North Branch Bennett Creek Stream Restoration Complete
The Center completed a $1.3 million, three-year project to restore over 2/3 of a mile of stream at the Bar-T Mountainside property in Urbana, Maryland. The Center managed the overall project with design and construction support from Ecotone, and the work was funded by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Frederick County, and Baltimore Gas and Electric.The North Branch of Little Bennett Creek flows through the 115-acre Bar-T Mountainside property, owned by Joe Richardson and operated as an outdoors summer camp and afterschool program. This project restored a 1,744-foot segment of the creek, which, prior to restoration, had three to four-foot high actively eroding stream banks. The floodplain had also been heavily impacted by legacy sediment and historic agricultural activities. These impacts disconnected the stream from its floodplain, reducing its ability to absorb floodwaters and filter out pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus.
The project realigned portions of the North Branch of Bennett Creek using sustainable design concepts and creating a more stable geometry. A natural sinuous stream pattern was developed to allow access to the existing floodplain, add diversity to the system, and create habitat. Restoration techniques included improving streamside vegetation and creating floodplain wetlands to improve groundwater and floodplain connectivity. Bioengineering practices were utilized to provide additional stability, shade, reduced water temperatures, and improved aquatic habitat. An additional 752 feet of an eroded unnamed tributary that was contributing sediment to the North Branch of Bennett Creek was restored along with approximately 1,215 feet of an ephemeral tributary that had become an eroded gully.To accomplish the project, the Center teamed with Ecotone to design, permit, and construct the stream restoration. The Center managed the overall project, conducted stream assessments for crediting, and assisted with design and permitting. The Center also acted as the main point of contact for the landowner and all project funders. Ecotone led the design and permitting process and was the construction contractor.
In 20 years, North Branch Bennett Creek will evolve into a self-sustaining system that provides sediment storage, flood attenuation, and nutrient reductions along with habitat for a variety of fish species and other wildlife. In addition to providing these local improvements, this project has helped Frederick County make progress toward their Chesapeake Bay pollution reduction goals in a cost-effective manner and serves to educate students about streams. Joe Richardson and Bar-T Mountainside are taking advantage of the restored creeks and wetlands to expand the scope of environmental and scientific education offerings on the campus. This has included collecting and analyzing macroinvertebrate samples with students which will continue after construction to measures the project’s ability to support aquatic organisms. For passive visitors, the educational mission of the camp is supported by a series of signs along a foot trail which describe the project, how it is beneficial, and the biota that now thrive in the area.
“The stream restoration project has enabled Bar-T Mountainside to fulfill our commitment to preserve and protect our wetlands. This ecological and engineering feat will enable us as a non-formal environmental educator, to teach optimal environmental and sustainable practices for decades to come” – Joe Richardson, Sr., Owner of Bar-T Mountainside
For more information about this project, contact Bryan Seipp at bts@cwp.org.