Upcoming Projects Planned within the “Demonstration Watershed”
Stormwater Infrastructure Retrofitting
Storm Sewer Retrofit
In order to mitigate the impacts of Urban Hydrologic Alteration in a watershed with nearly 50% impervious surface coverage, we will need to “think-outside-the-box”. The Storm Sewer Retrofit Project is an innovative effort to utilize unused storage space already available in our storm sewer system to temporarily store stormwater from “smaller” storm events and release it to the Creek in a non-erosive manner. We can do this without inhibiting the system’s ability to convey “larger” flood events and still have a huge impact – to mitigate the erosive impacts of urban flash flows we need to reduce the frequency of erosive events; so, we are targeting the more common events that induce erosive flows, not the “larger” flood-inducing events.
This project has been funded and is in the design stage. Stay tuned for updates!
In order to mitigate the impacts of Urban Hydrologic Alteration in a watershed with nearly 50% impervious surface coverage, we will need to “think-outside-the-box”. The Storm Sewer Retrofit Project is an innovative effort to utilize unused storage space already available in our storm sewer system to temporarily store stormwater from “smaller” storm events and release it to the Creek in a non-erosive manner. We can do this without inhibiting the system’s ability to convey “larger” flood events and still have a huge impact – to mitigate the erosive impacts of urban flash flows we need to reduce the frequency of erosive events; so, we are targeting the more common events that induce erosive flows, not the “larger” flood-inducing events.
This project has been funded and is in the design stage. Stay tuned for updates!
Detention Basin Retrofits
The Upper Cooper Creek Watershed was largely developed before stormwater detention regulations were put in place in the 1980’s; so, unfortunately, there are no detention basins associated with the residential areas that dominate the watershed. However, there are some detention basins associated with businesses that were built more recently. At the time these detention basins were built the County’s regulations were much more relaxed than they are today – and even today the County’s regulations for the design of stormwater detention were written for flood mitigation, not to prevent erosive flows in local streams. However, these existing assets can easily be retrofitted to serve that function as well.
The Collaborative is working with local business owners to retrofit these basins. We are proud to report that every business that we have approached so far has been open to exploring the possibility of retrofitting their detention basin. We are fortunate to have businesses in our community that are such great community members and stewards to our creek! As we obtain funding and begin to implement these retrofit projects, we will recognize our local business partners.
The Upper Cooper Creek Watershed was largely developed before stormwater detention regulations were put in place in the 1980’s; so, unfortunately, there are no detention basins associated with the residential areas that dominate the watershed. However, there are some detention basins associated with businesses that were built more recently. At the time these detention basins were built the County’s regulations were much more relaxed than they are today – and even today the County’s regulations for the design of stormwater detention were written for flood mitigation, not to prevent erosive flows in local streams. However, these existing assets can easily be retrofitted to serve that function as well.
The Collaborative is working with local business owners to retrofit these basins. We are proud to report that every business that we have approached so far has been open to exploring the possibility of retrofitting their detention basin. We are fortunate to have businesses in our community that are such great community members and stewards to our creek! As we obtain funding and begin to implement these retrofit projects, we will recognize our local business partners.
In-Stream Wood Installations
Undisturbed forested streams are full of large woody debris from falling dead trees. This wood is a critical component of stream ecosystems for habitat and carbon supply, but for the purposes of mitigating the impacts of Urban Hydrologic Alterations in Cooper Creek, the contribution of wood to in-stream flow resistance is critical. The ability of stable “log jam” structures to absorb the force of erosive flows and slow down the water can be very significant. Additionally, large wood structures in streams induce deep pool habitat formation. These deep pools are critical for maintaining fish populations during dry periods, especially in stream that dry-out due to urban hydrologic alteration.
Unfortunately, removal of large woody debris from streams is a common practice in urban areas that degrade multiple aspects of our stream system. Often people clear these structures because they think that they must “maintain” a clear flow path to prevent local flooding and erosion problems; however, loss of the wood in our creek has only exacerbated streambank erosion problems and flooding. While “log jams” can be problematic when they accumulate at road crossings, having a healthy amount of wood in our creek would be expected to reduce the amount of drift wood moving downstream and getting caught at road crossing because there would be many other “log jam” structures upstream to filter out the drifting wood.
The Collaborative is working to restore the “wood regime” in our creek. We are currently working on acquiring funding for a “Demonstration Project” within Bechtold Park in which existing lying dead trees in the park will be installed in the Creek in a stable manner. The event will be led by a Professional Engineer specializing in “Fluvial Geomorphology”. This “Demonstration Project” will create a local example to which the community may refer when planning future projects, and will double as a training event for the Collaborative and local volunteers. After the “Demonstration Project” we will begin working with creek-front landowners to install wood throughout the rest of our creek.
If you are interested in having wood installed in a creek on your property, please reach out via the Contact Page.
Unfortunately, removal of large woody debris from streams is a common practice in urban areas that degrade multiple aspects of our stream system. Often people clear these structures because they think that they must “maintain” a clear flow path to prevent local flooding and erosion problems; however, loss of the wood in our creek has only exacerbated streambank erosion problems and flooding. While “log jams” can be problematic when they accumulate at road crossings, having a healthy amount of wood in our creek would be expected to reduce the amount of drift wood moving downstream and getting caught at road crossing because there would be many other “log jam” structures upstream to filter out the drifting wood.
The Collaborative is working to restore the “wood regime” in our creek. We are currently working on acquiring funding for a “Demonstration Project” within Bechtold Park in which existing lying dead trees in the park will be installed in the Creek in a stable manner. The event will be led by a Professional Engineer specializing in “Fluvial Geomorphology”. This “Demonstration Project” will create a local example to which the community may refer when planning future projects, and will double as a training event for the Collaborative and local volunteers. After the “Demonstration Project” we will begin working with creek-front landowners to install wood throughout the rest of our creek.
If you are interested in having wood installed in a creek on your property, please reach out via the Contact Page.
Community Tree Planting Initiative
The Collaborative is in the process of pursuing funding to purchase hundreds of trees to give away to private property owners in the community. Due to high demand, it is likely that this will be a multi-year Initiative with Tree Give-Away events occurring in the fall of each year. We hope to be able to provide trees to landowners within the Demonstration Watershed (at least) in 2020 and will likely expand eligibility to all land owners within the Cooper Creek watershed in subsequent years.
Are you interested in receiving free trees? Be sure to take our online survey. If you include your address and e-mail we will be sure to notify you when you are eligible to receive free trees.
Why Trees?
Trees can play a major role in reducing stormwater runoff, particularly when their canopy extends over impervious surfaces (e.g. roads, parking lots, driveways). There are also many significant “co-benefits” of urban trees that make the Community Tree Planting Initiative a commonsense investment in our community. The many benefits of large urban trees include:
How Many Trees is Enough?
The Collaborative is working to develop modeling for the Demonstration Watershed to tell us how many trees we need (and where we need them) to achieve hydrologic objectives in our creek.
Stay tuned for future announcement of Community Canopy Cover Goals.
Are you interested in receiving free trees? Be sure to take our online survey. If you include your address and e-mail we will be sure to notify you when you are eligible to receive free trees.
Why Trees?
Trees can play a major role in reducing stormwater runoff, particularly when their canopy extends over impervious surfaces (e.g. roads, parking lots, driveways). There are also many significant “co-benefits” of urban trees that make the Community Tree Planting Initiative a commonsense investment in our community. The many benefits of large urban trees include:
- Increased Property Value
- Energy savings in adjacent buildings
- Air temperature reduction
- Wind reduction
- Shade & UV radiation reduction
- Improved physical and mental health
- Pollution reduction (ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulates)
- Carbon storage (CO2 sequestration)
- Wildlife habitat and food sources
- Stormwater runoff reduction (reduced erosion & improved aquatic habitat in creeks)
How Many Trees is Enough?
The Collaborative is working to develop modeling for the Demonstration Watershed to tell us how many trees we need (and where we need them) to achieve hydrologic objectives in our creek.
Stay tuned for future announcement of Community Canopy Cover Goals.