Approved March 19, 2024                                                                       

A hybrid meeting held in Suite 921 of the Herrity Building and virtually via Microsoft Teams.                   

Mr. Schwartz called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m. Those present included:

• Dana Barakat*, Director, NVSWCD
• Rhonda Bitterli*, Director, NVSWCD
• Adria Bordas*, Director & Committee Chair, NVSWCD
• Chirs Koerner*, Director, NVSWCD
• John Peterson*, Associate Director, NVSWCD
• Willie Woode, Executive Director, NVSWCD
• Shannon Bell, DPWES-SWPD
• Jim McGlone, VA DOF (retired)
• Jacob Zielinski, DOF*
• Austin Hope*
• Asad Rouhi
• Scott Baron*, NVSWCD
• Meghan Cunha, NVSWCD
• Judy Fraser, NVSWCD
• Denisa Hendriyadi, NVSWCD
• Heather Hunter-Nickels, NVSWCD
• Don Lacquement, NVSWCD
• Dan Schwartz, NVSWCD
• Sophia Woode*, NVSWCD

MINUTES

Ms. Hunter-Nickels and Ms. Fraser noted corrections to make to the draft minutes from the January 16^th, 2024 Committee Meeting.  A motion (Fraser-Woode) to approve the minutes with the noted revisions incorporated passed without objection.

CONSERVATION PLANS AND AGRICULTURAL BMPS

Ms. Hunter-Nickels presented one Soil and Water Conservation Plan and an update on a BMP cost-share project.

 

Conservation Plan: Dryer A&F District Renewal
This is the first A&F renewal for this 39-acre property in Clifton. The property boards 4-6 horses and also has chickens. The property has 6 meadows and a series of paddocks with geotextile and gravel footing. A riding ring and arena are fairly recent additions to the property. Of environmental note, a large stream flows along the southern edge of the land and its floodplain and RPA covers much of the property. An open, wooded riding area is located close to the stream. The owners clear out the underbrush to allow for equestrian access.

In response to recommendations in the expiring Conservation Plan, the owners have planted live stakes along the streambank and done good work in revegetating slopes and directing runoff around paddock areas using swales. Paddock entrances have been hardened with geotextile and gravel to reduce bare soil.

The temporary manure pile is on a concrete base and is cleared weekly. The permanent manure pile is large and shows evidence of leaching towards the RPA. Vehicle access to the property is limited by a low clearance bridge, so it is not possible to bring in dump trucks to haul out the excess manure.

A pond on the property showed evidence of Trapa bispinosa infestation.

The Conservation Plan includes the following recommendations:

1. Move the permanent manure pile out of the RPA. In the meantime, install diversion berms and cover the pile with a tarp before predicted storms.
2. Consider applying for VACS cost-share to install a covered manure composting facility.
3. Follow the Nutrient Management Plan and spread about half the manure in the fields. The other half will half to be hauled off.
4. Eradicate Trapa from the pond and consider applying to NVSWCD’s grant program.
5.  Delineate the inner 25% of the RPA. Keep horses out, and let the undergrowth regrow in the wooded riding that overlaps this delineation.

Committee members provided several comments.

1. The temporary manure pile should be moved out of the RPA, if possible, and at minimum be tarped. If the pile is moved, the CAP program can be tapped to help pay for the removal of the existing concrete base.
2. The percentage of bedding material in the main manure pile should be reduced to improve the C:N ratio and allow for faster composting.
3. A plan should be made for monthly removals of excess manure.

Ms. Hunter-Nickels will incorporate the Committee’s comments into the plan.
 

Agricultural BMP – Lombardozzi Stream Crossing and Buffer Enhancement

After 7 months, the plans for the Lombardozzi hardened stream crossing and buffer enhancement have been approved by the DCR engineering team. This project was presented at several previous TRC meetings. No further action is needed from the Committee.

CAP-VCAP PROGRAM
Ms. Cunha presented four new applications and one reimbursement request.

NEW APPLICATIONS

Deaver Conservation Landscaping: Alexandria, Mount Vernon District, Cameron Run Watershed

• Duplex property backs to the Huntington Levy on Cameron Run and is entirely within the RPA.
• Homeowner wants to eventually convert all the lawn to native landscaping. This project addresses the front yard.
• Project will receive runoff from one downspout and soak up water that is currently flowing to the street.
• All of front lawn will be replaced except for a small strip of grass to allow access between the driveway and front door. The grass in the strip between the sidewalk and road will also be planted, although this is not part of the cost-share application because it is in the right-of-way.
• Size – 495 ft² excluding right-of-way planting; Cost Estimate - $8,738.26; Cost-Share Request - $6,990.61
• The Committee provided the following comments, summarized below.
  • Due to the large silver maple in the front yard, which looks stressed, use a very light touch when planting. Hand dig holes and do not use a garden auger.

Irizarry Conservation Landscaping: Falls Church, Providence District, Cameron Run Watershed

• Water pools in the rear of this property, next to the patio, fed by runoff flowing from the front to the rear of the home along the right side and from the backyards of the properties to the left. In the past, pooling water has spilled down the exterior stairs and flooded the basement.
• The owners have made improvements to the home to prevent basement flooding but now want to address the ponding water directly.
• They plan to install two conservation landscaping beds, each placed to intercept and absorb runoff from one of the two main flow paths.
• The planting plan is professionally designed but the installation and sourcing will be DIY.
• Size – 760 ft²; Cost Estimate - $4,290.96; Cost-Share Request - $3,432.77
• The Committee provided the following comments, summarized below.
  • Some of the pooling may be caused by the owner’s backyard fence, which passes across the runoff flow path. They may see improvement by cutting off a few inches from the bottom of the pickets.
  • The landscaping bed installed along the left side of the property should be graded carefully to ensure that it does not dam up water on the neighboring backyard.

Beauchemin Conservation Landscaping: City of Alexandria, Four Mile Run Watershed

• The property’s rear downspouts flow to pop ups near the back fence, and the lawn around them remains soggy for extended periods. The front downspouts and yard runoff flows out to the street. The property is entirely turf grass.
• The owners wish to install extensive conservation landscaping beds that will absorb both runoff paths.
• Size – 1,760 ft²; Cost Estimate - $25,186; Cost-Share Request - $7,000

Halstead Glen Cluster Conservation Landscaping: Reston, Hunter Mill District, Difficult Run Watershed

• The townhouse community has common land around an intermittent stream that is in a natural forested state. The stream is in a stormwater easement but has no floodplain for RPA.
• Because of pooling of water caused by debris dams, several canopy trees have died, allowing in sunlight. This has caused a sizable patch of stilt grass to grow.
• The Cluster would like to remove the stilt grass and replant the area densely with natives.
• The plan proposes three planting cells. Ideally, the community would like to plant one cell each year, as this would give them time to see what grows well and what revisions should be made to the next cell’s planting plan. The applicants request that they be allowed to install the project over three years, from spring 2024 to spring 2026. This would greatly exceed CAPs usual 6-month installation timeframe.
• Size – 545 ft²; Cost Estimate - $8,271.30; Cost-Share Request - $6,617.40
• The Committee provided the following comments, summarized below.
  • Move the Blue lobelia to the side of the planting cell furthest from the stream.
  • Substitute Virginia sweetspire for the shrubby St. John’s Wort. The St. John’s wort is an upland plant that will likely not grow well in the wet conditions.
  • If possible, get single stem River birches rather than the more common multi-stem.
  • Protect the woody shrubs and trees with deer fencing. Keep an eye on the other species to see if deer fencing should be placed around them too.
  • Use wood chips instead of leaf mulch. In wet environments, leaf mulch tends to trap moisture and cause fungal mats that can harm roots. Green wood chips/arborist chips are the best option.
  • If the main goal of the leaf mulch is to suppress stilt grass, the project may not need any chips or mulch cover since stilt grass is an annual, but be resigned to consistent weeding over many years, as that is the only way to control stilt grass.
  • The three year installation window is rejected, but the Committee will allow the installation deadline to be extended to the end of Spring 2025. This will give the cluster three growing seasons to plant.

REIMBURSEMENT

Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church CAP Energy: Burke, Springfield District

• This CAP-E project replaced four existing exterior doors with new Energy Star-rated models.
• This is the last CAP-E project that will be considered. The program is converting over to the Energy CAP, or E-CAP, program in partnership with the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination.
• Cost - $13,725.70; Cost-share - $5,000

PROGRAM UPDATES

Ms. Fraser presented a summary of CAP accomplishments from January – December 2023.  The CAP program is funded by the county, and the data in this summary will be presented to Public Works to show how the money is being spent. Some highlights include:

• 20 CAP projects were approved in 2023, and 18 have been completed.
• $108,602 of cost-share funds were committed to the approved projects.
• 126 site visits were completed in the year.
• The average cost-share amount per project was approximately $5,000.

APPROVALS

A motion (McGlone-Lacquement) that the Dyer A&F District’s Soil and Water Quality Conservation Plan, with the Committee’s recommendations incorporated, be recommended for approval by the NVSWCD Board at their February meeting passed without objection.

A motion (McGlone-Schwartz) that the CAP-VCAP applications be recommended for approval by the NVSWCD Board at their February meeting passed without objection.

A motion (Lacquement - McGlone) that the CAP-E reimbursement be recommended for approval by the NVSWCD Board at their February meeting passed without objection.

OTHER BUSINESS
Mr. McGlone mentioned that the Fairfax County Police Department and Animal Shelter are proposing that the animal protective unit be remove from the County Police and folded into the Animal Shelter. Mr. McGlone is concerned with this because wildlife control and animal sheltering a very different, and the move could push the unit to adopt non-lethal wildlife management policies. Currently, Animal Protection Police Officers run the deer and goose management programs in the county.

Mr. Woode suggests bringing the issue up at the Board Meeting during Associate Director’s reports. Board Members and Associate Members may be personally interested and/or may refer the issue to the Legislative Committee.

ADJOURNMENT
Mr. Schwartz adjourned the meeting at 12:30. The next scheduled meeting of the Committee is March 19^th at 10 AM.

Minutes of the February 27, 2024 Executive Operations Committee Meeting will be posted following approval at the next committee meeting.