At a time when budget cuts have placed some major constraints on government activity, Charlottesville is moving full speed ahead with the restoration of Meadow Creek—part of the Rivanna River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. Thanks to an essential land donation and $3 million from the Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund (VARTF), no city funds will be used to finance the project.
The city was awarded the funding after engaging in a competitive process to deliver a project proposal to VARTF, a jointly administered program between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy.
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Between 20 and 30 percent of Meadow Creek restoration work will take place on an 18-acre parcel of land located east of Route 29, behind Seminole Square Shopping Center. |
“This project in particular, given its size and scope, is very significant for urban stream restoration. It’s one of the more significant ones [VARTF] has funded, and obviously something they feel strongly about,” says Brian Daly, Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation. “It’s a tremendous commitment to one locality.”
Additionally, two parcels of land totaling 23 acres have been acquired, one in the Locust Meadows subdivision and the other behind Seminole Square Shopping Center. The 18-acre tract behind Seminole Square was donated to the city and will be the site of 20-30 percent of the Meadow Creek Restoration Project work.
According to Daly, this portion of the stream is in particular need of repair. Extensive damage is visible at the site: Eroded embankments drop steeply along the creek, leaving tree roots exposed and dangling into the water. Lacking root support, trunks perched along the banks’ edge will soon fall. Tangled in the dead leaves and branches are plastic grocery bags and other trash, which, along with the increased sedimentation plaguing the stream, pollute the water.
To combat erosion and sedimentation, a new stream channel will be designed, returning the stream to its natural shape. This measure will slow destructive storm water runoff that has been wearing away the creek bed and banks. Also, new trees and vegetation will be planted along Meadow Creek to filter out pollutants and reduce flood damage. New plants will also compensate for the loss of a few mature trees during restoration work.
In total, the city will gain an urban stream restoration of over 1.5 miles in length—equal to almost 40 percent of the Meadow Creek stream located within the city of Charlottesville. This is a rarity for the Commonwealth, says Daly.
Work is slated to begin somewhere between late March and early April and will last 12-14 months. To ensure the restoration of Meadow Creek, conservation easements will be instated after the project’s completion.
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