Patuxent Scenario Development Workshop

The goals of the scenario development workshop can be summed up in one question:

What questions do we need answers to in order to move forward on ecological and economic goals in the Patuxent?

A draft approach to help the group answer that question is outlined below. We have also provided some examples to help spur discussion at the workshop:

• List of Ecological and Economic goals derived from the Patuxent Tributary Strategy and Patuxent River Commision documents.
• Examples of Issues to Address during discussion
• Examples of Scenario Options

Please come prepared with thoughts on these issues. We look forward to seeing you at the workshop.

Suggested approach to developing scenarios:

1. Identify ecological and economic goals
2. Prioritize key management questions
3. Outline scenarios

For example, if we focus on the issue of agriculture and nutrients we might follow the following process:

List of Goals:

• Reach 40% nutrient reduction goal
• Preserve farmland
• Protect groundwater quality
• Protect threatened species
• Preserve drinking water sources

Management questions:

• What level of funding and/or farmer participation is needed to reach nutrient reduction goals?
• How might nutrient management plans effect stream nutrient levels?

Scenario Outline:

• Subsidies for riparian buffer set-asides at various funding levels: $50/acre, $100/acre
• Nutrient management plans implemented at 0, 50 and 100% farmer enrollment

Patuxent Scenario Development Workshop

Ecological and Economic Goals

• Reach 40% nutrient reduction goal (and maintain?)
• Maintain open space
• Create/maintain recreation opportunities
• Maintain wildlife corridors
• Preserve rural character or community character
• Preserve farmland
• Preserve historical sites
• Preserve land values
• Decrease sprawl
• Protect threatened and endangered species
• Protect drinking water quality
• Prevent erosion
• Prevent ecosystem degradation
• Maintain economic viability

Issues to Address:

• What are the key management questions to address?
• Which options are aimed at the same goals and may be combined/substituted in scenarios?
• Which options are most feasible in the short, intermediate and long term?
• What are reasonable levels to assume for adoption of management practices?
• Are methods effective at reaching goals?
• Do data exist to accurately represent scenarios?

Scenario Options for Discussion

Economic Incentives and Management Options

Tradeable/transferable development rights

Impact fees on new development

Changes to Taxes/subsidies to encourage:

wetland preservation

forest preservation

agricultural preservation

land trusts

adoption of farm nutrient management practices (BMPs)

riparian buffer development/preservation

Test/compare each county's unique options on entire watershed (e.g. Howard's Density Exchange Option)

Planning/Zoning Options

Lot size (urban and agricultural)

Maximum septic density

Sewer expansion

Urban BMP regulations

Suburban forest buffers

Suburban and rural clustering (vs. dispersed development)

Technological change

Precision farming

BNR on smaller WWTPs

Wetland gray-water treatment systems

Bioretention (constructed wetlands capture runoff)

Historical and End Member Comparison

All forested landscape

Current land use with:

no urban

no agriculture

Structural Change

Climate change

Sea level rise

Decision Support

Maximizing nutrient reductions from restoration effort
(modeling best places to restore)

Overall "best" land use patterns

Identify important wildlife corridors