Pike Creek Stream Restoration Underway

The Delaware De partment of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, in a partnership with Three Little Bakers Golf Course, is in the process of implementing a stream restoration project along Pike Creek. Approximately 5,000 feet of the stream channel and adjacent banks are being restored using state-of-the-art restoration techniques. This method of stream restoration measures the watershed inputs and valley type (e.g., size of drainage area, topographic relief, overland runoff) and provides a means to change the stream’s pattern, profile and dimension to accommodate for the effects caused from urbanization and restore stability, sediment transport and biological function.

The restoration project also includes the planting of streamside vegetation that will further protect the banks, improve and maintain water quality and provide wildlife habitat.

The Three Little Bakers site along Pike Creek is an excellent candidate for stream restoration because of its unique environmental features:

part of the White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic River system;
serves as a source for public drinking water (a public water intake is located downstream at Stanton);
one of a handful of trout put-and-take stocked streams in the State;
provides a habitat corridor in an area of dense development;
potential migration corridor for the endangered bog turtle;
a single landowner that is very interested and willing to participate in a restoration project.

There are numerous goals for this project which include the following:

stabilizing the stream banks and reducing erosion;
creating habitat – putting in sequences of riffles and pools in the stream channel along and planting the banks with a large number of trees and shrubs;
improving water quality;
reducing the number of out-of-bank flooding events. However, it should be noted that while this restoration eff ort will help to reduce out-of-bank flooding and maintain the stream channel geometry during major storm events, it will not control the amount of water entering the stream from upland sources;
maintaining the natural look of the stream as Mother Nature would dictate.

The construction contractor, Meadville Land Service from Meadville, PA, is introducing a series of meander bends to the existing stream channel to help reduce the flow velocity and return the stream to a more natural state. They are
also constructing several stream-side wetlands. Construction work started in early March, 2005 and is expected to be completed in August. The planting phase will take place in the fall. For those that are familiar with the golf course, the construction work is taking place along the stream in the areas of holes 16 and 7 and is very visible when traveling along Upper Pike Creek Road. The construction work is being overseen by Biohabitats from Timonium, MD, and is the same firm that prepared the project design plans for DNREC. Partners in this project responsible for providing funding and other resources include: Three Little Bakers, EPA, DelDOT, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, New Castle Conservation District, and DNREC.

The following photos are from the Three Little Bakers site:

Pre-restoration: a lack of streamside vegetation results in undercutting of banks and severe erosion.

Before construction rip-rap was used in some areas to hold the stream banks in place (photo on left). The same area has been restored using logs, tree stumps, boulders, and live branch willow layering to stabilize the banks and create habitat for fish and macro-invertebrate species.

Stream banks have been stabilized and the sharp bends in the stream channel have been removed (photo on right). The pre-construction photo (left) shows how the banks have been severely eroded and undercut.

The restoration project is serving as an excellent outdoor classroom for students and environmental professionals.

Photos a nd article content courtesy of DNREC