13
September/October 2018
|
THE DAVEY BULLETIN
RESTORATION IMPROVES SAFETY, WATER QUALITY
Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI), a Davey
company, has restored 1,100 feet of stream for the Lake
Anne West Stream Restoration in Reston, Virginia. This
project is a part of the Northern Virginia Stream Restoration
Bank (NVSRB), which began in 2008 and has restored
nearly 10.5 miles of streams in Reston, Virginia.
John Connelly, manager, restoration, said this stream was
badly eroded and a safety issue for the residents whose
properties abut it.
"Our project goal was to reconnect the stream to the flood
plain and make it ecologically balanced," Connelly said.
"Our restoration raised the stream bed back up and created
riffles and pools to imitate a natural system."
The stream valley also was replanted with over 3,000 native
trees and shrubs. The project included two new bridges
with a paved path for community members.
Connelly said by reducing the bank erosion, it will reduce
the dredging cost associated with Lake Anne, the nutrients
going into the lake and, eventually, the Chesapeake Bay.
Connelly credits the success of this project to keeping the
community involved and having a strong team, which
included the Reston Association, Total Development Solutions
Above left: Before the restoration, the stream was badly eroded and
a safety issue for residents living along the stream.
Above right: Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. restored 1,100 feet of
stream for this project, which reduced bank erosion, reduced dredging
costs for Lake Anne and nutrients going into the lake and, eventually,
the Chesapeake Bay.
(TDS), and The Care of Trees (TCOT) Dulles office, which
performed the necessary tree removals and replanting.
Connelly said the most gratifying part of these stream
restoration projects is when the community sees that
everything is working as planned and watching as the
restoration evolves like a natural system.
"We took the community's input and used it to change
some aspects to meet the community's needs and
concerns," he said.
A letter was sent to WSSI from Elmer Danenberger,
president of the Sunderbriar Cluster Association, on behalf of
the community thanking WSSI for their work on this project.
"I want to commend WSSI for transforming the unsightly
and dangerously eroded Lake Anne drainage ditch into
an attractive streambed that is a source of pride for our
community," Danenberger wrote.
Pictured are attendees at a site meeting with representatives from WSSI, Total Development Solutions, Reston Association,
Sunderbriar Cluster and Waterview Cluster (neighborhood groups). From left are Joe Fromel, Glen Ingram, Elmer Danenberger,
John Connelly, Bryan Johnson, Nicki Bellezza, Daniel Misch, Charlie Saunders and Karen Noel.
