The stream restoration project at Methodist University just after construction. The next is to plant a riparian buffer to encourage aquatic and wildlife habitat. The plantings will also provide shade and possibly pollinator habitat. The plantings will be complete in early 2021.
Fayetteville, NC
Nestled in the northern part of Fayetteville, NC sits Methodist University (MU), a private university serving almost 2,400 students (undergraduate and postgraduate). It rests on 614 gorgeous acres, next to the Cape Fear River, and includes a golf course that is the focal point of its PGA Golf Management program.
The footbridge connecting the campus to the University PGA Golf Management program was demolished by Hurricanes Matthew and Florence's high water events. The project team rebuilt the footbridge as part of the restoration project.
An unnamed creek runs through campus, drains 227 acres of the urban campus, and transports much of the campus stormwater and other runoff into the Cape Fear River. The stream suffered from severely eroding stream banks for at least six years and took significant hits during Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. These storms also washed away a footbridge that served students, staff, and faculty. In addition to the damage, the creek was eating into a parking lot and other infrastructure. The University had safety concerns about the crumbling streambanks and the potential for falling trees.
The project team from Jennings Environmental, McAdams, Methodist University, North State Environmental, and Resource Institute review the project from the rebuilt footbridge that connects the campus to the University's PGA Golf Management program facility.
Charles Anderson, Resource Institute, explained the damage. “Severe erosion and damage done over the years due to hurricanes and stormwater runoff caused a severe entrenchment of the stream going through the center of their campus. The soil type and volume of rainfall were major factors causing damage to the stream over time.”
MU knew they had to fix the stream and called in McAdams, an engineering firm with offices in Raleigh, with an initial plan to ensure that the stream could transport University runoff and no longer pose a danger to students and University personnel. McAdams introduced the team at MU to Resource Institute and Jennings Environmental, LLC (technical advisor), leaders in Natural Stream Design Restoration in North Carolina. The three entities formed a powerhouse team to stop the erosion and add a host of benefits to the project along with The North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund, which supplied a grant for the project to supplement MU’s matching funds.
The team produced a plan that would stabilize the stream and halt further erosion using Natural Channel Stream Design. This restoration approach uses sustainable river engineering technologies to improve natural stream stability and habitat functions. The plan also called for an enhanced riparian buffer with native plants to aid in erosion prevention and create aquatic and wildlife habitat.
North State Environmental constructed the project over the summer. Sheila Carr Kinsey, Chief of Staff, Vice President for Planning & Administration, Methodist University, says the project is so much more than she envisioned. “I had no idea it would be this beautiful! It’s quite remarkable. There are little waterfalls plus North State Environmental incorporated some of the at-risk trees as instream structures.”
Sheila said that for MU, the process and project implementation were astounding. “The project team worked so well together. Each entity brought something unique to the table and worked smoothly to implement the project.”
The project will be complete in late February 2021. The team will plant native trees, grasses, and shrubs to establish the riparian buffer, and in all, 3,205 linear feet of stream will be restored. The footbridge has been replaced, reconnecting campus to MU’s golf course and PGA Golf Management program facilities. Students can once again walk to this area instead of driving to the other side of campus. The restoration project will help reduce sediment loads, stabilize the banks, and bring the stream back to life, not only from a natural resource perspective but also as an enhancement to the aesthetics of the MU campus.Jennings Environmental, LLC