Resources by Laurie Fox
Title | Available As | Summary | Date | ID | Author |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
What Is a Watershed? | This publication defines watersheds, why they are important to everyone, and how people positively and negatively impact them. |
Sep 11, 2023 | 426-041 (SPES-2P) | ||
Winterizing the Water Garden | Water gardens require maintenance throughout the year. Preparation for the winter months is especially important for the survival of both the aquatic plants and the wildlife in and around the pond. Some plants will not tolerate winter weather and must be removed from the pond while cold-hardy plants need only to be completely immersed in the pond. Debris such as leaves and dying plants must be removed, especially if there are fish in the pond. Fall is the time to take action. Prepare the pond for the winter months by managing the plants, cleaning the pond, and monitoring the water conditions. If treated properly, many aquatic plants and wildlife can survive in the water garden for years. |
Mar 1, 2020 | 426-042 (SPES-261P) | ||
Rain Garden Plants | A rain garden is a landscaped area specially designed to collect rainfall and storm-water runoff. The plants and soil in the rain garden clean pollutants from the water as it seeps into the ground and evaporates back into the atmosphere. For a rain garden to work, plants must be selected, installed, and maintained properly. |
Jan 2, 2024 | 426-043 (SPES-57P) | ||
Urban Water-Quality Management: Wildlife in the Home Pond Garden | Small home pond gardens support aquatic plants and also attract a variety of wildlife. Turtles, frogs, birds, snakes, lizards, and raccoons as well as many other animals may use these ponds. Most wildlife needs water to survive and will seek out ponds for drinking, bathing, habitat, and in some cases, reproduction. |
Sep 2, 2020 | 426-045 (HORT-126P) | ||
Urban Stormwater: Terms and Definitions | Jul 14, 2020 | 426-119 (BSE-268P) | |||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 3: Grass Channels | Jul 1, 2020 | 426-122 (BSE-271P) | |||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 4: Soil Restoration | Soil restoration (SR) is the technique of enhancing
compacted soils to improve their porosity and nutrient
retention. It includes biological (worms) and mechanical
aeration, mechanical loosening (tilling), planting
dense vegetation, and applying soil amendments.
Soil amendments involve the spreading and mixing of
mature compost into disturbed and compacted urban
soils (see Figure 1). |
Jul 14, 2020 | 426-123 (BSE-272P) | ||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 5: Vegetated Roofs | A vegetated roof (VR) is a best management practice
(BMP) that reduces stormwater runoff and pollution.
Vegetation and media create a permeable system on
a previously impervious surface. The VR intercepts
rainfall and filters runoff while reducing the volume
and velocity. Vegetated roofs consist of a waterproofing
barrier, drainage system, and engineered growing
media. There are two types of VRs: intensive and
extensive. Intensive vegetated roofs are deeper and
heavier, while extensive vegetated roofs are shallower,
lighter, and more common (see Figure 1). The type of
VR determines the amount of maintenance necessary to
maintain the vegetation. |
Jul 14, 2020 | 426-124 (BSE-273P) | ||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 6: Rainwater Harvesting | Rainwater harvesting (RWH), also known as rainwater
harvesting systems or cisterns, are devices that intercept,
divert, store, and release collected roof runoff
from rainfall for later use as an alternative water supply
(see figure 1). RWH can also be designed to provide
runoff reduction benefits. Therefore, it is classified as
a best management practice (BMP) for treatment of
urban stormwater. Because of its dual purpose and
benefit, RWH is often classified as a sustainable urban
BMP. |
Jul 1, 2020 | 426-125 (BSE-274P) | ||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 7: Permeable Pavement | Permeable pavement (PP) is a modified form of asphalt or concrete with a top layer that is pervious to water due to voids intentionally created during mixing. PPs
include pervious concrete, porous asphalt, and interlocking concrete pavers. These materials are used as stormwater treatment practices in urban areas. They are used in place of traditionally impervious surfaces to allow infiltration and storage, thus reducing runoff
(see figure 1). |
Jul 1, 2020 | 426-126 (BSE-275P) | ||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 9: Bioretention | A bioretention cell, or rain garden, is a best management
practice (BMP) designed to treat stormwater runoff
from roofs, driveways, walkways, or lawns. They
are a shallow, landscaped depression that receives and
treats polluted stormwater with the goal of discharging
water of a quality and quantity similar to that of a forested
watershed (figure 1). |
Jan 27, 2020 | 426-128 (BSE-277P) | ||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 10: Dry Swale | A dry swale (DS) is a shallow, gently sloping channel
with broad, vegetated, side slopes. Water flow is
slowed by a series of check dams (see figure 1). A DS
provides temporary storage, filtration, and infiltration
of stormwater runoff. Dry swales function similarly to
bioretention, and are comparable to wet swales; however,
unlike a wet swale, a DS should remain dry during
periods of no rainfall. A DS is an engineered best management
practice (BMP) that is designed to reduce pollution
through runoff reduction and pollutant removal
and is part of a site’s stormwater treatment practice
(see figure 2). |
Mar 5, 2020 | 426-129 (BSE-278P) | ||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 11: Wet Swale | A wet swale (WS) is an engineered, best management
practice (BMP) arranged in a straight line that is
designed to reduce stormwater pollution. A WS consists
of a shallow, gently sloping channel with broad,
vegetated, side slopes and slow flows (see figure 1).
Wet swales typically stay wet because the bottom of the
swale is below the water table. This is done to encourage
the growth of wetland vegetation, providing water
quality treatment similar to a natural wetland. This
stormwater treatment practice also functions as part of
the stormwater conveyance system. Wet swales have a
relatively low capital cost; however, maintenance can
be is intensive and expensive when compared to other
BMPs. |
Mar 5, 2020 | 426-130 (BSE-279P) | ||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 12: Filtering Practices | A stormwater filtering practice (FP) treats stormwater
runoff by passing it through an engineered filter media
consisting of either sand, gravel, organic matter, and/
or a proprietary manufactured product, collecting it in
an underdrain, and then discharging the effluent to a
stormwater conveyance system. FPs are stormwater
treatment practices that are often obtained from the
marketplace due to unique proprietary technologies
(see figure 1). |
Mar 5, 2020 | 426-131 (BSE-280P) | ||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 13: Constructed Wetlands | Constructed wetlands are a series of ponds with varying depths that treat stormwater using wetland processes. In terms of biological activity, wetlands are extremely productive; and thus constructed wetlands can provide significant water quality treatment to urban runoff. This fact sheet describes these benefits, and provides guidance on their design and limitations. |
Jan 22, 2020 | 426-132 (BSE-281P) | ||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 14: Wet Ponds | Wet ponds are ponds designed to retain water through storage. They provide treatment through settling and biological uptake. They can also attenuate peak flows and provide flood and streambank protection. This fact sheet describes wet ponds and their benefits and limitations. |
Jan 22, 2020 | 426-133 (BSE-282) | ||
Best Management Practice Fact Sheet 15: Extended Detention Ponds | Extended detention ponds (EDs) are dry detention ponds
that provide 12 to 24 hours of runoff storage during peak
runoff events (see figure 1). Releases from the ED ponds
are controlled by an outlet structure. During a storm
event, as the discharge restriction is reached, water backs
up into the ED pond. The pool slows flow velocities and
enables particulate pollutants to settle. Peak flows are
also reduced. ED ponds have the lowest overall pollutant-
removal rate of any stormwater treatment option,
so they are often combined with other upstream, lowimpact
development (LID) practices to better maximize
pollutant-removal rates. Due to their placement at the exit
point of the watershed, ED is often the last opportunity
to treat stormwater before it is discharged to a stream.
Because of its low treatment performance, an ED should
be viewed as the treatment option of last resort. |
Mar 6, 2020 | 426-134 (BSE-283P) | ||
Fertilización de árboles y arbustos (Fertilizing Landscape Trees and Shrubs) | Los árboles y arbustos necesitan nutrientes para crecer
y estar sanos. Los tres nutrientes más importantes son
nitrógeno, fósforo y potasio. Un análisis de suelos es
siempre la mejor manera de saber qué nutrientes se
necesitan y la cantidad necesaria de cada uno. |
Jul 12, 2021 | 430-018S (SPES-338P) | ||
Trees for Parking Lots and Paved Areas | May 1, 2009 | 430-028 | |||
Selecting and Managing Trees to Avoid Conflicts with Overhead Utility Lines | Trees can become a dangerous liability when they are planted near utility lines and their mature size leads to conflicts with the utility lines. Trees can damage utility lines, disrupt power delivery, and create hazardous conditions. Utility companies expend significant resources managing tree conflicts through pruning and removal. Despite the potential for these conflicts, property owners often desire trees near utility lines for amenity and privacy. To prevent recurring conflicts with utility lines, trees with compatible mature size should be planted near utility lines. In this publication are recommendations for minimizing tree conflicts with utility lines along with an extensive list of utility line compatible tree species suitable for landscapes in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region. |
Sep 9, 2024 | 430-029 (CNRE-182P) | ||
Trees and Shrubs that Tolerate Saline Soils and Salt Spray Drift | Concentrated sodium (Na), a component of salt, can damage plant tissue whether it contacts above or below ground parts. High salinity can reduce plant growth and may even cause plant death. Care should be taken to avoid excessive salt accumulation from any source on tree and shrub roots, leaves or stems. Sites with saline (salty) soils, and those that are exposed to coastal salt spray or paving de-icing materials, present challenges to landscapers and homeowners. |
Aug 19, 2021 | 430-031 (SPES-342P) | ||
A Guide to Successful Pruning: Pruning Deciduous Trees | May 18, 2022 | 430-456 (SPES-403P) | |||
A Guide to Successful Pruning, Pruning Evergreen Trees | May 17, 2022 | 430-457 (SPES-402P) | |||
A Guide to Successful Pruning: Deciduous Tree Pruning Calendar | Jun 16, 2021 | 430-460 (SPES-328P) | |||
A Guide to Successful Pruning: Evergreen Tree Pruning Calendar | Jun 16, 2021 | 430-461 (SPES-324P) | |||
A Guide to Successful Pruning, Shrub Pruning Calendar | Jun 11, 2021 | 430-462 (SPES-323P) | |||
Soil Test Note: 20 Home Shrubs and Trees | Jun 29, 2021 | 452-720 (SPES-336P) | |||
Stormwater Management for Homeowners Fact Sheet 2: Rain Barrels | An overview of rain barrels, one of the most common residential stormwater management practices. |
Jun 12, 2024 | SPES-10P (SPES-609P) | ||
Stormwater Management for Homeowners Fact Sheet 3: Permeable Pavement | An overview of permeable paving, one of the most common residential stormwater management practices. |
Jul 5, 2024 | SPES-11P (SPES-610P) | ||
Stormwater Management for Homeowners Fact Sheet 4:Grass Swales | An overview of grass swales, one of the most common residential stormwater management practices. |
Jun 11, 2024 | SPES-12P (SPES-611P) | ||
Stormwater Management for Homeowners Fact Sheet 5: Rain Gardens | An overview of rain gardens, one of the most common residential stormwater management practices. |
Jun 10, 2024 | SPES-13P (SPES-612P) | ||
Stormwater Management for Homeowners Fact Sheet 6: Buffers | An overview of buffers, one of the most common residential stormwater management practices. |
Jun 12, 2024 | SPES-14P (SPES-613P) | ||
Basic Principles of Watershed Restoration and Stormwater Management in the Chesapeake Bay Region | Dec 8, 2020 | SPES-195NP | |||
The Right Answer: How to Find Unbiased, Research-Based Answers Horticultural Questions | Feb 19, 2021 | SPES-275P | |||
Stormwater Management for Homeowners Fact Sheet 1: Rooftop Redirection (Disconnection) | Overview of rooftop redirect, one of the most common residential stormwater management practices. |
Jun 12, 2024 | SPES-9P (SPES-608P) | ||
Small Scale Perennial Production Using Iris as an Example Crop | Apr 20, 2022 | SPES-354P | |||
Fertilizing Landscape Trees and Shrubs - Basic | May 12, 2022 | SPES-397P |