wissahickon creek feasibility study
TRANSCRIPT
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US Army Corps of EngineersBUILDING STRONG®
WISSAHICKON CREEKFeasibility Study
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District
January 14, 2010
Co-sponsor:
Philadelphia Water Department
with
Biohabitats, Inc.
Friends of the Wissahickon
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Purpose of public meeting
Describe USACE feasibility process & the Wissahickon Creek Feasibility Study
Introduce proposed restoration sites & possible alternatives
Share information & get feedback from you!
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Agenda/OverviewProject backgroundIntroduction to NEPAOverview of Feasibility Process
ID Problems and OpportunitiesInventory and Forecast ConditionsFormulate Alternative PlansEvaluate and Compare Alternatives
Breakout groups based on project sites
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Project Sponsors & PartnersArmy Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia DistrictConsultants: Biohabitats, Inc. & VersarAgency Partner: Philadelphia Water Department(non-federal sponsor)Additional Stakeholders► Friends of the Wissahickon► City of Philadelphia Department of Recreation
(formerly FPC)► Neighborhood/community groups► Watershed organizations
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Project Description & HistoryUSACE received authority to conduct a Schuylkill River Basin Reconnaissance Study in 1988 (completed in 2002)Focused on flood control, water supply, recreation, water quality, and other water and land related resource problemsIdentified primary problems in the Wissahickon: streamflow variability, poor quality aquatic habitat and impaired biological communities, flooding and overall ecosystem imbalancePWD initiated the Wissahickon Creek Feasibility Study in 2004
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Project Setting & Location64 square mile watershedPhiladelphia portion of watershed is 10.6 sq. mi.Study includes river corridor and selected tributaries between the Schuylkill River and Montgomery Co. / City line~ 8 miles of mainstem and selected tributariesHeavily impacted by urban developmentLong-term history of human disturbance
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Project Purpose
ID Problems and Opportunities within the study area
Investigate and evaluate ecological restoration solutions toward improving impairments in the ecosystem
Focus toward improvement in aquatic and riparian habitat
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Introduction to NEPA
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969National charter on protection of the environmentProcess applies to Federal agencies and the programs they fund
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NEPA: Human EnvironmentPreserve and protect the human environmentEcologyWater and air qualityEndangered speciesSocioeconomicArcheologyCultureAestheticsRecreation
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NEPA: Interagency Coordination
Coordination with agencies that have legal jurisdiction or expertise in the project area
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NEPA: Public InvolvementPublic notices
Public meetings
Comments on documents
Surveys
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USACE Feasibility Process
Six Planning Steps
►Step 1: Identify Problems & Opportunities►Step 2: Inventory & Forecast Conditions►Step 3: Formulate Alternative Plans►Step 4: Evaluate Alternative Plans►Step 5: Compare Alternative Plans►Step 6: Select a Recommended Plan
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Water Quality and Habitat ImpairmentsState 303(d) listings:
Elevated NutrientsSiltationLow Dissolved OxygenOil & GreasePathogensWater/flow VariabilityHabitat Alteration
Non-Native and Invasive Riparian SpeciesImpediments to Resident Fish Passage
Step 1: Identify Problems & Opportunities
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Step 1: Identify Problems & Opportunities
Promote fish passage
Reduce sedimentation
Improve aquatic habitat
Restore natural stream channel characteristics
Create or enhance riparian wetlands
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Step 2: Inventory & Forecast Conditions
Site DescriptionSite Conditions:
aquatic resources and wetlands, vegetation, wildlife resources, finfish and invertebrates, and cultural resourcesHow can changes in the environment over time
impact the current problems and opportunities?Forecasted without any “project action” over 50
years
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Step 3: Formulate Alternative Plan
Project Site Selection
Restoration Approaches
Alternative Development
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Project Site Selection
Selected based on prior studies by USACE and PWD10 sites selected► 5 dams along
mainstem► 5 tributaries
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10 Identified Restoration Sites
Big Ridge Ave. DamLittle Ridge Ave. DamMonoshone CreekCarpenters WoodsGorgas RunLivezey DamCresheim Creek DamMagarge DamCathedral RunThomas Mill Dam
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Restoration Approaches
No action alternativeAction alternatives►Tributaries
• Bank and bed stabilization• Floodplain reconnection• Wetland enhancement/creation
►Dams• Full or partial removal• Addition of fish ladder or rock ramp
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Big Ridge Avenue DamDownstream-most site20-ft high Wissahickon damPiers upstream support SEPTA rail lineEncased sewer line
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Big Ridge Avenue Dam (WSBR)Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1: No actionAlternative 2: Dam removalAlternative 3: Partial dam removal &
addition of rock rampAlternative 4: Partial dam removal &
addition of fish ladder
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Little Ridge Avenue Dam8-ft high Wissahickon damPiers downstream support SEPTA rail lineEncased sewer line
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Little Ridge Avenue Dam (WSLR)Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1: No actionAlternative 2: Dam removalAlternative 3: Partial dam removal &
addition of rock rampAlternative 4: Bypass channel construction
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Monoshone CreekTributary to WissahickonFlows along Historic RittenhouseTownExtensive rock walls and weirs
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Monoshone Creek (WSMC)Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1: No actionAlternative 2: Channel naturalization &
wetland constructionAlternative 3: Stream restoration at higher
invert & wetland constructionAlternative 4: Preserve existing structures
& wetland construction
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Carpenters WoodsTributary to WissahickonWooded corridorPast repairs at upstream end
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Carpenters Woods (WSCW)Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1: No actionAlternative 2: Stream restoration at higher
invert & wetland constructionAlternative 3: Stabilization of eroding
banks & wetland constructionAlternative 4: Stream restoration at higher
invert, wetland construction & riparian enhancement
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Gorgas RunBegins at stormwater outfallSteep, coarse tributaryExisting boulders along bank to protect water main
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Gorgas Run (WSGR)Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1: No actionAlternative 2: Full stream restoration with
additional treatmentsAlternative 3: Local stream restoration &
bank stabilization with additional treatments
Alternative 4: Wetland creation
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Livezey DamRock dam on WissahickonPartially breached
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Livezey Dam (WSLD)Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1: No actionAlternative 2: Dam removalAlternative 3: Partial dam removal at breachAlternative 4: Installation of rock ramp over
existing dam breach
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Cresheim Dam & CreekTributary to WissahickonRock damChannel erosion downstream of dam
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Cresheim Dam & Creek (WSCD)Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1: No actionAlternative 2: Dam removal and channel
stabilizationAlternative 3: Dam retrofit and channel
stabilizationAlternative 4: Stream restoration at higher
invert
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Magarge DamRock dam on WissahickonPartially breached
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Magarge Dam (WSMD)Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1: No actionAlternative 2: Dam removalAlternative 3: Partial dam removal &
addition of rock rampAlternative 4: Addition of naturalized
passageway
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Cathedral RunSteepest tributaryCoarse bed materialMost severe bank erosionBedrock outcropsPWD wetland/drainage basin creation in the headwaters
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Cathedral Run (WSCR)Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1: No actionAlternative 2: Full stream restoration using
step-poolsAlternative 3: Bank stabilization & grade
controlAlternative 4: Stream restoration at higher
invert
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Thomas Mill DamRock dam on WissahickonHistoric covered bridgeAdjacent mill racePartially breached
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Thomas Mill Dam (WSTM)Restoration Alternatives
Alternative 1: No actionAlternative 2: Dam removalAlternative 3: Naturalized passageway
along existing breachAlternative 4: Bypass channel through mill
race
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Steps 4 and 5: Overview of the Alternative Evaluation and
Comparison Process Two Inputs:►Costs—construction cost estimates►Benefits—FWS Habitat Evaluation Procedure
(HEP)
Corps Cost-Effectiveness/Incremental Cost Analysis (CE/ICA): the foundation for project and alternative selection
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Environmental Benefit
USFWS’s Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP)►Species-specific approach, based on habitat
improvements relating to food, cover, reproduction, and basic needs for survival
►Models exist for a number of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates
►We used Brown Trout, Common Shiner, and Blacknosed Dace
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Percent pools (V2)
Food-Cover (Cf-c)
Cf-c = (V1+V2+V3+V4)/4
Or, if any value ≤ 0.4, Cf-c = V1, V2, V3, or V4, whichever is lowest.
Suitability Graph
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Approach to Using HEP to Estimate Environmental Benefits of RestorationModify the individual suitability index scores based on projected results of each alternative on each habitat variable
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Approach to Using HEP to Estimate Environmental Benefits of Restoration
Repeat for all variables (Blacknosed Dace has 15 variables, Common Shiner has 9 variables, and the Brown Trout has 14 variables)Conduct this for all 10 project sites and for each of four alternatives
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Approach to Using HEP to Estimate Environmental Benefits of RestorationRun the revised scores through the model to generate the post-restoration and forecasted no-action habitat score
Model Element
Habitat Variable
Tributary Reference WSPC017
Alternative 1 (Project Area: 10000ft long by 15ft wide, 150000ft2, 3.44 ac)
Alternative 2 (Project Area: 150000ft2, 3.44 ac)
Food Cover
v2 Percent pools
21.0 0.76 16.0 0.65 Assume site will have a 5% reduction in pools from channel erosion and deposition and homogenization of channel form
50.0 1.00 Estimated based on step-pool restoration, ½ pool, ¼ riffle, ¼ runs or glides
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Step 6: Select a Recommended Plan
Preferred alternatives will be based on an incremental analysisCost versus the ecological benefitsAnalysis looks for best benefit within proposed alternatives
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Time for Break-out Sessions!