Engineering & Educating the Public on Streams
In heavily populated urban areas like Baltimore County, streams are often overlooked or their function is unappreciated. A stream restoration project can change the scenery that local residents have been used to. But it is important to understand that often, streams are located in what was previously forests or farm fields before development.
“Our stream restoration projects involve a design that’s going to fit our goals for the stream,” but we realize it’s important that it works for the community as well,” says ASABE member Jena Smolko, Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection & Sustainability. “It’s important that residents know what’s going on in their backyard to allay their concerns and curiosities.”
Why Stream Restoration Projects are Needed
Stream restoration projects in urban areas often are in areas where sewer lines cross stream channels in floodplains. With development increasing, stormwater ponds are needed to slow down water flow before it gets to a stream, because water flowing too quickly through the stream can cause erosion in the stream channel, exposing or threatening public infrastructure like sanitary sewer pipes.
Private property can also be threatened by a stream, if the eroding channel is getting too close to someone’s yard or building. Erosion can also cause head cuts into wetlands, resulting in the wetland draining—which can impact the entire local ecosystem and increase pollution.
Sediment from the eroded channel settles out on the bottom of the stream and overtime causes poor habitat for macroinvertebrates which are a source of food for fish, and other wildlife; without a food source, the channel becomes a dead ecosystem.
“Sediment transport is natural, but it becomes a problem when there is too much sediment,” Smolko says. “In the big picture, our local waterways go into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. If a lot of sediment goes into the bay, that’s a problem for many reasons, because many people get their food from the bay.”
Engineers Collaborate for Successful Solutions
The engineers, biologists and other scientists selecting these stream restoration projects have to keep the big picture in mind, looking at hydraulics and modeling before making a decision. Water has to be slowed down going through the stream channel to reduce erosion and filter out pollutants. They also have to be careful not to cut down too many trees.
“We have that goal in mind, and if we can’t achieve that, then sometimes, it’s not even worth doing a project in that area,” she said. “Or maybe we can find another way to slow down the stream channel flow without removing as many trees.”
During the decade Smolko has worked with the Environmental Protection & Sustainability department, she’s heard so many folks share their opinions of local streams.
“The streams often are areas where they played as children, but now, they can’t jump across the channel anymore because it’s widened out,” she said. “Or we’ll also see the complete opposite—landowners don’t even know they have a stream on their property, especially if it’s hidden by a wooded area. Or perhaps the only time they think about the stream is when it’s raining or flooding.”
While streams are also home to animals, Smolko often sees trash littering wooded areas and stream channels, impacting its ecological value.
Community Outreach
Once a project has been selected, the community surrounding the stream channel is informed by letter, explaining what the project will entail and including a contact number for concerned citizens to call for questions. The Environmental Protection & Sustainability Department asks landowners for permission to have access to private property if it is connected to the stream. If they don’t hear from landowners, representatives from the office go door to door to obtain that permission. If a neighborhood has a homeowner’s association, the Environmental Protection & Sustainability office will work with them to schedule a meeting about the project.
“Once we begin working on the project, community members will see workers surveying and studying the area, and that makes them curious. It is common that we don’t hear any feedback until the construction crew begins project mobilization.” Smolko says. It usually takes two to three years to complete a project design and obtain the necessary permits.
Smolko notes that it’s challenging to get homeowners in the area to show interest in the projects—or, if they do attend a meeting about the project, to stick to the topic at hand.
“We’d love to have at least 50 percent of locals attend,” Smolko says. “Each community is different, and some communities want to be more involved. We have to read each community and do outreach accordingly.”
The Environmental Protection & Sustainability department makes a large investment of funding and time on stream restoration projects, but Smolko notes that the visual aesthetic is usually the primary focus for community members. After a project is completed, the team wants the stream to look natural with native plants.
“It’s rewarding to see our restored stream projects with all kinds of birds, plants and wildlife in the middle of a highly urban area,” she says. “Depending on the project, some trees have to come down, others remain and new ones are planted with a stream project. It may look different, there is a purpose for why we do these stream restoration projects and we are trying hard to communicate the purpose to the communities we work in.”