Cheswick Park: Overview of a Park Restoration Project

Suburban streams are experiencing problems such as erosion, sedimentation, and loss of wildlife habitats. Causes include residential and commercial developments and limited stormwater management. Streams in Cheswick Park are subject to all of these conditions and need restoration. This project focuses on stabilization of the channels using bioengineering techniques and the restoration of riparian and benthic habitats. This ongoing project involves three phases: existing conditions assessment and planning, restoration, and evaluation. The first phase includes stream classification using the Rosgen system, riparian habitat and benthic surveys, hydrologic analyses, and an inventory of stormwater networks. The restoration phase includes plantings and stream bank stabilization techniques. The evaluation phase will include riparian habitat and benthic surveys, and a stream system survey. This project was conducted as a private/public partnership between government agencies, private industry, and volunteer organizations.