April 20, 2012

Following many years of planning and coordination, The Nature Conservancy and the City of Charlottesville will restore nearly two miles of Meadow Creek stretching from Hydraulic Road through Greenbrier Park, beginning later this spring.

Conservancy and City staff will share the final restoration design construction details at a public meeting Monday, April 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Charlottesville High School.

Organizers say the project aims to improve local resources and contribute to achieving regional water quality goals. Plans are to improve and, in some areas, relocate portions of the creek and install rock and log structures along its course to improve habitat and stability. Invasive vegetation, which threatens the health of the native forest, also will be removed. Native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous species will be planted to improve habitat and further stabilize repaired banks along the more natural stream channel.

“This stretch of Meadow Creek suffers from crumbling banks and severe sedimentation, problems compounded anytime we have stormwater runoff,” said Diane Frisbee, the Conservancy’s stream project manager. “The restoration will dramatically improve conditions in the stream itself, plus help improve the quality of water feeding into the Rivanna River.”

Funding for the $3.95 million restoration comes from the Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund. Administered by The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Conservancy, the trust fund enables significant wetland and stream protection and restoration projects throughout Virginia.

To follow the Meadow Creek restoration project, click here.