A Decade of Growing Greener - Brandywine Valley Association's Red Stream Blue Model For Stream Restoration

In early 2006, to address the problem of impaired streams in the Brandywine Creek, the Brandywine Valley Association initiated a program entitled Red Streams Blue.

 

BVA began this initiative by creating watershed maps showing impaired streams in red and those streams attaining their designated use in blue. The program goal is to ensure that all streams in the Brandywine meet water quality standards, or in program terms: turn Red Streams Blue.

 

To accomplish this goal impaired watersheds are completely assessed to identify the impacted reaches and the reasons for their impairment. From the assessment, a comprehensive restoration plan is developed showing the corrective actions necessary for water quality improvement. Finally, projects are selected and implemented.

 

The Red Streams Blue Program also includes an extensive education and outreach program which shows residents ways to be good watershed stewards. To monitor improvements in water quality the BVA has established volunteer Environmental Stream Teams to do chemical and biological testing at sites in our restoration watersheds.

 

In March 2007 with funding from Growing Greener, the BVA was able to initiate our Red Streams Blue Program in Radley Run watershed. The DEP grant award paid for a comprehensive assessment of the watershed and a restoration plan which outlined BMPs which needed to be implemented, their priority and costs.

 

In addition to the assessment and restoration plan the Growing Greener funds also supported the development of a stream bank erosion and deposition protocol to be used by volunteers. The procedure was created by RETTEW associates in September 2007 and almost 2 years of data has been collected at 4 sites in Radley Run watershed.

 

The data shows a strong relationship to the amount of erosion and deposition and the size of rainfall events. The bank pin protocol appears to be a valuable tool for measuring bank stability before and after restoration work.

 

The assessment of Radley Run watershed was finished by RETTEW Associates in December 2007 and the restoration plan was completed by RETTEW in January 2008. From the restoration plan the BVA selected a severely impaired reach of Radley Run for streambank and floodplain restoration and submitted a Growing Greener grant to pay for the work.

 

The Growing Greener grant was awarded in February 2009 and the initial surveying and design work is currently underway. Growing Greener funding has allowed the BVA to expand our Red Streams Blue Program from a simple concept to on the ground restoration projects.

 

The Red Streams Blue Program is a scientific, systematic approach to stream restoration which can serve as a model for improving water quality in watersheds throughout Pennsylvania.

 

For more information, visit the Brandywine Valley Association website.