The specific project site has been studied and found to be impaired and eroding in the 2009 Columbia Association Watershed Management Plan, as well as studies conducted by Howard County and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI) was selected as a stream restoration contractor by the Columbia Association through a public, competitive bid process (RFP No. 19-48 dated February 11, 2019). Additionally, there are no approved mitigation banks in the area, and there is a demand for mitigation credit due to continued development nearby.

In addition to this website and the events listed here, there will be public notices via the US Army Corps of Engineers to publicize upcoming comment periods and hearings. The current public comment will remain open until January 7, 2022. If the project prospectus is approved, there will be additional public comment processes for the Mitigation Banking Instrument and construction permits. In addition to regulator-sponsored meetings, WSSI will host informational meetings for local community members during the design process.

While the following dates are approximate and dependent on regulatory approval, the tentative schedule is:

• Prospectus: ongoing – expected approval Spring/Summer 2022
• Mitigation Banking Instrument (MBI): start Spring/Summer 2022, expected approval Spring/Summer 2023)
• Survey, Design, and Permitting: Start Spring/Summer 2022 (Existing Conditions Survey & Concept Plan will be concurrent with the MBI development - Final Plan(s) & Permit will be after MBI approval)
• Construction: Start Spring/Summer 2024
• Monitoring/Maintenance: 10-years post-construction
• Long-Term Monitoring/Maintenance: Indefinite following required 10-year Monitoring/Maintenance period

Throughout the course of the project, a number of approvals and permits will be required. These permits and approvals will include extensive review of the projects scope and impacts. They include:

• Prospectus and the Mitigation Banking Instrument by the Interagency Review Team (IRT).
• Wetlands and Waterways Permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE)
• Grading Permit from the Howard County Department of Public Works
• An approved Erosion and Sediment Control Plan from the Howard County Soil Conservation District
• Floodplain coordination and approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Howard County
• An NPDES Permit from MDE, and review and comments by the EPA, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR), and Native American Tribes.

The project success criteria have not been finalized at this time. Project specific success criteria will be developed by the IRT as part of the MBI development. The ecological impact of the restoration will be evaluated using the Maryland Stream Mitigation Framework. This framework evaluates the funcitonality of restored streams. It is used at the beginning and end of the project to determine the amount of credit that is earned.

The Columbia Association (CA) stands to benefit from improved hydrology, water quality and habitat in the stream, slower sediment accumulation in Lake Elkhorn, protection of existing bridges and paths from erosion, and additional funding to cover the costs of long-term maintenance, all without any major investment of CA funds. Columbia residents will be able to enjoy a more habitat-rich stream valley, improved water quality, and less damage to private property from erosion.

Stream restoration is needed in this area because the streams have become highly degraded due to development within the watershed. The stream banks are eroding, which reduces the water quality in these streams as well as waterbodies downstream. This impairment has been studied and documented by many groups, including the Columbia Association (CA), Howard County, and MDE. The habitat quality of the existing streams is also low. There is low bedform diversity, which means the riffle pool pattern present in healthy stream is missing or distorted. There is also minimal stable substrate within the stream bed. These problems reduce the capacity of the streams to provide good habitat for fish and macroinvertebrates. This project can resolve those problems, increasing the habitat value of the stream.

WSSI supports the use of “engineering” solutions to stormwater runoff in conjunction with stream restoration. According to an expert panel tasked with reviewing all the available science on urban stream restoration, "the research reinforces the notion that stream restoration should not be a stand-alone strategy for watersheds, and that coupling restoration projects with upland retrofits and other practices can help manage the multiple stressors that impact urban streams." This site was selected in part due to the active role the Columbia Association is taking in addressing watershed issues with upland work, which makes the stream restoration work part of a larger strategy with greater potential to create significant lasting improvements to stream function.

The funding for this project will be generated by stream credit sales to compensate for jurisdictional impacts under the Clean Water Act Section 404. This means that the project is not competing for the same pool of money as stormwater management improvement projects, so this project will not impact the installation of “engineering solutions” to stormwater runoff.

Some tree clearing will be required for the project. To minimize these impacts WSSI will inventory the trees 12-inches DBH (diameter at breast height, measured at approximately 4.5 feet above the ground) on site and document their size, species, and condition to inform the design and to retain the highest quality of forest possible while facilitating the restoration. Careful consideration will go into what trees are removed. Trees that are cut down will be used within the project as in-stream structures and floodplain habitat, so those resources will not go to waste. We would like to emphasize that we will not be clear cutting the forest, and we will be densely replanting any areas where trees are removed. Studies indicate that restored riparian buffer areas in the Piedmont region of the Chesapeake watershed accomplish significant function and growth between 5-10 years and reach functional levels similar to longstanding buffers in 10-15 years.

Controlling invasive species is an expected challenge for stream restoration sites. Cutting the trees may increase the coverage of stiltgrass if vegetation establishment is not prompt. Efforts to control the invasives will include a seedmix with quick growing grasses, spraying down equipment before accessing the site, and early treatment if necessary. A more detailed invasive management plan will be created as part of the design process.

This stream restoration project will not result in a clear cut of the forest and will offer wildlife areas of refuge that they can migrate to during construction. In addition, the stream will be restored in small sections – only areas of the channel that can be fully restored and stabilized in a day will be disturbed at any one time, allowing aquatic and semi-aquatic organisms the opportunity to migrate up and downstream. Because streams provide a path for movement and colonization, it is expected that any plant or animal species that are disturbed by construction will begin to reestablish after construction completion. Studies have shown that the success of reestablishing species and attracting new species to restored areas depends on the condition of the surrounding watershed and the presence of species nearby that can migrate into the restored area.

Generally, fish have been shown to return in a matter of weeks or months. A fish survey was conducted, but the report has not been finalized at this time. Once the report is completed, we can use the information to determine which species could potentially migrate into the project area. The Lake Elkhorn Dam is currently a significant fish passage barrier preventing the colonization of the streams in the mitigation area by more diverse fish population in the Little Patuxent. WSSI is currently investigating whether this blockage can be addressed as part of the mitigation project. Since construction will be completed in relatively small increments, we expect recolonization of the restored streams by the species currently present as populations will be nearby.

Studies have shown benthic diversity was found to increase in streams with diverse populations within a 5-kilometer range. The exisitng benthic score in the streams is rated as very poor. There are also not any nearby sites with good benthic scores. Additionally, the project will not be able to fully address the water quality issues associated with urban runoff. This means it will be difficult to establish colonies of intolerant macroinvertebrates. The same runoff will enter the streams regardless of the project, which is likely part of the reason exisitng scores are so low. This is another reason that WSSI supports the general scientific consensus that stream restoration in tandem with upland runoff control is the most effective method for holistically restoring watersheds. One biological problem that the mitigation project can solve is the lack of stable habitat. Substrate in the channel bed is currently very mobile, which hampers the development of large benthic populations. The restored stream bed material will be more stable, which will likely allow for some increases in population size of the existing species in the streams.

Per Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) requirements, the restoration design cannot increase flooding on adjacent properties. MDE will review the construction plans to ensure that this requirement is met prior to issuing the necessary approvals and permits. The project will raise the streambed and allow the stream to access the floodplain within the easement. This reduces the flow velocity during major storms, reducing erosion, providing improved habitat, and contributing to the overall health and stability of the stream system.

Although the stream and stream valley will be impacted by construction, the restoration activities will improve stream habitat and water quality, and the riparian areas will be reforested and grow back during the monitoring period. Studies have shown that stream channel restoration improves climate resiliency.