[RP TownTalk] Wells run issues

[varcher at gmail.com]

Those interested in Wells Run,

I am on my blackberry, headed to Laurey Caverns with my students and can't access a computer and can't therefore access the HOPE document Melissa cites. I will though take advantage of the enforced down time to comment in general on Wells Run and our cooperation with Univ. Pk and Hyattsville.

Wells Run's headwaters are in Hyattsville around PG, Univ Mall. It then flows through Univ. Pk. in a relatively natural state (though clearly forced into a more confined channel than nature would allow). It then flows under Rt.1 and is confined to a concrete culvert until just prior to entering the Northeast Branch near Town Hall.

The most immediate concern for Riverdale Park is the crumbling concrete dainage bed that could endanger surrounding homes, roads and bridges.  I began pushing county and state authorities to address this problem 4 years ago. 

County dept of envir. resources and dept of public works began initial phase of designing a replacement system more than 2 years ago. I exepect in about one year we will receive an initial draft for public comment.

The construction, regardless of the design, will be expensive to the point that state and probably federal funding will be necessary. To this end I have worked to lay the foundation for such funding by educating our state delegation about this need, as well as lobbying Senator Cardin and Rep Hoyer. Our efforts have been well received and I expect that we will be well placed to get funding when the time comes.

Shortly after taking office as U P's new mayor John Tabori and I began discussing how our two towns can work together to have a safer and healthier creek. From these discussions we expanded our group to include Hyattsville and created a formal 3 town working group. We formalized this arrangement through an MOU several months back.

As we look forward there are several key interlocking issues/questions. 

1)In the headwater area the capacity to control/absorbe runoff is critical to all other questions of the creek. Initial assessments indicate that an area known as "7 Ponds" between Adelphi Rd and the development around PG and Univ Malls is critical to controlling runoff. We must therefor take an interest and support policies in Hyattsille to untilize 7 ponds in an environmentally responsible way. WHAT IS POSSIBLE IN RIVERDALE PARK REDESIGN IS SUBSTANTIALLY DEPENDENT ON WHAT HAPPENS IN THE 7 PONDS AREA because it will decide how much storm water capacity our part of Wells Run must be able to channel in order to avoid flooding.

2) We in Riverdale Park will have to work with county and state agencies to decide if we simply  seek a rebuild of the existing concrete channel, or are we to seek a more natural system with less concrete, more slow moving water features.  I can't really comment on what is genuinely possible in a redesigned system until Depts of Envir. Resources and Public Works present some initial proposals, but it seems clear to me that any substantial changes from the existing all concrete stream bed will depend on controlling runoff in the headwaters AND Riverdale Park deciding that some existing open space should be used for purposes of water quality improvement and runoff management.

This kind of project clearly requires multiyear commitment to ensure a positive outcome and I am particularly pleased at the growing coalition of parties that seek a safer, and more environmentally responsible future for our region.

Best wishes,

Vern
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