Watershed Technical Workgroup
The Watershed Technical Workgroup provides a forum for communication and discussion between and among jurisdictions and other Chesapeake Bay Program partners on technical issues related to best management practices, Watershed Model processes and management strategy development and implementation reporting.
Meetings
No upcoming meetings.
Watershed Technical Workgroup Meeting - December 2025
Watershed Technical Workgroup Meeting - November 2025
Watershed Technical Workgroup Meeting - October 2025
About
The charge of the cross-sector Watershed Technical Workgroup is to provide a forum for communication and discussion between and among the jurisdictions and other CBP participants on technical issues related to Best Management Practices (BMPs), Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model processes, and management strategy development and implementation reporting. Functions include:
- Support the Water Quality Goal Implementation Team (WQGIT) and the greater Bay Program partners in implementing management strategies to achieve the nutrient and sediment reductions necessary to restore the Bay.
- Support development of BMP Expert Panel technical appendices.
- Review and approve the recommended BMP definitions and efficiencies from source workgroups and local jurisdictions, in collaboration with the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and WQGIT workgroups. Ensure that BMPs are consistent across sectors and communicated clearly.
- Review and approve how BMPs are simulated in the Watershed Model to ensure that the assumptions accurately reflect real world conditions and are consistent and equitable between the different sectors.
- Review and approve how BMPs are tracked and reported by CBP partner jurisdictions and agencies for use in the Watershed Model to ensure that the assumptions accurately reflect real world conditions and are consistent and equitable between the different sectors and are communicated clearly.
- Provide technical review & recommendations to the CBP Modeling team and WQGIT on updates to Watershed Model Processes, input data, and assessment of annual progress.
Projects
CAST Update Tracker
Phase 7 Model Development
In ProgressThese updated modeling tools will be used by the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership to inform decisions related to the nutrient and sediment reduction goals outlined in the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.
WTWG Voting Membership (chair, signatory, and at-large members)
WTWG New Member Training Guide
Publications
Agroforestry BMP Expert Panel Establishment Group Report
Publication date:This report outlines the recommendations regarding Silvopasture and Alley Cropping Agroforestry Practice from the BMP EPEG.
View document [PDF, 608.1 KB] Agroforestry BMP Expert Panel Establishment Group Report
Agricultural Ditch Management BMP Expert Panel Report
Publication date:This report review the available science on the nutrient and sediment removal efficiencies associated with agricultural ditch best management practices.
View document [PDF, 3.5 MB] Agricultural Ditch Management BMP Expert Panel Report
Advanced OWTS BMP Panel report
Publication date: Not listedThe Chesapeake Bay On-site Wastewater Nitrogen Removal BMP Expert Review Panel was reconvened to specifically evaluate two proposed BMPs:
Recommendations of the Expert Panel to Define Removal Rates for Shoreline Management Projects
Publication date:Recommendations of the Expert Panel to Define Removal Rates for Shoreline Management Projects (WQGIT Approved 7/13/15, WTWG Revised 6/1/17).
Algal Flow Way BMP Expert Panel Report
Publication date: Not listedView document [PDF, 1.6 MB] Algal Flow Way BMP Expert Panel Report
Our Members
- Auston Smith (Coordinator)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Smith.Auston@epa.gov - Caroline Kleis (Staffer)
Chesapeake Research Consortium Kleis.Caroline@epa.gov - Normand Goulet
Northern Virginia Regional Commission ngoulet@novaregion.org - Matt Kofroth
Lancaster County Conservation District (PA) MattKofroth@lancasterconservation.org - Josh Glace
Larson Design Group jglace@larsondesigngroup.com - Christina Lyerly
Maryland Department of the Environment christina.lyerly@maryland.gov - Bill Keeling
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality william.keeling@deq.virginia.gov - Scott Heidel
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection scheidel@pa.gov - Alicia Ritzenthaler
District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment alicia.ritzenthaler@dc.gov - Chris Brosch
Delaware Department of Agriculture chris.brosch@delaware.gov - Samuel Canfield
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection samuel.a.canfield@wv.gov - Cassandra Davis
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation cassandra.davis@dec.ny.gov - Kaylyn Gootman
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Gootman.Kaylyn@epa.gov - Kevin Du Bois
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) kevin.r.dubois.civ@us.navy.mil