District aids Richmond's stormwater management project; improves health of Chesapeake Bay

By Jerry Rogers, Norfolk District Public AffairsFebruary 14, 2011

(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

NORFOLK - When rain falls on Richmond, runoff is inevitable.

As water spills off roofs and impermeable pavement, what water doesn't seep into the exposed ground ends up in storm drains, and that can add up quickly: an inch of rain on Richmond is roughly 973 million gallons of water, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Effectively managing stormwater in a large, urban area such as the city of Richmond is a large-scale effort, and Norfolk District is partnering with Richmond to design and construct major improvements to one of its vital stormwater management systems - the Joseph Bryan Park Stormwater Management Project.

According to project officials in Richmond, and based on a 2009 Jordan Branch Watershed Study, sediments had entered and filled the ponds, reducing their hydraulic capacity and water quality benefits.

Managers must address numerous factors including the control of flooding and erosion; management of hazardous materials to prevent release of pollutants into the environment; and construction and maintenance of stormwater systems to remove contaminants before they pollute surface waters and groundwater resources. The Joseph Bryan Park Stormwater Management Project plays a role in this overarching effort.

"We are pleased to be working with the Norfolk District to utilize their extensive experience in flood control and water quality projects," Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones said. "This project will provide a benefit to city residents, park users and the Chesapeake Bay by improving the health of our water environment."

Joseph Bryan Park is a 262-acre public park located on the north side of Richmond. Three tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay watershed enter the park and empty into a series of two in-line stormwater management ponds. Jordan's Branch and Upham Brook creeks empty into Upper Young's Pond, while Princeton Creek runs into Lower Young's Pond. The system leads directly to Chickahominy River, which is a branch of the James River, one of the largest tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Section 510 Program of the Water Resources Development Act, addresses this problem and authorizes the Corps to work with Richmond.

The project design calls for dredging about 100,870 cubic yards of sediment from the ponds to increase their capacity. Additionally, the Corps will modify the lower outlet structure and construct three sediment forebays, one at each tributary, to collect trash and sediment before it enters the main lake.

According to Janet Cote, project team member and marine biologist with Norfolk District, the primary environmental benefit gained from this project is the "removal of dissolved nutrients and total suspended solids from stormwater before these materials enter the Chesapeake Bay watershed."

"The Chesapeake Bay's nonpoint source control program emphasizes reductions of controllable nonpoint sources, including runoff from urban and suburban lawns, roadways, and other developed areas. These runoffs account for about 60 percent of the harmful nitrogen entering the Chesapeake Bay," Cote said.

Project planners said that dredging the existing in-line pond system to expand the capacity of the permanent pool will also increase the efficiency of the settling treatment provided by the facility. Once improvements are completed, planners estimate that the stormwater management lakes will remove approximately 1,900 pounds of phosphorous and 5,500 pounds of nitrogen annually. In addition to the environmental benefits, the project will greatly improve long-term operations of the stormwater facility.

Over the years, Norfolk District has partnered with cities like Richmond, state and federal environmental agencies, and ecosystem-friendly civic groups to seek solutions and implement programs for restoring the health of the nation's largest estuary - the Chesapeake Bay.

Stretching across more than 64,000 square miles, the Chesapeake Bay watershed encompasses parts of six states along the U.S. East Coast. With its many tributaries, the Chesapeake Bay watershed endures an array of assaults from the air, water and land. Chemical contaminants, air pollution, landscape changes, erosion and over-harvesting of fish and shellfish also stress the Bay and its wildlife. The watershed's worst problem is nutrient pollution, which fuels the growth of algae blooms that degrade water quality and negatively impact aquatic life.

Norfolk District has used the Section 510 Program of the Water Resources Development Act to implement a native oyster restoration project in the lower Rappahannock River. Currently, the Corps is pursuing a number of the other projects under the same program to enhance the living resources of the Chesapeake Bay through the reduction of sediment and dissolved nutrients and improvement of wastewater treatment facilities.

Related Links:

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The City of Richmond

Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers