Nature-based design solutions re-align and stabilize a severely eroding urban creek
Rush Creek is an urban stream that experienced severe erosion due to high and intense water flows. The stream threatened Indian Creek Road and parallel water and wastewater utilities. Preventing the road from washing out was critical—to sustain emergency response from nearby Arlington and Dalworthington Gardens and to protect a sanitary sewer pipeline from being exposed and breaking.
The City of Arlington needed help protecting this vital infrastructure, so they engaged us to help re-align and stabilize the creek. The project consisted of modifying the channel’s hydraulic geometry and associated bedform, including realignment of the channel to direct flow away from the eroding valley wall that threatened the roadway and utilities. Our design for restoring the stream reduced shear stress on, and erosion of, the channel banks within the project area. We used a combination of imported rock material, native streambed material, and native tree and rootwads cleared during construction to provide in-stream structures as well as constructed rock riffles for grade control. For bank protection structures, we used rock toe with rootwads, rootwad toe protection, and joint planted rock toe.
The restoration protects vital infrastructure, eliminates steep eroding stream banks, reduces shear stresses, and provides better floodplain access—resulting in a healthier ecosystem and safer community.
At a Glance
- Offices
- Client
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- City of Arlington, Texas
- Partners
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- Texas Historical Commission
- Texas Parks and Wildlife
- US Army Corps of Engineers
Stephanie Coffman, Senior Principal, River System & Basin Management Program Lead
Work together with experts of all disciplines and be generous with your knowledge, and you will leave the planet better than you found it!
George Athanasakes, Vice President, Ecosystem Restoration, Environmental Services
We analyze natural processes driving ecological functions and incorporate these processes into designs to create self-sustaining ecosystems.
Michael F. Adams, Jr., Principal
At its core, a river is the manifestation of water, sediment and wood, moving across the landscape, driven by gravity.
Mason Liebau, Principal
My focus is to grow our business and drive technical best practices to increase our reputation of excellence in the communities we serve.
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