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In October 2021, the largest stream restoration in Maryland was completed. Over 7 miles (41,000 linear feet) of Tinkers Creek and its tributaries were stabilized and restored.
The project was designed by Princeton Hydro for GV-Petro, a partnership between GreenVest and Petro Design Build Group. Working with Prince George’s County Department of the Environment and coordinating with the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, this full-delivery project was designed to meet the County’s Watershed Implementation Plan total maximum daily load (TMDL) requirements and its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Discharge Permit conditions.
Today, we are thrilled to report that the once highly urbanized watershed is flourishing and teeming with life:
[gallery columns="2" size="medium" link="none" ids="10632,10631"]
We used nature-based design and bioengineering techniques like riparian zone planting and live staking to prevent erosion and restore wildlife habitat.
[gallery columns="2" size="medium" ids="10635,10634"]
10,985 native trees and shrubs were planted in the riparian area, and 10,910 trees were planted as live stakes along the streambank.
[gallery columns="2" size="medium" ids="10637,10636"]
For more information about the project visit GreenVest's website and check out our blog:

                    [post_title] => Revisiting Tinkers Creek Stream Restoration
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This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. In celebration, The Watershed Institute launched its “Watershed Wednesdays” webinar series, which explores a variety of topics related to the environmental laws that arose after the Clean Water Act was instated. The webinars are free, open to the public and occur on the 3rd Wednesday of each month between 6 - 7:15pm EST.



To kick-off the Watershed Wednesdays series, three experts from the Princeton Hydro team led a workshop about “Stream Bank Restoration in Communities & Backyards,” which included three presentations and a Q&A session. Participants learned about what they can do to improve the water quality and restore the natural function of their neighborhood streams. Scroll down to watch the full webinar! 















In the first presentation, Water Resources Engineer, Jake Dittes, PE, provides an overview of streams, how they flow, they’re natural evolution, how they’re being impacted by climate change, and the dynamic connection between land and water. Jake provides simple action items that everyone can do to reduce stormwater flow, limit runoff pollutants, boost and protect the natural floodplain.



Casey Schrading, E.I.T., Staff Engineer, shares examples of degraded stream systems, discusses a variety of restoration techniques, and talks about his experience with overseeing the largest stream restoration project completed in Maryland. He also provides helpful tips and examples of what individuals can do in their own backyards to promote stream bank stabilization.



The third presentation is given by Landscape Architect, Cory Speroff, PLA, ASLA, CBLP. In it he provides an in-depth look at a stream, floodplain and multi-functional riparian buffer restoration project Princeton Hydro completed at Carversville Farm in Western Pennsylvania. And, he provides an in-depth look at the native plants that were installed in various zones throughout the farm and how the different plants help reduce stormwater flow, absorb excess nutrients, and prevent erosion.



To view the full webinar go here:




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLLkVUp5hJM








Many thanks to The Watershed Institute’s Executive Director Jim Waltman and River-Friendly Coordinator Olivia Spildooren for hosting the webinar and inviting Princeton Hydro to participate. To learn more about the Watershed Wednesdays series and other upcoming adult-education events, click here.



The Watershed Institute, established in 1949, is a nonprofit organization located in Central New Jersey that promotes and advocates conservation and restoration of natural habitats, collects data on environmental conditions in its watersheds, and provides environmental education through numerous programs.



Princeton Hydro specializes in the planning, design, permitting, implementing, and maintenance of ecological rehabilitation projects. To learn more about our watershed restoration services, click here.

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UPDATE: THIS PROJECT WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED IN OCTOBER 2021.
Just east of Washington D.C. in Prince George’s County, what will soon be the largest stream restoration in Maryland, is well underway. In this highly urbanized watershed, over 7 miles (41,000 linear feet) of Tinkers Creek and its tributaries, Meetinghouse Branch and Paynes Branch, will be stabilized and restored using nature-based design techniques.
The project was designed by Princeton Hydro for GV-Petro, a partnership between GreenVest and Petro Design Build Group. The project aims to prevent erosion and restore wildlife habitat using bioengineering techniques like riparian zone planting and live staking. 10,985 native trees and shrubs will be planted in the riparian area, and 10,910 trees will be planted as live stakes along the streambank. Recently, this project was expanded to include the stabilization and restoration of stormwater outfalls and headwater tributaries.
Working with Prince George’s County Department of the Environment and coordinating with the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, this full-delivery project is designed to meet the County’s Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) total maximum daily load (TMDL) requirements and its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Discharge Permit conditions.


[caption id="attachment_7741" align="aligncenter" width="936"] This photo, taken during a site visit in January 2021, documents the Tinkers Creek Stream Restoration progress[/caption]

 
Prince George’s County borders the eastern portion of Washington, D.C and is the second-most populous county in Maryland. Tinkers Creek is located on a five-mile stretch of stream valley, from Old Branch Avenue to Temple Hills Road, in Clinton and Temple Hills, Maryland. The tributary system of Tinkers Creek is described as "flashy," meaning there is a quick rise in stream level due to rainfall as a result of its high proportion of directly connected urbanized impervious areas. Its streams have storm flow rates many times higher than that from the rural and forested sub-watersheds in the southeast.


[caption id="attachment_7890" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Unstable stormwater outlet in the Tinkers Creek Restoration area (before).[/caption]

 
This stream restoration project was identified as a priority due to the significant levels of channel incision and the severity of erosion and its impacts on surrounding neighborhoods. Additionally, the project’s proximity to the headwater reaches located on Joint Base Andrews (JBA), so the ability to improve water quality and wildlife habitat made this project a high priority. It provides an important opportunity to create a safe, sustainable, and resilient stream valley in the community.
The design for the stream, and all of the tributaries within the restoration area, will restore these channels to their naturally-stable form. During the preliminary assessment of onsite conditions, the stream and tributaries within the restoration area were classified using geomorphic assessments and hydrologic and hydraulic analysis.
Once the stream types and conditions were identified, a series of restoration approaches were designed, including floodplain creation, bank stabilization using natural materials and plantings, re-aligning straightened stream channels to have a more natural sinuosity, stormwater conveyance, and natural material grade control structures. These changes will help to reduce channel flow velocities and shear stress for flows greater than bankfull; reduce bank erosion and maintain bank stability; treat and attenuate stormwater flows; stabilize outfalls and the receiving stream channels; and stabilize vertically unstable channels.


[caption id="attachment_7742" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Streambank stabilization measures in place, post construction (2019).[/caption]

 
The project area contained various subsurface utilities like sanitary sewer along the entire reach and fiber-optics and natural gas lines crossing the corridor. Once constructed, the project will improve hydraulic, geomorphic, physicochemical, and biological stream functions. It will also increase floodplain connectivity, improve bedform diversity, restore riparian buffers, and protect public subsurface utilities. In addition to water quality benefits, this project will preserve and enhance the forested floodplain and provide ecological uplift throughout the entire stream corridor.
Planning and design for Tinkers Creek Stream Restoration began in early 2018 and construction is expected to finish ahead of schedule in Spring of 2022. Princeton Hydro is providing construction oversight of all critical structures, such as grade controls, headwater step-pool grade controls, bank stabilization structures, and stormwater outfalls.
The below photos, taken during a site visit in January, showcase some of the exciting progress made by the project team thus far.
[gallery link="none" columns="2" size="medium" ids="7744,7746"]
Stay tuned for more project updates!
Princeton Hydro specializes in the planning, design, permitting, implementing, and maintenance of ecological rehabilitation projects. To learn more about our watershed restoration services, click here. We have partnered with GreenVest on a number of projects, including the award-winning Pin Oak Forest Conservation Area freshwater wetland restoration project and the Mattawoman Creek Mitigation Site wetland enhancement and restoration initiative. To learn more about GreenVest, click here.
…
                    [post_title] => Tinkers Creek: Largest Stream Restoration in Maryland is Underway
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The Pin Oak Forest Conservation Area is a 97-acre tract of open space that contains an extremely valuable wetland complex at the headwaters of Woodbridge Creek. The site is located in a heavily developed landscape of northern Middlesex County and is surrounded by industrial, commercial, and residential development. As such, the area suffered from wetland and stream channel degradation, habitat fragmentation, decreased biodiversity due to invasive species, and ecological impairment. The site was viewed as one of only a few large-scale freshwater wetland restoration opportunities remaining in this highly developed region of New Jersey.


[gallery link="none" ids="7262,7269,7257"]
Recognizing the unique qualities and great potential for rehabilitating and enhancing ecological function on this county-owned parkland, a dynamic partnership between government agencies, NGOs, and private industry, was formed to restore the natural function of the wetlands complex, transform the Pin Oak Forest site into thriving habitat teeming with wildlife, and steward this property back to life. The team designed a restoration plan that converted 28.94 acres of degraded freshwater wetlands, 0.33 acres of disturbed uplands dominated by invasive species, and 1,018 linear feet of degraded or channelized streams into a species-rich and highly functional headwater wetland complex.
We used an innovative approach to restore the hydraulic connection of the stream channel with its floodplain in order to support wetland enhancement. Additionally, to further enhance wetlands with hydrologic uplift, the team incorporated microtopography techniques, which creates a variable surface that increases groundwater infiltration and niches that support multiple habitat communities. This resulted in a spectrum of wetland and stream habitats, including the establishment of a functional system of floodplain forest, scrub shrub, emergent wetlands and open water. Biodiversity was also increased through invasive species management, which opened the door for establishing key native flora such as red maple, pin oak, swamp white oak, and swamp rose. The restored headwater wetland system also provides stormwater quality management, floodplain storage, enhanced groundwater recharge onsite, and surface water flows to Woodbridge Creek.
Completed in 2017, the integrated complex of various wetland and upland communities continues to provide high quality habitat for a wide variety of wildlife species including the state-threatened Black-crowned Night heron and Red-headed Woodpecker. The work done at the site significantly enhanced ecological function, providing high-quality habitat on indefinitely-preserved public lands that offer countless benefits to both wildlife and the community.
[gallery link="none" size="medium" ids="17108,17107,17106"]
Public and private partnerships were and continue to be critical to the success of this project. The diverse partnership includes Middlesex County Office of Parks and Recreation, Woodbridge Township, Woodbridge River Watch, New Jersey Freshwater Wetlands Mitigation Council, GreenTrust Alliance, GreenVest, and Princeton Hydro. The partners joined together as stakeholders to identify long term restoration and stewardship goals for Pin Oak Forest Preserve, and nearly four years later, the partners all remain involved in various aspects of managing the property and this project itself, ranging from fiscal oversight by New Jersey Freshwater Wetland Mitigation Council and GreenTrust Alliance, to permit and landowner access coordination performed by Woodbridge Township and Middlesex County, or the ongoing stewardship, maintenance, and monitoring of the project and the larger park, being conducted by being conducted by GreenTrust Alliance, GreenVest, and NJ Department of Environmental Protection.
This project was funded through the New Jersey Freshwater Wetland In-Lieu Fee program. In 2014, GreenTrust Alliance, GreenVest, and Princeton Hydro secured $3.8 million dollars of funding on behalf of the Middlesex County Parks Department to restore three wetland sites, which included Pin Oak Forest.
The Pin Oak Forest project is a great model for showcasing a successful approach to the enhancement of public lands through a dynamic multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder partnership. And, because of proper planning and design, it has become a thriving wildlife oasis tucked in the middle of a densely-populated suburban landscape.
[gallery link="file" ids="2693,2696,2694"]


Princeton Hydro specializes in the planning, design, permitting, implementing, and maintenance of wetland rehabilitation projects. To learn  about another wetland restoration, creation, and enhancement project, click here.
                    [post_title] => Innovative and Effective Approach to Wetland Restoration
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Welcome to the second installment of Princeton Hydro’s multi-part blog series about aquatic organism passage.
What you'll learn:

 	
How does promoting aquatic organism passage benefit ecosystems as a whole?
 	
How can others, including people, benefit from aquatic organism passage?
 	
How has Princeton Hydro supported it?


Fostering Ecological Balance in Food Webs
A major consequence of poorly designed culverts is the destabilization of food webs. Sufficient predators and prey must exist to maintain a balanced food web. For example, freshwater mussels (Unionidae) are a common snack among fish. A mussel’s life cycle involves using certain fish as a host for their larvae until these microscopic juveniles mature into their adult forms and drop off. During this period, the host fish will travel, effectively transporting a future food source with it.

In the presence of habitat fragmentation, the isolation of these symbiotic relationships can be devastating. Some mussel species rely on a small circle of fish species as their hosts, and conversely, some fish species rely on specific mussel species as their food. If a fish species is separated from its mussel partner, food shortages owing to a declining adult mussel population can occur.



Widespread Benefits to Flora, Fauna, and People
[caption id="attachment_1394" align="alignright" width="310"] A man fly fishes as his dog sits by his side at Ken Lockwood Gorge, Hunterdon County. Photo from State of New Jersey website.[/caption]

A shift in the 1980s recognized the importance of redesigning road-stream crossings for several reasons, including restoring aquatic organism passage and maintaining flood resiliency. Replacing culverts with larger structures that better facilitate the movement of both water and aquatic organisms benefit all species. Roads constructed over streams allow people to travel across natural landscapes while culverts that are fish-friendly convey water at a rate similar to the surrounding landscape, reducing scour in stream beds.

Fish, as well as semi-terrestrial organisms like crabs and salamanders, can take advantage of more natural stream environments and complete their migrations. Anglers appreciate healthy, plentiful fish populations nearly as much as the fish themselves. Recreation and economic growth also improve when streams regain the aquatic biological communities once lost through habitat fragmentation. According to USFWS, for every dollar spent on restoration through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and Coastal Program Restoration Project, states gain $1.90 of economic activity. Stream restoration improves fish and wildlife habitat, which directly supports and enhances recreation opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts thus resulting in increased tourism-related spending and job growth.



Aquatic Organism Passage in Action at Princeton Hydro
Princeton Hydro recently completed a project to facilitate aquatic organism passage for river herring in Red Brook in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Read all about it here!

Princeton Hydro was hired by Save the Sound (formerly Connecticut Fund for the Environment) to design a fish passage project along the Noroton River through a long, perched three-barrel concrete culvert under Interstate-95. Click here to read more.

For an introduction to aquatic organism passage, be sure to check out the first post in this multipart-series.
…
Sources:

"Aquatic Organism Passage through Bridges and Culverts." Flow. Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation's Watershed Management Division, 31 Jan. 2014. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

Hoffman, R.L., Dunham, J.B., and Hansen, B.P., eds., 2012, Aquatic organism passage at road-stream crossings— Synthesis and guidelines for effectiveness monitoring: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2012-1090, 64 p.

Jackson, S., 2003. "Design and Construction of Aquatic Organism Passage at Road-Stream Crossings: Ecological Considerations in the Design of River and Stream Crossings." 20-29 International Conference of Ecology and Transportation, Lake Placid, New York.

Kilgore, Roger T., Bergendahl, Bart S., and Hotchkiss, Rollin H. Publication No. FHWAHIF-11-008 HEC-26. Culvert Design for Aquatic Organism Passage Hydraulic Engineering Circular Number 26. October 2010.

Michigan Natural Features Inventory. Freshwater Mussels of Michigan. Michigan State University, 2005.

 
                    [post_title] => Aquatic Organism Passage: A Princeton Hydro Blog Series (Part 2)
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Introducing part one of a multi-part blog series about aquatic organism passage
What you'll learn:

 	
What is aquatic organism passage?
 	
Why is it important?
 	
How does Princeton Hydro support it?

[caption id="attachment_1254" align="alignright" width="268"] This photo from NYS DEC demonstrates a well-designed stream crossing.[/caption]

Since the US government began allotting funds for building roads in U.S. national forests in the late 1920s, hundreds of thousands of culverts were built across the country. Culverts, or drainage structures that convey water underneath a barrier such as a road or railroad, were originally built with the intention of moving water quickly and efficiently. While this goal was met, many migratory fish and other aquatic organisms could not overcome the culverts’ high-velocity flows, sending them away from their migratory destinations. If the culvert was perched, or elevated above the water surface, it would require the migratory aquatic animals to both leap upwards and fight the unnaturally fast stream current to continue their journeys. Additionally, turbulence, low flows, and debris challenged the movement of aquatic organisms.

Thus, the goal of aquatic organism passage (AOP) is to maintain connectivity by allowing aquatic organisms to migrate upstream or downstream under roads. AOP “has a profound influence on the movement, distribution and abundance of populations of aquatic species in rivers and streams”. These aforementioned species include “fish, aquatic reptiles and amphibians, and the insects that live in the stream bed and are the food source for fish”.

 

[caption id="attachment_1255" align="alignright" width="300"] This photo from NYS DEC demonstrates a poorly-designed stream crossing.[/caption]

A poorly designed culvert can harm fish populations in multiple ways. If sturgeon aren’t able to surpass it, habitat fragmentation prevails. And so, a once-connected habitat for thousands of sturgeon breaks into isolated areas where a few hundred now live. When the population was in the thousands, a disease that wiped out 80% of the population would still leave a viable number of individuals left to survive and mate; a population of a few hundred will be severely hurt by such an event. In sum, habitat fragmentation raises the risk of local extinction (extirpation) as well as extinction in general.

The splintering of a large population into several smaller ones can also leave species more vulnerable to invasive species. Generally, the greater the biodiversity harbored in a population, the stronger its response will be against a disturbance. A dwindling community of a few hundred herring will likely succumb to an invasive who preys on it while a larger, more robust community of a few thousand herring has a greater chance of containing some individuals who can outcompete the invasive.



Aquatic Organism Passage in Action at Princeton Hydro
Princeton Hydro recently teamed up with Trout Unlimited to reconnect streams within a prized central-Pennsylvanian trout fishery.  Our team enabled aquatic organism passage by replacing two culverts in Pennsylvania’s Cross Fork Creek. Read about it here!


To read part two of our Aquatic Organism Passage blog series, click here!
Sources:

"Aquatic Organism Passage through Bridges and Culverts." Flow. Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation's Watershed Management Division, 31 Jan. 2014. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

Hoffman, R.L., Dunham, J.B., and Hansen, B.P., eds., 2012, Aquatic organism passage at road-stream crossings— Synthesis and guidelines for effectiveness monitoring: US Geological Survey Open-File Report 2012-1090, 64p.

Jackson, S., 2003. "Design and Construction of Aquatic Organism Passage at Road-Stream Crossings: Ecological Considerations in the Design of River and Stream Crossings." 20-29 International Conference of Ecology and Transportation, Lake Placid, New York.

Kilgore, Roger T., Bergendahl, Bart S., and Hotchkiss, Rollin H. Publication No. FHWAHIF-11-008 HEC-26. Culvert Design for Aquatic Organism Passage Hydraulic Engineering Circular Number 26. October 2010.
                    [post_title] => Aquatic Organism Passage: A Princeton Hydro Blog Series (Part 1)
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Here's a Recap of Projects Recently Completed by the Princeton Hydro Aquatic & Engineering Departments
Members of our New England Regional Office team conducted a detailed survey at a culvert prioritized for replacement in the Town of Stony Point, New York. This structure was one of several identified as important to both habitat and flood risk during the development of Stony Point's Road-Stream Crossing Management Plan. The Princeton Hydro team will use the collected data to develop a conceptual design and implementation strategy for a replacement structure using the Stream Simulation design method developed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Special thanks to Paul Woodworth, Fluvial Geomorphologist, and Sophie Breitbart, Staff Scientist, for their excellent work on this project!
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The Truxor was put to work dredging a pond in Union Gap, New Jersey. The Truxor is an extremely versatile amphibious machine that can perform a variety of functions, including weed cutting and harvesting, mat algae and debris removal, silt pumping, channel excavation, oil spill clean-up, and much more!
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We recently designed and installed a solar-powered aeration system in Hillsborough, New Jersey. Solar pond and lake aeration systems are cost-effective, eco-friendly, sustainable, and they eliminate the need to run direct-wired electrical lines to remote locations. Princeton Hydro designs, installs and maintains various aeration and sub-surface destratification systems for public drinking water purveyors, municipal and county parks, private and public golf courses, and large lake communities throughout the East Coast.
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Here’s a look at a project in Elizabeth, New Jersey to clear the area of phragmites. Phragmites is an invasive weed that forms dense thickets of vegetation unsuitable for native fauna. It also outcompetes native vegetation and lowers local plant diversity. Previously, the entire site was filled with phragmites. Late last year, we utilized the Marsh Master to remove the invasive weed. Now that its almost Spring, we’re back at the site using the Marsh Master to mill and cultivate the ground in preparation for re-planting native plant species. A big shout out to our Aquatic Specialist John Eberly for his great work on this project!
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In this photo, our intern and engineering student currently studying at Stevens Institute of Technology, Veronica Moditz, is gathering data on the Hughesville Dam removal. She’s using GPS to check the elevation of the constructed riffle on the beautiful Musconetcong River.
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Members of the Princeton Hydro team worked in South New Jersey doing annual maintenance on nine stormwater infiltration basins that were also designed and constructed by Princeton Hydro. The maintenance work involves clearing vegetation from the basins to ensure the organic matter does not impede infiltration of the water as per the basins’ design. This project also involves the management of invasive plant species within the basins. Stormwater infiltration basins provide numerous benefits including preventing flooding and downstream erosion, improving water quality in adjacent waterbodies, reducing the volume of stormwater runoff, and increasing ground water recharge.
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We recently completed a project in New Jersey for which we used our Truxor machine to dredge a stormwater retention basin. The basin had accumulated large amounts of sediment which were impeding the flow of water into the basin. We equipped the Truxor with its standard bucket attachment and a hydraulic dredge pump. The dredging operation was a success and now the basin is clear and functioning properly.
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Stay Tuned for More Updates!
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In October 2021, the largest stream restoration in Maryland was completed. Over 7 miles (41,000 linear feet) of Tinkers Creek and its tributaries were stabilized and restored.
The project was designed by Princeton Hydro for GV-Petro, a partnership between GreenVest and Petro Design Build Group. Working with Prince George’s County Department of the Environment and coordinating with the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, this full-delivery project was designed to meet the County’s Watershed Implementation Plan total maximum daily load (TMDL) requirements and its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Discharge Permit conditions.
Today, we are thrilled to report that the once highly urbanized watershed is flourishing and teeming with life:
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We used nature-based design and bioengineering techniques like riparian zone planting and live staking to prevent erosion and restore wildlife habitat.
[gallery columns="2" size="medium" ids="10635,10634"]
10,985 native trees and shrubs were planted in the riparian area, and 10,910 trees were planted as live stakes along the streambank.
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For more information about the project visit GreenVest's website and check out our blog:

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