required to divert their time to work on a large emergency pipe rehabilitation project in Rockville.   In early 2003 a large 40-year old City storm drain pipe failed beneath the parking lot of a large apartment building off of Congressional Lane.  The failure necessitated immediate repair and restoration. We regret this delay in the project schedule and we apologize for any inconvenience it may cause you.

Background
From 1998 to 2001, a group of neighborhood representatives worked with City Staff and consultants to examine the effects of stormwater runoff in the Watts Branch Watershed and propose a plan of action to help protect our streams and improve water quality. The Mayor and Council approved the Watts Branch Stormwater Management Plan in 2001. One component of that plan was to design and implement major improvements to help stabilize the stream banks along major portions of the Watts Branch. This is one of the first components of the Watts Branch Plan to be designed.

Contact
If you have questions about the meeting or this project, contact John Scabis, Project Manager(jscabis@rockvillemd.gov, 240-314-8500) or Bo Ferguson, Project Implementation Coordinator (bferguson@rockvillemd.gov,  240-314-8105.)  We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.