At a Glance
Regenerative stormwater stream conveyance, sand seepage wetland and reconnection of the stream to its floodplain will result in water quality improvement and enhanced aquatic and riparian habitat along the Towson Run tributary.
Project Description
Restoration of the Towson Run Tributary at Cloisters established long-term, stable channel geometry along the channel network throughout the Towson Run Tributary project area, including portions of the Towson University campus. Stable channel geometry and a stream network which is well-connected to an adjacent floodplain area resulted in a reduction of sediment yield and improvement in water quality. Biohabitats, contracted for assessment, design and construction phase services by Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability, employed a design approach that capitalized on opportunities for aquatic and riparian habitat enhancement.
In essence, the goal of the restoration was to restore functional attributes associated with riparian and stream corridors to the maximum extent practicable. Specifically, these functional attributes associated with the riparian and stream corridor include: reducing stormwater runoff through canopy interception, facilitating groundwater recharge through infiltration, extending cool water base flows during summer through slow release, slowing storm flow velocities, limiting channel erosion and sediment export, reducing flooding and peak discharges downstream, providing aquatic physical habitat, such as covered pools, riffles, and diverse stream substrate, and supporting in-stream food webs through carbon inputs.