June 24, 2021
Herrington Harbour North Marina Restoration Project
Arundel Rivers Federation installed a restoration project that slowly steps the stormwater downhill, stops erosion, reconnects the floodplain, and allows the water to infiltrate into the ground to reduce the amount of erosion and runoff going into Herring Bay.
A second smaller step pool system was installed in the central part of the Marina to further treat stormwater runoff. Native plants help to stabilize soils, take up nutrients, and provide important habitat and food to native wildlife.
Combined, these projects restored 420 linear feet of eroding stream channel and will prevent one ton of sediment, 102 pounds of nitrogen, and 20 pounds of phosphorus from entering Herring Bay each year. This 2021 project drains 28 acres, of which over 32% is impervious.
This project creates habitat for native plants and animals, helps improve water quality, and protects human health. A special thank you to Herrington Harbour North Marina and the Highview Community Association for their partnership.
We are grateful to our funders, Chesapeake Bay Trust and Anne Arundel County Bureau of Watershed Protection & Restoration. Resource Restoration Group Project designed and constructed the project.
The stream had eroded to the point that it was disconnected from its flood plain by more than 4 ft, not allowing the water to spread out and slow down during storms.
This head cut was eroding and moving up stream several feet per year. The erosion was so fast that in the couple years it took us to plan the project, the marina’s kayak racks were in danger of being undermined by erosion.
The stream is hard to recognize now that it has been raised several feet to re-connect with the flood plain.
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See this cool time-lapse video of the 2nd set of step pools being installed here.
Learn more about the start of the project here.