Location: Alger Park, Washington D.C
Partners Involved: DC Department of Energy and Environment, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Transportation, LimnoTech, Biohabitats, Environmental Quality Resources, Hillcrest Community Civic Association. Funders: EPA and NFWF
Type of Buffer: Urban
Submitted by: Matt Weber
Prior to restoration Alger Park was in a highly degraded state with little to no base flow, vertical stream banks over 20 ft. tall, and few areas for in-stream habitat. The watershed area that drains into Alger Park is 32 acres in total, with 32% of the area that drains into Alger Park being impervious cover.
As the neighborhood developed, stormwater from roadways was directed into the park and stream valley via five stormwater outfalls. With the installation of the outfalls and increasing impervious area throughout the drainage basin, erosion rates along the stream banks continued to rise. The stream restoration project reduced in stream bank erosion by utilizing the regenerative stream design approach to restore the incised channel.
Stream restoration work at Alger Park restored 1,541 feet of stream length costing over $2,154,000. In total the project consisted of the installation of
- 56 riffle/cascade structures
- 3,448 wetland plants
- 1,160 native shrubs
- 389 herbaceous native plants
- 382 native trees
- 59 pounds of native seed
The project will prevent over 100,000 lbs. of sediment from being lost each year due to bank erosion and will provide valuable wetland, in-stream, and riparian habitat for native terrestrial and aquatic life within Alger Park. In 2019, the Alger Park Upland LID & Stream Restoration Project received both the “Best Stream Restoration Award” and the “Best Urban BMP in the Bay (BUBBA)” Award from the Chesapeake Stormwater Network. Visit this project during this year’s D.C Buffer Field Day.
Project Objectives:
- Reduce streambank erosion and channel bed incision to provide long-term stream stability and downstream water quality benefits.
- Restore half an acre of wetlands
- Reduce stormwater volume and velocity entering the stream channel
- Improve in-stream and riparian habitat conditions
This post is part of the second annual CCLC Riparian Buffer Month.
For more information check out our page ,
If you would like to support professional training of landscape professionals in the design, instillation, and maintenance of riparian buffers, please donate today to the CBLP-Buffers scholarship fund. We believe that landscape professionals have a unique ability to directly affect the health of our landscapes- and your donation will directly assist a professional in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to pursue training.
