New techniques have been pioneered in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to restore urban streams using diverse approaches such as natural channel design, regenerative stream channel, and removal of legacy sediments. These techniques can achieve significant nutrient and sediment removal while also restoring a number of other critical stream functions.
Revisiting Stream Restoration
In mid-2018, the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Urban Stormwater Workgroup asked CSN to facilitate a series of teams to re-evaluate the stream restoration protocols outlined by the Expert Panel and provide better guidance for practitioners. The result of that effort is four memos that now represent the official Chesapeake Bay Program recommendations for crediting stream restoration practices:
Other Stream Restoration Resources
Below, you will find several older resources including the final Expert Panel report, completed in 2014, that originally defined the nutrient and sediment reductions that can be achieved using stream restoration techniques. The Expert Panel report is still a useful resource, but it is recommended that practitioners begin using the guidance in the new reports listed above. A CSN Fact sheet and FAQ document are also provided, but refer to the 2014 report, not the newer memos. These resources will be updated as soon as possible.
Training Resources
[Webcast] BUBBAs Highlights: Stream and Wetland Restoration Success Stories