St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church Stormwater Management Plan

In October 2023, LFWA was awarded a $29,000 grant from the Montgomery County Department of Environment Protection to develop a comprehensive stormwater management design for St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Bethesda, MD to use as a road map for solving stormwater management problems on their campus. The assessment would include recommendations and preliminary designs to treat runoff from paved areas as well as capture rain from roof tops. Design elements could include pervious pavers, curb cuts and rain gardens, and impervious surface removal.

community outreach

The grant also includes an opportunity for community education. Meetings are planned to educate the church members on the need for stormwater management, on the important role of native plants in helping control stormwater runoff, and how the unabated run-off effects the health of the Little Falls Branch.

background

St. Dunstan’s church sits on a very hilly 3.5-acre site with a large parking lot at the top of the hill and long driveway at the intersection of Fort Sumner Drive and Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda. There is currently no stormwater management.  All the water from the parking lot and driveway runs directly to the street.  There are considerable unpaved areas, but these are all grassy hills and create their own run-off problems.  Erosion on the hills is significant and there are places where the church foundation is compromised by the flow of water.  All downspouts are directed to the grassy hills.

Project Updates

Funding partners

Funding is provided by the Montgomery County Water Quality Protection Fund, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA).