State regulations require that Resource Protection Areas (RPAs) be designated around all water bodies with perennial flow. Perennial flow means that water always flows in the stream or other water body except during periods of drought. The Department of Public Works and Environmental Services conducted field studies to identify all perennial streams throughout the county and used this information to prepare a set of maps showing the location of RPAs as defined under the revised Ordinance. The maps were adopted by the Board on November 17, 2003.

The maps display the boundaries of the RPAs adopted by the Board in 1993 and the additional RPAs adopted by the Board in 2003. The maps display the general locations of RPA boundaries for planning purposes and the actual limits may be further refined by detailed field studies conducted at the time a plan is submitted to obtain a permit to develop a property.

For more information, visit the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance web page.

For more information on the mapping of perennial streams visit Perennial Stream Mapping Project.