Home > Residents > Neighborhood Advisories > 2011 > Upper Watts Branch Park Forest Preserve Stream Study And Design

Neighborhood Advisory

This advisory is to inform you of a project that will take place in your neighborhood through 2014. The City of Rockville is studying the Upper Watts Branch Park Forest Preserve. The study will include environmental restoration design and construction in some areas. You can find details on the project on the City website at www.rockvillemd.gov/residents/publicworks/wattsbranch.html.  

This project was recommended in the 2001 Watts Branch Watershed Study and Management Plan as a crucial component to the long-term health of the watershed. Watts Branch is experiencing increased erosion, which is degrading stream water quality and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. This erosion undermines trees along stream banks and causes them to fall. This project will slow down stream erosion and improve the health of Watts Branch.

The Department of Public Works, in conjunction with the adjacent neighborhood association presidents (Woodley Gardens, College Gardens and Plymouth Woods), is recommending the creation of a Citizens Task Force, including participation from various City departments, to provide input on the design and construction of stormwater management, stream restoration or other measures to address erosion in the Upper Watts Branch Park Forest Preserve. The City is looking for volunteers to be members of the Citizens Task Force.

The Mayor and Council awarded the Environmental Restoration Design Services contract for $288,000 to Charles P. Johnson and Associates (CPJ) on Aug. 15. CPJ will be in the project area starting the week of October 3, collecting data on the stream, trees, utilities and topography. The study and design phase of this project will continue through 2013 with construction expected to start in September 2014. In addition to Citizens Task Force meetings, there will be additional meetings and field walks planned for other interested residents.  

If interested, the Citizens Task Force outline can be found on the project website. The outline provides the task force purpose, objectives and member roles, as well as the proposed meeting projections. This document is still in draft mode and will be finalized after the task force participants have had a chance to review and approve. Also on the project website is the Request for Proposal (RFP) document that includes the project’s scope of services.

If you would like to volunteer to be a member of the Citizens Task Force or have questions, please e-mail Project Manager John W. Hollida of the Department of Public Works, Engineering Division, at jhollida@rockvillemd.gov or call 240-314-8526.