Onancock parking lot soaks up rain for a cleaner creek

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. - June 4, 2014 - PRLog -- Construction was recently completed on what is considered to be the first permeable pavement parking lot on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.  The parking lot project at the corner of Parker and King streets in Onancock was designed and coordinated by the Center for Watershed Protection in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Town of Onancock.

Permeable pavement allows rainwater and runoff to soak into the ground, slowing its flow and removing pollutants before it enters nearby waterways. Polluted runoff from streets, parking lots and buildings is one of the few growing sources of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has determined that parts of Onancock Creek are too polluted to support a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Since Onancock Creek empties into the Chesapeake Bay, the project is also designed to help clean up the Bay and was just one of many projects identified as part of the cleanup plan for the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The project involved demolition of the existing pavement and replacement with permeable pavers that direct runoff towards a vegetated area planted with native trees and grasses. A retrofit project such as this is “only possible with local partners,” stresses Joe Battiata, Senior Water Resources Engineer at the Center for Watershed Protection.  “Our partners and funders were instrumental in making this a successful project.”  Funding was provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Onancock Tree Board and the construction was completed by Eastern Shore Landscape Management, Inc.

The Center for Watershed Protection, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to fostering responsible land and water management through applied research, direct assistance to communities, award-winning training, and access to a network of experienced professionals. The Center is your first source for best practices in stormwater and watershed management. The Center was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Ellicott City, Maryland.  To learn more about the Center’s commitment to protect and restore our streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands and bays, go to www.cwp.org.