Stormwater Runoff Reduction in Petersburg

By Matthew Perry, JRA Intern

On July 22, JRA and the Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) trained the City of Petersburg’s executive staff on the importance of stormwater management. The training focused on how the City’s departments could work together to limit its stormwater runoff and how they could foster a sense of environmental stewardship in its communities. From the head of the Municipal Golf Course to the Police Chief, everyone in the meeting room remained engaged and involved during presentations from both JRA and CWP.

This was the inaugural training of JRA’s Promoting Green Infrastructure program, which is designed to increase the understanding and facilitate the implementation of green stormwater projects. The program focuses on three urban areas within the James River watershed: Lynchburg, Charlottesville, and Petersburg. In each locality, JRA will work to increase stormwater knowledge, engage local citizens on stormwater issues, and establish a “Walkable Watershed” in a neighborhood. The walkable watersheds will connect a community to a nearby creek or stream, establish safe passage routes for pedestrians and cyclists to schools and community centers, and contain watershed improvements that help slow, infiltrate, and clean rain water. Not only will the neighborhood that hosts the walkable watershed reduce its stormwater impact, it will also benefit from the beautification and community-building that comes from making green space an important component of their area. This concept was introduced to all attendees at the meeting and was met with considerable approval.

Although the implementation process has not yet begun in Petersburg, this meeting marked a crucial step in the program: getting government officials educated and involved. Every official left the meeting with a new understanding of stormwater issues and how to address them. By establishing an environmentally-friendly mentality in Petersburg, JRA can ensure that all government departments will work together to make green infrastructure a reality in their city. Citizens and city officials both share the motivation for pollution reduction and both are ready to meet the challenge with assistance from JRA and CWP.