Miquon Creek STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT WHO WE ARE
Introductions Brett Long, PE Project Permitting & Construction Oversight Chris Streb, PE Project Designer & Construction Oversight Assistance WHO WE ARE
Today s Agenda Project Background Project Goals Stream Restoration Approach Permitting and Timeline Project Construction & Schedule Project Funding Potential TMDL TODAY S AGENDA
Location PROJECT BACKGROUND 4
What Miquon wants for its students What they have now PROJECT BACKGROUND 5
Miquon bridge during an August 2, 2009 storm Miquon bridge at normal stream levels 6
What caused this.. Stream incision Safety concerns Falling vegetation Eroding banks Campus amenity impacted PROJECT BACKGROUND
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Impervious Impacts to Streams Stream in a Watershed with 8% impervious cover This is what is usually going on, right? Stream in a Watershed with 20% impervious cover Stream in a Watershed with 30% impervious cover WATERSHED 101
The Negative Feedback Loop
Aerial view of Miquon Creek watershed in 1998 Aerial view of Miquon Creek Watershed in 2002 following Clearing for Ace Gold Club 12
August 2011 Hurricane Sandy PROJECT BACKGROUND 13
Step 4: Twice the value of the percentage of the United States with a much greater than normal proportion of precipitation derived from extreme (equivalent to the highest tenth percentile) 1-day precipitation events. PROJECT BACKGROUND 14
Past Precipitation Extremes Hurricane Sandy, October 2013 Tropical Storm Lee, September 2011 Hurricane Irene, August 2011 Hurricane Jeanne, September 2004 Hurricane Isabel, September 2003 Increased precipitation will likely increase runoff, potentially flooding roads, tunnels, eroding bridge foundation supports, and carrying infectious pathogens, increasing the risk of water-borne diseases. These events may require additional pumping and crew deployments during and after the storm. (PACIA, 2009) From Useful Climate Information for Philadelphia: Past and Future (2014) by ICF International for Philadelphia Mayor s Office of Sustainability PROJECT BACKGROUND
What Are Our Options? Runoff Disconnection Pond Retrofits Infiltration/Sand Berms Channel Stabilization Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance Bioretention And More.. Majority on Private Property Discuss Options with Township What Can We Control? PROJECT BACKGROUND 16
Stream Restoration Goals Eliminate hazards for recreation near the stream Improve water quality Improve aquatic & terrestrial habitat Reduce stream channel bank & bed erosion Protect infrastructure & utilities Reconnect stream to floodplain Enhance riparian forest Increase habitat diversity Improve ground water recharge STREAM RESTORATION GOALS
Educational Goals Integrate Project into School Curriculum Biology Ecology Botany Hydrology Environmental Science Geology Math Art PROJECT GOALS 18
Student Involvement/Projects Bioblitz! http://www.nature.nps.gov/biology/biodiversity/bioblitz.cfm Photo Monitoring Macroinvertebrate (Bug) Monitoring Leaf Pack Network http://www.stroudcenter.org/lpn/index.htm Plant Monitoring Invasive Plant Removal Educational Kiosks Nature Art PROJECT GOALS 19
Stream Restoration Approach Cascades & Pools w/ Floodplain Reconnection In-Stream Structures (boulder cascades and riffles due to step nature of stream) Channel bed grade control Reduce bank velocity and erosion Raise Channel Invert Reduce bank slope Maintain baseflow/bankfull channel capacity Dissipate excess energy Reconnect to Floodplain Habitat enhancement Riffle/pool system for aquatic habitat Riparian cover shading and avian habitat Diverse and native plant communities, forested wetlands Pollutant Reduction Erosion prevention & Sediment trapping Phosphorus removal in stream/wetland interaction Reduce Nitrate in deep pools STREAM RESTORATION APPROACH
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We had some constraints 24
Cascade & Pool System minor floodplain reconnection. Boulder cascades with significant pool development Minor raise in channel invert where able without affecting floodplain structures Minimize impacts to adjacent floodplain, vegetation, wetlands, properties Reduces bank steepness and drop Allows for stream crossing at boulder cascades Replant and supplement with native plantings Prevent further down cutting and hydrologic disconnection from wetland 25
STREAM RESTORATION APPROACH 26
Permitting Wetland and Bog Turtle Assessment Threatened and Endangered Species Potential Hits from Department of Conservation of Natural Resources (DCNR), Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC), US Fish & Wildlife Service but all cleared Pennsylvania Historic & Museum Commission Clearance (PHMC) PA Chapter 105 permit waiver due to project DA (<100 acres), still required to submit project information for Department of Env Protection review Army Corps Engineers Permit Erosion and Sediment Control review No NPDES required (<1 acre disturbance) PERMITTING AND TIMELINE 27
Realistic Timeline these projects really take a long time Previous Work Watershed Assessment: 2008 2009 Emergency Stream Repairs: 2010-2011 Initial Attempt at Permitting Stream Project: 2012-2014 This Project Stream Project Start: April 2014 Pre-Application Mtg: May 2014 Design & Modeling: June Nov 2014 Permitting & Landowner Coordination: Dec 2014 July 2015 Construction - TBD Be realistic and avoid frustration! Start before its an emergency! PERMITTING AND TIMELINE 28
Restoration During Construction This in the middle of an active school campus! PROJECT CONSTRUCTION AND SCHEDULE 29
Project Funding? PROJECT FUNDING 30
TMDL Credit? POTENTIAL TMDL CREDIT 31
Protocol 1: Credit for Prevented Sediment during Storm Flow 3 Methods 1. Monitoring (bank pins) Photo Courtesy of Philadelphia Water Department 2. BANCS (Bank Assessment for Nonpoint Source Consequences of Sediment) 3. Alternative Modeling Approaches 50% removal assumed for restoration but greater can be proven with monitoring POTENTIAL TMDL CREDIT 32
Acknowledgments Miquon School Community especially Julia Finney, Susannah Wolfe, Deborah Crocker Stu Appel Wells Appel Landscape Architecture Justin Kaufmann & Lee Irwin Aquatic Resource Restoration Company (ARRC) Scott Bush, PWS, Conestoga-Rovers & Associates ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 33
Questions?