Storm water management in Seven Oaks Park

The hill going up to Hamilton Ave

For quite a few years, Friends of Sligo Creek, Three Oaks Association, and neighbors who live near Seven Oaks have talked to Montgomery County representatives from the Department of Parks and the Department of Environmental Protection about erosion and rain issues on the steep hill leading from Hamilton Avenue down to the playground. 

This photo shows the erosion on the hill that goes up to Hamilton Avenue during a 2017 rain storm. 

The County has tried several remediation efforts, such unclogging the upper and lower storm drains and re-planting the grass on the hill. Nothing has been very effective, partly due to prior erosion paths, the steepness of the hill, the deep shade in this area, and the fact that it’s a sledding hill.

Mud collects near the park drain

The erosion means that muddy stormwater collects at the bottom of the hill, which stops up the storm drain or sits below the drain.

Then the mud and silt overflow down the Three Oaks sidewalk and parking area, and run down the street and into our storm drains, which empty into Sligo Creek.

In August 2018, representatives from Three Oaks HOA and Friends of Sligo Creek initiated a new collaboration with Montgomery County Parks and Montgomery County Rainscapes (DEP). After meeting at the site, attendees discussed several solutions that would help, such as removing one impervious walkway, re-grading the area, and adding plants to absorb water. 

There is not one easy, simple solution due to mature trees and electric and water lines. A few drawings were produced and a follow-up meeting was held on November 15, 2018 with a County Parks  engineer. 

Three Oaks Association signed a letter of collaboration, expressing our agreement if the sidewalk removal and planted area was partly on Three Oaks Association (3OA) property.  3OA also will pay our landscapers to maintain the planted area. 

Proposed plans for slowing down rain water

Everyone agreed that the mutual collaboration would make the project more viable. Plus this effort pairs nicely with the nearby Conservation Landscaping being installed by 3OA under a Chesapeake Bay Trust grant.

The 11/15/2018 meeting included representatives from County Parks, DEP, FOSC, and 3OA.  

We talked through the last changes to a design that will be implemented by the County Parks department during winter 2018 or spring 2019.