Project Details
Construction Date: April 2024
Location: Carroll County, Maryland
Categories: Stream Stabilization Construction
Project Description
In many cases stream restoration projects enhance the environment while protecting manmade infrastructure. These types of projects often involve improvements of repairs to sanitary sewer systems as they are often located in low areas along stream valleys. This was the case on a recent project that SMC constructed for the Carroll County Department of Public Works, Bureau of Utilities. In this circumstance, due to past changes in the watershed a stream channel adjacent to the Stone Manor pumping station was unstable and was migrating towards the infrastructure.
To remedy this circumstance, Carroll County facilitated the design of stream improvements in the area of the pumping station. Designed by Century Engineering, Inc., the improvements applied natural stream restoration techniques to improve the stability, biodiversity, and overall aquatic habitat of the stream valley while protecting the manmade infrastructure.
To achieve these goals, the stream was centered in the valley, moving it away from the pump house location. Meandering was retained in a stable pattern and the floodplain was lowered, reconnecting the stream to the floodplain more frequently, thereby enhancing the overall stream channel stability. Stone armored riffles, pools, imbricated rock steps and log/rock cut off sills were utilized as in-stream stability measures. To alleviate chronic ponding that occurred at the pump house entrance, a cast-in-place concrete trench box drain was installed to intercept runoff and discharge it onto a riprap outfall channel. Plant material was installed along the floodplain in conjunction with specialized riparian seed mix to establish a diverse native plant community.
This project was a perfect fit for the SMC team, requiring a combination of skill sets that ranged from natural ecological restoration techniques to built-environment infrastructure. Due to stream closure for fish spawning, the project had an aggressive schedule that SMC met with weeks to spare.
