Quiet Waters Park Caffrey Run Stream Restoration

Arundel Rivers Federation restored approximately 1,000 linear feet of stream in Caffrey Run, a tributary to Harness Creek in the South River Watershed. The project is located entirely within Quiet Waters Park, which is owned and operated by Anne Arundel County. The site was jointly identified by Arundel Rivers and park staff. Arundel Rivers utilized a valley restoration design approach to arrest both channel and bank erosion, provide pollutant load reductions, and restore the ecological function of the stream. This project reduced pollution loads by 148 tons/year of total suspended sediment, 338 lbs/year of total nitrogen, and 156 lbs/year of total phosphorus resulting water quality benefits for Harness Creek and the South River. Given the high-visibility location within a public park that sees over half a million annual visitors a year, this project serves as an excellent demonstration of an effective stream restoration and stormwater management practice.

This is the first major project in a long-term partnership between the park and Arundel Rivers to restore degraded streams, increase resiliency of the park’s shorelines, and improve habitat throughout the park.  The stream is near one of the most frequented areas of the park which includes the ice rink, pond, pagoda and a hiking/biking trail that crosses directly over this stream.  The erosion was actively threatening the structural stability of a pedestrian bridge that is part of the park’s trail system.  Bank erosion and head cuts caused loss of bank material which threatened the trails and sent pollution down stream. The channel was disconnected from its floodplain throughout the project area, which meant a loss of habitat value and that the land was unable to soak up water as nature intends. With the completion of this project, the stream has been stabilized and the floodplain reconnected, providing invaluable wetland habitat as well as stormwater treatment prior to the water entering Harness Creek.