DVIDS – News – USACE, Baltimore District, provides support to military installations to achieve 2025 TMDL reduction goal in Chesapeake Bay

Executive Order 13508 to Protect and Restorate the Chesapeake Bay was enacted in May 2009 with the goal of reducing harmful nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay by 2025. This required a watershed implementation plan to develop a strategy to achieve the monumental 2025 goal. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, Planning Division has actively supported these efforts through its work on military installations throughout the Baltimore District area of ​​operations, taking into account the impacts of these locations on the Bay.

In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided revised Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total suspended sediment.

Source sectors that contributed the most nitrogen and phosphorus were identified: sewers and septic tanks, urban stormwater runoff, and forest and agriculture. Stormwater and plumbing were the easiest to address because it was clear what was coming directly from the plumbing and at what rate. Urban stormwater runoff was more difficult to determine because there were no checks or controls on what would ultimately flow into the Chesapeake Bay.

A large portion of military installations are located in urban areas and directly contribute to runoff that impacts the Chesapeake's TMDL. USACE, Baltimore District supports a robust military program that includes 14 military installations in Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

The first step in helping these facilities meet the 2025 reduction target was to collect baseline data at each site.

“This was a very big effort from the start,” said Jason Rinker, USACE, TMDL program manager for the Baltimore District. “It was a collaborative effort among agencies to conduct stormwater studies and determine best management practices.”

USACE's planning department mapped the stormwater systems for each installation and worked with GIS program manager Jared Scott to create a database to track best management practices (BMPs). This allowed the team and installations to access the data in real time to inventory, audit and track maintenance and TMDL progress for all BMPs.

From the initial baseline data collected, the team was able to create a TMDL action plan for each individual installation. This plan set out the starting points, the reduction target and the necessary steps to achieve these goals by 2025.

Once the TMDL action plans were created and submitted to state authorities, Baltimore District teams were able to design and build BMPs. Erin Cox, Baltimore County civil engineer, played a critical role in translating the planning concepts into the site designs. From there, the planning department team was able to work with the district's program and project management department to oversee the construction phase of the project.

The U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) funded design and construction for approximately $40 million in projects implemented by the Baltimore District, including the Adelphi Lab Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Meade, Joint Base Myer – Henderson Hall, USAR 99th Regional Support Command, Army National Guard facilities and Joint Base Andres Naval Air Facility.

Small-scale design and construction applications for stormwater management to treat near-source runoff included bioretention, bioswales, grass swales, permeable pavements, infiltration methods, tree box filters, and sidewalk removal. Major projects included the renovation of parking lots with bioretention and permeable pavement, underground stormwater quality systems and the retrofitting of drying ponds.

Once construction is complete, the team continues to conduct BMP inspections and assist in developing maintenance plans. Each facility receives federal funding to maintain the projects. USACE provides the framework for necessary maintenance throughout the year based on data collected during inspections and their relationship to achieving the overall reduction goal.

“We were able to get to know the facilities and the people who work there intensively,” said Rinker. “The relationships we have built have been incredibly rewarding. It is a team effort where we all achieve the same goal.”

As of August 2025, all facilities under the Baltimore District's jurisdiction have met their goals except one.

Looking forward, EPA and the Chesapeake Bay Program plan to extend this strategy beyond 2025 to meet projected goals based on scientific modeling.

“These efforts will continue beyond 2025,” Rinker said. “We have the expertise and are well-positioned to continue to support the Department of Defense and these needs.”