Whites Road Streambank Stabilization
About The Project
RVE provided permitting, design and construction inspection services for the Whites Road Park Streambank Restoration Project. Whites Road Park is a recreational park located at 400 Whites Road in the Borough of Lansdale. The purpose of the project was to improve stormwater management, water quality, aquatic habitat, and material loss at the embankments. In September of 2019, the Borough received a $290,672 grant which supported the extensive streambank restoration in the park. While there were no current MS4 specific grants available, RVE was able to utilize the Commonwealth Financing Authority grant to not only correct an environmental issue, but also reduce annual out of pocket expenses required to comply with the mandated MS4 program. The grant helped to remove sediment bars and plant vegetation along the streambanks.This project consisted of the restoration of approximately 1,320 linear feet of the tributary in Whites Road Park. Work for this project included the stabilization of the streambanks, slope protection, sediment removal, removal of trees, removal of deteriorated gabion baskets, and culvert lining replacement. Rock protection was placed at the abutments to reduce the potential for erosion, while the streambanks were stabilized with vegetated coir logs and landscape vegetation. The riparian buffer will act as a biofilter and will shade the stream. The shade will control the temperature of the water and therefore allow aquatic life to thrive. Restoring and stabilizing the streambank reduced the Borough’s sediment loading and mitigated the loss of the embankments.
Project Gallery
RVE was able to utilize the Commonwealth Financing Authority grant to not only correct an environmental issue, but also reduce annual out of pocket expenses required to comply with the mandated MS4 program.
RVE met with Borough personnel on site to provide further clarification of the intent of the project. Once the Borough was able to gain a better understanding of the end result, the information was presented to the community at large.
The project gained positive momentum from the community as the construction proceeded and the project site began to take shape. At the end of the project, the Borough received several comments from residents on the beauty of the park.
In addition to the immediate environmental benefits (reduction of sediment loading and mitigating the loss of the embankments) to the streambank, the project also beautified the park and met the goals of the Borough’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirement for Skippack Creek.