[MAIPC] the economic cost of stormwater damage caused by invasive species

[Marc Imlay]

>From minutes of NISAW Steering Committee Meeting Date: January 10, 2017, B. Marc is going to investigate a speaker on economic impact of invasive species with emphasis on municipal stormwater management costs associated with Japanese stilt weed.

In response to the two requests below, we have a very rough estimate for Baltimore County of the economic cost of stormwater damage caused by an invasive species. This is just for starters to justify research. 

Marc Imlay, PhD, Chair, Biological control working Group, Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council 

Conservation biologist, Park Ranger Office, Non-native Invasive Plant Control coordinator. 
(301) 442-5657 cell   <mailto:ialm at erols.com> ialm at erols.com
Natural and Historical Resources Division
The  Maryland-National   Capital   Park  and Planning Commission
 <http://www.pgparks.com/> www.pgparks.com  

 

 

1.    In order to justify invasive plant control funding to reduce the cost of stormwater management, we especially need the contribution by stormwater management experts. Who can provide us an estimate of the storm water management costs along streams? In our region, Japanese Stiltgrass typically covers 20% of the habitat. With this cost information we can estimate the economic contribution of Japanese Stiltgrass to be ~ 20% of the expenditures for storm water management along the steam since it doubles the amount of storm water runoff.  Follow up studies will be needed, of course, including info about other invasive plants species that increase storm water runoff. But at least this will be a start. Even costs for just one stream would be helpful. Thanks so much. 

2.    I participated in a conference call on invasive species with one item on the agenda to update the economic impact of invasive species. There are many kinds of economic impact besides the cost of removing invasives. For example, the economic cost of stormwater damage caused by invasive species.  Many studies have shown that Japanese Stiltgrass doubles the amount of nitrogen and storm water released into the Chesapeake Bay. The primary reason is that the tiny root system replaces the complex root system with a variety of niches that are necessary to hold water and release it slowly.  This argument could be used in general for other non-native invasive species replacing a complex of many native species with different root systems of different depths etc. In our region the surface of Japanese Stiltgrass has expanded typically to now cover over 20% of the habitat.  Does anyone have a cost update for the economic cost of stormwater damage caused by invasive species. Thanks.  

 

In 2003,  90 percent of Baltimore County’s population lives inside the URDL on only 30 percent of the county’s land.  From the map below we could estimate that about 50% of Baltimore County could be existing or future habitat for Japanese Stilt grass in Forested habitat (green) and to some extent fields and lawns (yellow). In 2015, Baltimore County spent $34 million on stormwater management. If the forested lands and open space generate only 50% as much stormwater runoff as the developed areas, then $34 million divided by 3 is ~$11 Million. If Japanese Stiltgrass would occupy 20% of that habitat base, then it’s presence (2 x effect) would generate $4.4 million in economic stormwater management costs. 

 

Marc

 

In 2003,  90 percent of the county’s population lives inside the URDL on only 30 percent of the county’s land.  http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-a-livable-future/_pdf/projects/foodnfaith/session2/Farmland%20Preservation%20MD.pdf

 

MDP is a comprehensive source for maps of current Land Use/Land Cover for every jurisdiction in Maryland. The Land Use/Land Cover Interactive Map allows you to view, zoom and pan our digital map "layers." These include:

1.	1973 Land Use/Land Cover
2.	2010 Land Use/Land Cover
3.	1973 - 2010 Change
4.	2002 – 2010 Change (based on modified 2002 release)*

* Enhancements to the 2010 Land Use/Land Cover release impacted the ability to perform comparative analysis with original 2002 release data. MDP resolved this by creating a modified 2002 Land Use/Land Cover product. To read more about this process, please refer to Mapping Process and Methodology <http://planning.maryland.gov/PDF/OurWork/LandUse/Methodology_MappingProcess.pdf> .

Click on the picture of the map below to begin using MDP's Interactive Land Use/Land Cover Map. To familiarize yourself with the 2010 Land Use/Land Cover release, please refer to these materials:

*	Mapping Process and Methodology <http://planning.maryland.gov/PDF/OurWork/LandUse/Methodology_MappingProcess.pdf> 
*	Land Use/Land Cover Classification Definitions <http://planning.maryland.gov/PDF/OurWork/LandUse/AppendixA_LandUseCategories.pdf> 
*	Metadata <http://planning.maryland.gov/PDF/OurWork/LandUse/metadata.pdf> 

 

http://planning.maryland.gov/OurWork/landuse.shtml

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