Fairfax Guide to Water Quality

These water quality protection tips have been compiled for you by the following agencies in cooperation with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

Virginia Department of Forestry in Fairfax County for information about:

  • urban forestry and timber
  • rain gardens
  • water quality
  • riparian buffers
  • wildlife habitat development
  • stream restoration and protection
  • tree care.

Virginia Cooperative Extension in Fairfax County
For information about:

  • gardening
  • horticulture
  • turf management
  • traditional agriculture activities.

Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District
For information about:

  • Assistance with homeowner erosion drainage problems
  • design and implementation of best management practices for horse owners and agricultural landowners
  • stream and riparian restoration
  • water quality education programs.

Our local streams and ponds in Fairfax County have a direct connection to the Potomac River watershed and the larger Chesapeake Bay watershed. Water quality is very dependent on the health of streams and waterways.

Stream side forests called riparian forest buffers have particular values related to water quality. Some benefits of a healthy riparian area are:

  • Reduce Floods by slowing water flow and absorbing excess water
  • Cover and Shade streams to keep water temperature cool for fish and other water dwelling animals.
  • Reduce nutrient levels (nitrogen and phosphorous) in stormwater runoff.
  • Produce diverse wildlife habitat.
  • Trees and grasses stabilize streambanks.

There are actions, not included on this sheet, which benefit streams and water quality in Fairfax County and throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. A Citizens Water Quality Handbook, and another publication, You and Your Land are available through the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. Storm drain stenciling, stream monitoring, replanting stream side forests, maintaining wetlands and reducing paved surfaces promote environmentally stable stream systems and improved water quality.

Last modified 2007-07-10

Forestry in My County
Learn more about the county where you live.

Forestry Consultants
Find a forestry consultant in Virginia.

Logging Notification
Loggers must notify us of their timber harvests.

Urban and Community Forestry
Do you live in a suburb? Learn how trees benefit cities and towns.

Rain Gardens
These man-made depressions in the ground collect water runoff and store it, so it can be filtered and slowly absorbed by the soil.

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