FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Mountain Biking at City Reservoirs
Recently there has been a rumor circulating that mountain biking is to be banned on Baltimore City reservoir
property. This rumor is unfounded.

Baltimore City’s three reservoirs provide 1.8 million customers the best quality drinking water every day. In order to do
this we must continually protect these bodies of water from degradation and sedimentation. Runoff of soil into Loch
Raven, Prettyboy and Liberty Reservoirs not only damages water quality, it also reduces the amount of water available
for use. Additionally water becomes more difficult and more expensive to treat if it is laden with silt.

There are many threats to our reservoirs including over-browsing by deer, invasive plants and aquatic life, road salt and
septic issues. Mountain bikes have created their own set of problems which is why a Mountain Bike Plan was
agreed upon and adopted by both the Mountain Biking Community and the City of Baltimore in 1998. This plan
lays out clear guidelines and responsibilities for all parties to follow so that recreational biking can occur
without negative impacts on our drinking water.

Unfortunately the approved trails, the Woods Roads, were not sufficient for many and singletracks now honeycomb
Loch Raven. Vegetation has been destroyed, trees damaged, ramps built and the resulting erosion is threatening our
drinking water supply. Our watershed lands are not parks and have never been parks. They are buffers to
protect our most precious natural resource.

Baltimore City welcomes the responsible enjoyment of these magnificent lands, but when destruction occurs
we must protect them. We have to be even more restrictive than many parks in terms of our regulations for just that
reason.

An additional rumor implies that mountain bikers are being ticketed. The only citations issued were to three bikers
who were in the woods at night. Biking and other watershed activities such as fishing are only permitted from
sunrise to sunset. Mountain bikers who are singletracking are given notification that this activity in prohibited.

Our new Watershed Rangers are in the process of clearly marking legal trails and educating bicyclists on the rules and
regulations governing our watersheds. Informational kiosks are being refurbished. Maps and other printed guidelines
are being prepared. Until all this work is completed, mountain bikers are only being informed that going off of the
over 50 miles of approved trails is prohibited.

Next week the Department of Public Works and Mountain Biking organization leaders will informally discuss these
issues. A public hearing is anticipated in the near future.

To see the Mountain Biking Plan please go to:

http://www.baltimorecity.gov/government/dpw/water/rnrs/downloads/A%20Plan%20for%20Mountain%20Biking.pdf

Contact:
Celeste Amato Kurt L. Kocher
Telephone: 410-545-6541 Telephone: 410-396-3500
email: Celeste.Amato@baltimorecity.gov email: Kurt.Kocher@baltimorecity.gov
BALTIMORE CITY RESERVOIRS APPROVED BIKE TRAILS

Liberty:
Marriottsville Route 3.53 miles
Liberty Rd Route 2.33 miles
Sykesville Rd Route 2.99 miles
Bollinger Mill Rd Route 5.05 miles
Westminster Pike Route 3.44 miles
Nicodemus Rd Route .68 miles
Ivy Mill Route 3.72 miles
Wards Chapel Rd Route 1.48 miles
Liberty Dam Rd Route 1.10 miles

Liberty total mountain bike route miles: 28.93

Loch Raven:

Seminary Ave. Route 4.06 miles

Merrymans Mill Rd Route 1.59 miles
Jarrettsville Pike Route 2.46 miles
Morgan Mill Route 2.63 miles
Loch Raven Drive Route .87 miles

Loch Raven total mountain bike route miles: 11.61

Prettyboy:

Traceys Store Rd Route 1.67 miles

Gunpowder Rd Route 2.33 miles
Rockdale Rd Route 3.71 miles
Clipper Mill Rd Route .64 miles
North Gunpowder Rd Route 1.69 miles
Spooks Hill Rd 1.03 miles

Prettyboy total mountain bike route miles: 11.07

Total mountain bike route miles for all three reservoirs 51.61 miles
Mountain Bike Damage – Loch Raven