Restoring a forested stream and mosaic wetland system in the South River watershed, a tributary to the Potomac River

Waynesboro Stream Restoration

A degraded portion of a stream and its tributary, flowing to the South River in Waynesboro, was selected as a priority site for ecological restoration in support of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT’s) total maximum daily load Chesapeake Bay requirements. VDOT retained our team to design restoration actions that would improve water quality and habitat. Key goals for this effort included eliminating erosion and associated nutrient loading, as well as restoring in-stream and near-stream habitat features, including re-establishment of a wooded riparian buffer.

Located in the Potomac River watershed, this tributary’s streambank soil contained high concentrations of pollutants resulting from past agricultural and pastoral use. A lack of riparian trees, combined with direct cattle access to the stream and increasing impervious cover, contributed to increased erosion rates, poor water quality, and poor habitat onsite.

The main part of the project involved realigning the geometrically unstable channel to restore the natural form and function of the stream. We also planted native pollinator-friendly vegetation along the banks and adjacent floodplains and added complex habitat for aquatic species, using large woody material in the stream and active floodplain. We expanded and enhanced adjacent wetlands and oxbow ponds to improve floodplain connectivity. Additionally, we returned flow from a previously redirected and abandoned natural spring back to the main channel, restoring its natural hydrology and promoting the development of a large floodplain wetland system.

In total, the project restored 5,192 linear feet (1,583 linear metres) of stream and enhanced 12.7 acres (5.1 hectares) of riparian buffer within the floodplain through permanent conservation easements. We will continue to monitor the site through 2032.

Ultimately, these efforts will restore the tributary to a fully functional and self-sustaining forested stream system with adjacent riparian wetlands that also helps VDOT meet their pollutant load reduction requirements.