Clean Baltimore Harbor

Mary Pat Fannon and Phil Lee, Thanks for your e-mail about the Meeting. I will not be attending this Meeting. I have thought about it long and hard to make this decision. The Major Trash Sweep in the targeted area (4000 homes) of the Harris Creek Watershed took place between June 16 through August 31,2010. It reduced significantly the amount of Trash going into the Baltimore Harbor from 5 Tons a month at the beginning to less than one Ton a month at the completion of this 10 week period. The Trash Interceptor was a major part of this Sweep Project and we are thankful to John Kellett, the inventor and creator of the Paddle Trash Interceptor for giving Creditability to what we were able to accomplish. However,the Trash Interceptor has been broken and incompetent now for over a year. The recommendations from the Trash Sweep Project have not been implemented. They have been ignored. The Spokesperson for DPW has stated many times recently that the recommended Trash Cans to be given to the Harris Creek Neighborhoods have been tried in the past and have not worked. Left unsaid is the fact that DPW workers contributed to these massive accumulations of Trash in the backyards of vacant houses by not reporting them despite walking these alleys.. Over 100 mini-landfill sites were identified (see the SR 311 Reports) and cleaned up after showing them to Steve Sharkey (DPW Supervisor). The unfairness (Injustice) associated with these mini-landfill raises tho Question,"Do we have two Trash Services for citizens of Baltimore?" What we had hoped to do with the Trash Cans was to reach responsible and concerned Citizens in the Watershed to help along the way and to go after citizens not placing their Trash Bags into proper Trash Cans. We were trying not only to educate Citizens,but change their behavior. To see this approach,you have to have Vision and not a "status quo" attitude. We have failed to do this over the last year. We have had four Meetings with very little DPW response. We have presented these recommendations to DPW in Canton at the Trash Interceptor Site,in the conference room at DPW and twice at City Hall,once at the Hearings of James Kraft (Council Resolution 08-0095R) and the second to City Council President Jack Young's resolution Response to these previous four Meetings has not produced any results or Efforts to improve communication . What has happened to the Trash Interceptor is an example of further dysfunction. What needs to be studied is not only the Interceptor Consultation Report (that has not been provided despite many requests),but all of the DPW maintenance information on the Trash Interceptor... and decision making on the Interceptor over the last year. Lost in all of this is a Vision to clean up a significant amount of Trash from going from the streets and alleys in Baltimore City into the Baltimore Harbor. We were trying to develop a Model in the Harris Creek Watershed that we could apply to the other 26 inlets to the Baltimore Harbor. We had envisioned extending this Model to the East and West of Watershed 246 to see if we could duplicate and get the same results. You can not even attempt to do this with "status quo" thinking. It is like trying to move a mountain. What we needed was a Team within each Neighborhood that would consist of a person from the Neighborhood Association,a DPW Trash Supervisor and a Watershed Outreach Person that would stay on top of the Trash Problem by making monthly rounds in the streets and alleys of each Neighborhoods. Perhaps,this is too much to ask,but this is what we needed to start the Process of bringing back a more Humane Baltimore. Good Luck in your deliberations. Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD Early Heart Attack Care Saves Lives. Act on mild chest complaints and get these symptoms checked out. Chest Pain Centers in Hospitals provide for these chest symptoms to be checked out. Become a Deputy and become part of the solution to the problem in Heart Attack Care Learn how to become certified by taking this short course. www.DeputyHeartAttack.org Ray Bahr MD:-( -----Original Message----- From: Fannon, Mary Pat To: plee ; Fiaschetti, Erin ; Patrick.Dooley ; hvandergaag ; Kraft, James ; Fiaschetti, Erin ; Raymond D.Bahr MD Cc: Augustus, Gussener Sent: Mon, Sep 12, 2011 11:37 am Subject: Meeting with DPW - October 6th, 3 p.m., 6th Floor, 200 N. Holliday Street Hello everyone – for the time being, I’m taking the lead to coordinate your efforts with the Harris Creek waterwheel and the Watershed 246 with DPW. As many of you may know, Steve Robinson has left the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods so I’ll try to handle some of the issues he was dealing with here but I am not a subject matter expert on these issues. I have arranged a meeting with DPW on October 6th at 3 p.m. at their conference room on the 6th floor (200 N. Holliday Street). Please attend if possible. The goals for the meeting will be yours – I’ve asked Mr. Lee to put together a list of items for discussion that we can send to DPW staff well in advance of the meeting – hopefully by this Friday. So far there are two items to address before the meeting: 1. You would like to receive a copy of the Harris Creek Water Wheel Report; 2. You would like to have Steve Sharkey's replacement contact Dr. Bahr to discuss how to continue to have the Watershed 246 neighborhoods address the trash and other issues. I will work on these two items and look forward to the rest of the specific issues to be discussed soon. Mr. Lee – you asked that the following be invited to the meeting - Councilman Kraft, Dr. Bahr, Halle VanderGaag, John Kellett. All are copied on this message except for Mr. Kellett as I do not have his contact information. Mary Pat Mary Pat Fannon Mayor's Office of Government Relations City of Baltimore 88 State Circle Annapolis, MD 21401 410-269-0207 Telephone 410-269-6785 Fax 410-948-9167 (Blackberry) MaryPat.Fannon@baltimorecity.gov Mary Pat Fannon and Phil Lee, Thanks for your e-mail about the Meeting. I will not be attending this Meeting. I have thought about it long and hard to make this decision. The Major Trash Sweep in the targeted area (4000 homes) of the Harris Creek Watershed took place between June 16 through August 31,2010. It reduced significantly the amount of Trash going into the Baltimore Harbor from 5 Tons a month at the beginning to less than one Ton a month at the completion of this 10 week period. The Trash Interceptor was a major part of this Sweep Project and we are thankful to John Kellett, the inventor and creator of the Paddle Trash Interceptor for giving Creditability to what we were able to accomplish. However,the Trash Interceptor has been broken and incompetent now for over a year. The recommendations from the Trash Sweep Project have not been implemented. They have been ignored. The Spokesperson for DPW has stated many times recently that the recommended Trash Cans to be given to the Harris Creek Neighborhoods have been tried in the past and have not worked. Left unsaid is the fact that DPW workers contributed to these massive accumulations of Trash in the backyards of vacant houses by not reporting them despite walking these alleys.. Over 100 mini-landfill sites were identified (see the SR 311 Reports) and cleaned up after showing them to Steve Sharkey (DPW Supervisor). The unfairness (Injustice) associated with these mini-landfill raises tho Question,"Do we have two Trash Services for citizens of Baltimore?" What we had hoped to do with the Trash Cans was to reach responsible and concerned Citizens in the Watershed to help along the way and to go after citizens not placing their Trash Bags into proper Trash Cans. We were trying not only to educate Citizens,but change their behavior. To see this approach,you have to have Vision and not a "status quo" attitude. We have failed to do this over the last year. We have had four Meetings with very little DPW response. We have presented these recommendations to DPW in Canton at the Trash Interceptor Site,in the conference room at DPW and twice at City Hall,once at the Hearings of James Kraft (Council Resolution 08-0095R) and the second to City Council President Jack Young's resolution Response to these previous four Meetings has not produced any results or Efforts to improve communication . What has happened to the Trash Interceptor is an example of further dysfunction. What needs to be studied is not only the Interceptor Consultation Report (that has not been provided despite many requests),but all of the DPW maintenance information on the Trash Interceptor... and decision making on the Interceptor over the last year. Lost in all of this is a Vision to clean up a significant amount of Trash from going from the streets and alleys in Baltimore City into the Baltimore Harbor. We were trying to develop a Model in the Harris Creek Watershed that we could apply to the other 26 inlets to the Baltimore Harbor. We had envisioned extending this Model to the East and West of Watershed 246 to see if we could duplicate and get the same results. You can not even attempt to do this with "status quo" thinking. It is like trying to move a mountain. What we needed was a Team within each Neighborhood that would consist of a person from the Neighborhood Association,a DPW Trash Supervisor and a Watershed Outreach Person that would stay on top of the Trash Problem by making monthly rounds in the streets and alleys of each Neighborhoods. Perhaps,this is too much to ask,but this is what we needed to start the Process of bringing back a more Humane Baltimore. Good Luck in your deliberations. Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD Early Heart Attack Care Saves Lives. Act on mild chest complaints and get these symptoms checked out. Chest Pain Centers in Hospitals provide for these chest symptoms to be checked out. Become a Deputy and become part of the solution to the problem in Heart Attack Care Learn how to become certified by taking this short course. www.DeputyHeartAttack.org Ray Bahr MD:-( -----Original Message----- From: Fannon, Mary Pat To: plee ; Fiaschetti, Erin ; Patrick.Dooley ; hvandergaag ; Kraft, James ; Fiaschetti, Erin ; Raymond D.Bahr MD Cc: Augustus, Gussener Sent: Mon, Sep 12, 2011 11:37 am Subject: Meeting with DPW - October 6th, 3 p.m., 6th Floor, 200 N. Holliday Street Hello everyone – for the time being, I’m taking the lead to coordinate your efforts with the Harris Creek waterwheel and the Watershed 246 with DPW. As many of you may know, Steve Robinson has left the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods so I’ll try to handle some of the issues he was dealing with here but I am not a subject matter expert on these issues. I have arranged a meeting with DPW on October 6th at 3 p.m. at their conference room on the 6th floor (200 N. Holliday Street). Please attend if possible. The goals for the meeting will be yours – I’ve asked Mr. Lee to put together a list of items for discussion that we can send to DPW staff well in advance of the meeting – hopefully by this Friday. So far there are two items to address before the meeting: 1. You would like to receive a copy of the Harris Creek Water Wheel Report; 2. You would like to have Steve Sharkey's replacement contact Dr. Bahr to discuss how to continue to have the Watershed 246 neighborhoods address the trash and other issues. I will work on these two items and look forward to the rest of the specific issues to be discussed soon. Mr. Lee – you asked that the following be invited to the meeting - Councilman Kraft, Dr. Bahr, Halle VanderGaag, John Kellett. All are copied on this message except for Mr. Kellett as I do not have his contact information. Mary Pat Mary Pat Fannon Mayor's Office of Government Relations City of Baltimonapolis

2011-11-06T20:26:00.000-08:00

Mary Pat Fannon and Phil Lee,

         Thanks for your e-mail about the Meeting. I will not be attending this Meeting. I have thought about it long and hard to make this decision. The Major Trash Sweep in the targeted area (4000 homes) of the Harris Creek Watershed took place between June 16 through August 31,2010. It reduced significantly the amount of Trash going into the Baltimore Harbor from 5 Tons a month at the beginning to less than one Ton a month at the completion of this 10 week period. The Trash Interceptor was a major part of this Sweep Project and we are thankful to John Kellett, the inventor and creator of the Paddle Trash Interceptor for giving Creditability to what we were able to accomplish. However,the Trash Interceptor has been broken and incompetent now for over a year. The recommendations from the Trash Sweep Project have not been implemented. They have been ignored. The Spokesperson for DPW has stated many times recently that the recommended Trash Cans to be given to the Harris Creek Neighborhoods have been tried in the past and have not worked. Left unsaid is the fact that DPW workers contributed to these massive accumulations of Trash in the backyards of vacant houses by not reporting them despite walking these alleys.. Over 100 mini-landfill sites were identified (see the SR 311 Reports) and cleaned up after showing them to Steve Sharkey (DPW Supervisor). The unfairness (Injustice) associated with these mini-landfill raises tho Question,"Do we have two Trash Services for citizens of Baltimore?" What we had hoped to do with the Trash Cans was to reach responsible and concerned Citizens in the Watershed to help along the way and to go after citizens not placing their Trash Bags into proper Trash Cans. We were trying not only to educate Citizens,but change their behavior. To see this approach,you have to have Vision and not a "status quo" attitude. We have failed to do this over the last year. We have had four Meetings with very little DPW response. We have presented these recommendations to DPW in Canton at the Trash Interceptor Site,in the conference room at DPW and twice at City Hall,once at the Hearings of James Kraft (Council Resolution 08-0095R) and the second to City Council President Jack Young's resolution    Response to these previous four Meetings has not produced any results or Efforts to improve communication   .   What has happened to the Trash Interceptor is an example of further dysfunction. What needs to be studied is not only the Interceptor Consultation Report (that has not been provided despite many requests),but all of the DPW maintenance information on the Trash Interceptor... and decision making on the Interceptor over the last year.
   Lost in all of this is a Vision to clean up a significant amount of Trash from going from the streets and alleys in Baltimore City into the Baltimore Harbor. We were trying to develop a Model in the Harris Creek Watershed that we could apply to the other 26 inlets to the Baltimore Harbor. We had envisioned extending this Model to the East and West of Watershed 246 to see if we could duplicate and get the same results. You can not even attempt to do this with "status quo" thinking. It is like trying to move a mountain. What we needed was a Team within each Neighborhood that would consist of a person from the Neighborhood Association,a DPW Trash Supervisor and a Watershed Outreach Person that would stay on top of the Trash Problem by making monthly rounds in the streets and alleys of each Neighborhoods. Perhaps,this is too much to ask,but this is what we needed to start the Process of bringing back a more Humane Baltimore.

                       Good Luck in your deliberations.      Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD

Early Heart Attack Care Saves Lives. Act on mild chest complaints and get these symptoms checked out. Chest Pain Centers in Hospitals provide for these chest symptoms to be checked out. Become a Deputy and become part of the solution to the problem in Heart Attack Care Learn how to become certified by taking this short course. www.DeputyHeartAttack.org Ray Bahr MD

-----Original Message-----
From: Fannon, Mary Pat <MPFannon@baltimorecity.gov>
To: plee <plee@moffattnichol.com>; Fiaschetti, Erin <Erin.Fiaschetti@baltimorecity.gov>; Patrick.Dooley <Patrick.Dooley@mlis.state.md.us>; hvandergaag <hvandergaag@bluewaterbaltimore.org>; Kraft, James <James.Kraft@baltimorecity.gov>; Fiaschetti, Erin <Erin.Fiaschetti@baltimorecity.gov>; Raymond D.Bahr MD <rdb60@aol.com>
Cc: Augustus, Gussener <Gussener.Augustus@baltimorecity.gov>
Sent: Mon, Sep 12, 2011 11:37 am
Subject: Meeting with DPW - October 6th, 3 p.m., 6th Floor, 200 N. Holliday Street

Hello everyone – for the time being, I’m taking the lead to coordinate your efforts with the Harris Creek waterwheel and the Watershed 246 with DPW. As many of you may know, Steve Robinson has left the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods so I’ll try to handle some of the issues he was dealing with here but I am not a subject matter expert on these issues. I have arranged a meeting with DPW on October 6^th at 3 p.m. at their conference room on the 6^th floor (200 N. Holliday Street). Please attend if possible.

The goals for the meeting will be yours – I’ve asked Mr. Lee to put together a list of items for discussion that we can send to DPW staff well in advance of the meeting – hopefully by this Friday. So far there are two items to address before the meeting:

1. You would like to receive a copy of the Harris Creek Water Wheel Report;

2. You would like to have Steve Sharkey's replacement contact Dr. Bahr to discuss how to continue to have the Watershed 246 neighborhoods address the trash and other issues.

I will work on these two items and look forward to the rest of the specific issues to be discussed soon.

Mr. Lee – you asked that the following be invited to the meeting - Councilman Kraft, Dr. Bahr, Halle VanderGaag, John Kellett. All are copied on this message except for Mr. Kellett as I do not have his contact information.

Mary Pat

Mary Pat Fannon

Mayor's Office of Government Relations

City of Baltimore

88 State Circle

Annapolis, MD 21401

410-269-0207 Telephone

410-269-6785 Fax

410-948-9167 (Blackberry)

MaryPat.Fannon@baltimorecity.gov

Dysfunctional Government in the Harris Creek Watershed Trash Cleanup

2011-11-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

It does not look as if Baltimore City Government is seriously interested in cleaning up the Baltimore Harbor of Trash. The Trash Removal Sweep as part of the Harris Creek Watershed (246) Project was very successful in significantly removing more that 4 Tons of Trash per month from going into the Baltimore Harbor at the Harris Creek Outlet on Boston Street in Canton. What was important was that the Trash was easily visible(100 SRs) in large accumulations in the backyards of vacant houses. DPW workers had to see these accumulations,but did not report them raising the question of different DPW Services for where you live. The Exciting aspect of this was the Finding that Trash in the Harbor could be significantly reduced by going up stream to find areas of large accumulations. What was needed to be maintained was the Coordinated Cooperation of the Trash Team as well as keeping the Trash Interceptor properly working. If this could be accomplished in one of the 26 Outlets to the Baltimore Harbor,it could be duplicated in the other 25 Outlets and a Major Reduction of Trash could be prevented from going into the Harbor. Thus,what was needed was good communication from DPW along with a Functional Trash Interceptor..... along with the Vision that this Feat was doable.

Unfortunately,this did not take place. Mary Pat Fannon from the Mayor's Office was informed of this Failure in an e-mail dated Sept 12,2011.. James Kraft and Pete Hammen were given this same e-mail Information. The Watershed Project did identify 12 Best Management Practices that could be incorporated throughout the Neighborhoods in the Watershed. Blue Water Baltimore will be following up on these Projects. It is my opinion that "Status quo" of Baltimore City Services in the area of Trash Removal will continue and not change a lot until the Injustice Issues can be properly dealt with and closer cooperation with the Community Neighborhood Leaders is achieved and maximized optimally. Going forward,I see no real effort to effectively move in this direction. It was for this reason that I elected not to attend the October 6,2011 Meeting It is my understanding that the last Meeting with DPW did not effectively deal with the deeper issues that I raised. I will leave further undertakings to Blue Water Baltimore. Respectfully,Ray Bahr MD

BlogThis!

2011-09-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

BlogThis! Raining today!

Historic Canton: Breakthrough in Cleaning Trash from the Baltimore ...

2011-09-05T08:16:00.000-07:00

Historic Canton: Breakthrough in Cleaning Trash from the Baltimore ...: When you are up to your rear with alligators,it is difficult to be receptive to "breakthrough" information that is around you.......so it is...

Historic Canton: Opportunity to make a difference

2011-09-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

Historic Canton: Opportunity to make a difference: The First part of Wisdom is need to call a spade a spade. Going along with something that is not right eventually will draw you into an unco...

Latest Blog on the Harris Creek Watershed Project

2009-09-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

Go to http://RBahr.blogspot.com/ for the Sept 20,2009 Blog RDB BHWA

Follow the Harris Creek Watershed Stormwater Project

2009-09-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

To Follow the

Harris Creek Watershed Stormwater Project,click on the link below,
http://RBahr.Blogspot.com/

or follow through the BHWA Web Site

http://www.baltimorewaters.org/ Thank you,Raymond D.Bahr MD
RDB60@aol.com

2009-05-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

Concerned about the Trash Build Up with the New Paddle Wheel Trash Interceptor?

Citizens can voice their Concerns by contacting David Scott Director Department of Public Works at 410-396-3500 and Mayor Sheila Dixon at 410-396-3835. We will try and have these Officials come to an Upcoming Meeting of the Canton Community Association to get a more Complete Explanation.

The Previous Trash Interceptor has been replaced by the Department of Public Works without Input from the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association. The DPW has now installed a Paddle Wheel Trash Interceptor that will Collect Trash behind the Walking Bridge. The Trash will become more Visible because it will have to travel a longer distance from the Harris Creek Outlet on Boston Street.

Ray Bahr MD BHWA www.Baltimorewaters.org

Baltimore Guide Article on the Harris Creek Watershed Stormwater Project

2009-05-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

http://baltimoreguide.com/http:/baltimoreguide.com/protecting-the-source--harris-creek-renewal-efforts-underway/

Log two-Walking Tour of the 1780 Harris Creek

2009-04-05T19:39:00.000-07:00

Walking Tour of the 1780 Harris Creek can be accomplished in less than one hour and covers about 25 City Blocks. It consists of five Legs with the First Leg across the mouth of Harris Creek that leads into Baltimore Harbor.One begins the Walk by starting at Circle Park (just below St.Casimir's Church on the South side). One walks up Boston St. from the Safeway parking lot to the Outback's restaurant.....in olden days,from the Booz Boat Yard to Tom Stodder's Boat Yard across water. In those days,it was also called the "Navy Yard" and was the place where The Frigate Constellation was built as well as many Clipper Ships used in the War of 1812. Remember that when we got our Independence in 1776,we had no Navy or no Ships and it was not until the War of 1812 that we finished the job.

Across Boston St here,we can see Harris Creek Park where there is a Public Pier that will have a Water Taxi pickup this summer. This is also the Entry to the Waterfront Promenade that travels seven miles downtown. Walking over the Pedestrian Bridge,one can look back and see the Harris Creek Stormwater Outlet and a Netting System Trash Interceptor.Monthly,this collects three to five Tons of Trash and prevents it from getting into The Baltimore Harbor

The Second Leg begins with Taking a Right at Hudson St for several blocks and turning Left on Lakewood Ave. Here, one will view the most four Beautiful Blocks in all of Canton. It is four blocks (800 to 500 Lakewood Ave) of awesome delight,punctuated by blossoming trees,wide streets,marble steps,and splendid Homes. Silence and Reverance exist despite being right around the corner from a bustling City (Eastern Ave). Take your Time walking through this area and take deep breaths,sighing peacefully as you do.

This Leg ends when one comes upon Eastern Ave. Directly across the street are steps to enter the Park. What a Beautiful Sight! It was here where Harris Creek ended as a Creek and where William Patterson had his Estate. Tributaries to the Creek came from the Northern side of the Park. Standing at Eastern Ave. and Lakewood Ave. and looking to the far left ,one can see on the Hill the Pagoda with the American Flag flying. It was here at Hampstead Hill that 10,000 American soldies were camped ready to meet the British in the War of 1812. The British were not able to get far enough into Baltimore because of the Battle at Fort McHenry. Looking to the far right,one can again see an American Flag flying over the Monument to Pulaski for his efforts in the Revolutionary War. Thus the Entrance of Harris Creek into Patterson Park at Lakewood Ave and Eastern Ave has glimpses of both the War of 1812 and the War for our Independence.

The Third Leg has us walking up Eastern Ave to the 3100 Block and turning Right on East Ave. By walking nine blocks to the South(fourth Leg),one will come upon the most Beautiful Panoramic Scene in our Country. It is the View of Baltimore Harbor from Canton Hollow or Canton Cove and across the water is Fort McHenry with our Flag flying for all to see. It was here where many Schooners would sit in wait to go into the Inner Harbor. It is here where the Bentztown Bard would write the words "Look away to Canton Hollow". It was here where Father James Gibbons would land each morning in a row boat from Locust Point where he has just said Mass for Our Lady of Good Counsel only to get ready to repeat Mass at St.Brigid's Church. Father Gibbons would eventally go on to become Cardinal Gibbons and serve forty years at the Cathedral (now Basilica).

Standing at this point and looking left to Clinton St,one remember the Marriage of Betsy Patterson to Jerome Bonaparte that was officiated by Bishop John Carroll(the first Bishop in the USA) in the Home of Captain O'Donnell at Boston and Clinton St.

This is the End of the Harris Creek Walk. One now can go to the foot of the Canton Park and catch a Water Taxi to Fells Point,the Inner Harbor or Fort MeHenry.....or one could walk up a few blocks to O'Donnell Square where one could find Food and Drink to quench one's appetite.

Thank you for visiting Harris Creek that was the Creek that built the Park that built our Neighborhoods in Canton.The Industries that came with Steam Power along our Waterfront contributed greatly to the Stability Of Baltimore Town.

Please note that this Walk was put together to highlight the Harris Creek Watershed. We now have a Project for this Watershed that we hope will reduce the 3-5 Tons of Trash coming into the Trash Interceptor each month. We hope that with Education to the 20 Neighborhoods in the Watershed and putting into practices best management actions,we can do this. If we are successful here,we can do likewise in the other 26 outlets to the Harbor....and one day,have a Clean,Safe,Fishable,Swimmable Harbor. As my wife always tells me,"no seed ever sees it's flower"....which translates to "we need your help to pass this along. If interested, www.baltimorewaters.org Raymond D.Bahr MD

2009-04-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

Log Number One Harris Creek Watershed (246) Project

The Harris Creek Watershed is a very large Watershed (over 1200 acres) and is thought to be too large to tackle all at once. Planned at this time is to start with part of the Watershed,starting in Canton and extending North to Monument St. Funding for the Grant with Parks and People has now been finalized and signed. The Initial Strategy is now being revised and will include "touring the area with some key people",developing the Questionnaire and Survey Plan, and understanding the stormdrains in Patterson Park and Lakewood Ave before they get to the Harris Creek Outlet.

The Harris Creek Interceptor that presently collects 3-5 Tons of Trash each month is being replaced with the Paddle Wheel Interceptor. The BHWA is upset with this decision because (1) the present one just had $100,000 with of improvements and we are satisfied with it's performance and (2) the Paddle Wheel Interceptor can only be placed beyond the walking bridge.This will result in Visible Trash all the way out to this Interceptor. None the less,we will have to live withis this DPW decision. We have asked them to place Signage that will explain this to the Canton Community. Comments? Ray Bahr MD Coordinator Harris Creek Watershed (246) Project.

Harris Creek Watershed 246

2009-03-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

The Harris Creek Watershed (GIS 246) is located in the Canton Area of Baltimore. It is one of 27 Storm Water Outlets to the Baltimore Harbor. These Outlets brings Tons of Trash daily into the Harbor. Trash on the Streets in Watershed 246 is washed by Rain Water into the Sewers that underground travel down the Watershed into the Outlet located on Boston Strret (next to the Anchorage Towers). We have a Trash Interceptor here that collects 3-5 Tons each Month before it can get into the Baltimore Harbor. What we like to do is start a Watershed Project that will Educate Citizens in the 20 Neighborhoods in this Watershed about the Source of the Unsightly Trash in the Harbor and get them to prevent Trash from getting into the Streets of Baltimore. We would also like to Teach them about BMPs which is the Acronym for Best Management Practices for managing the "run off" Rain Water. This implies directing the Storm Water or Rain Water into the Ground so that it does not reach the concrete side walks (so called "impervious surfaces). If we are successful with these two Plans,we should see a Significant Reduction of Trash flowing into the Baltimore Harbor at the Canton Site (Harris Creek Outlet). We hope that this turns out to be the "Model" for the other 26 Outlets and can likewise reduce even more Trash from getting into the Harbor. Left unsaid is the association of Trash to Bacteria and Human Infection. It is Hoped that one Day we will see a Clean Baltimore Harbor that Citizens can safely Swim in,catch Fish and Crabs and enjoy Water Events not thought possible. This is the Vision of the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association(BHWA). Just as a Seed never sees it's Flower, Volunteers working on this Harris Creek Watershed Project may not be around when this Project comes to Fruition.......but they will have seen it in their Dreams,much like Walt Disney did in his Dreams,but was not around at the Completion of Disney World.

If interested in this Project and can bring Environmental Passion to it,Let the BHWA know