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NEWS
Group events are generally run when the tempertures warm up usually between March and May. Check back for listings.
Also please check the AWS calendar for invasive plant removals.
Stormwater drain pond
A very large stormwater management drainage pond is being added to the construction on Sellman Road near the LPB Park.
When it rains, stormwater tends to flood the sewer systems causing sewer water to spill out into streams and waterways. Drainage
ponds like this one currently being built, gives the excess stormwater a place to go until the flooded sewer systems can
come back down to normal flow. A similiar but much smaller pond was built near the north end of the park where construction
work recently rerouted Powder Mill Road by the Beltway exits. Note the shrubs and bushes they are planting along the edge.
This helps stop erosion.
A close up on the drains that will be at the bottom of the ponds. The white cement square is a riser. When the pond fills
to a certain point, the riser has a hole in the top which allows the water to flow back into the sewer system to prevent the
pond from flooding out of it's boundary.
ICC Concerns
This is an area FOLPB needs some help with. It seems that a noticeable portion of one of the main tributaries to Little
Paint Branch is earmarked to become part of the ICC. If there are any groups who can give us some guidance on how we can monitor
and ensure the river's safety please e-mail us at FriendsofLPB@hotmail.com. See the news continued page for a map.
Porcelainberry Invasion Spreading
A very large patch of the invasive plant Porcelainberry has spread considerably since last year. It is covering over
every native plant in it's path including climbing up trees. It is currently in berry which is how the plant spreads. FOLPB
intends to work on stopping it's spread and hopefully over the next few years getting this rather large patch out of the park.
It's at least 200 feet long and with so many berries already in the ground it will need repeated work.
Porcelainberry vines produces very beautiful multi-colored berries. It was for this reason that they became popular yard
vines. However when introduced into wild areas they spread and thickly cover native plants outcompeting them for light and
soil.
The one good thing about it, is that because it is so large it provides quite an important visual lesson on what happens
when invasives get out of control.
The Watershed forum....
This forum will soon be replaced by one from MWCOG. MWCOG has more connections and resources, so it has been
decided that it would be better for them to host it in order for it to be more successfully utilized by more watershed
groups. Thank you to those who participated in this one!
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