Towne Branch Stream Restoration

Christiansburg, Virginia
Owner: Town of Christiansburg

Wetland Studies and Solutions (WSSI) and the Town of Christiansburg worked together to accommodate complex site constraints for the urban Towne Branch stream restoration project. The result was an approach that helped the Town meet TMDL permit goals and established the restored stream as a focal point of the public recreational areas that surround it.

The 2,000 linear foot stream segment is part of an urban watershed and surrounded by playgrounds, a ball field, a skate park, and the aquatic center.  WSSI factored in public use of these surrounding areas, accommodated FEMA floodplain requirements, and addressed an aerial sanitary sewer crossing, varying channel conditions along the length of the stream, and the presence of historic resources.

WSSI began by walking the site, communicating with the Town about existing conditions, site concerns, and potential infrastructure conflicts – and formulating a recommended approach.  WSSI then delineated and survey-located wetlands and other Waters of the U.S., surveyed for endangered and threatened species, and completed a tree inventory to map the site’s natural resources, and documented cultural resources for permitting purposes.

WSSI completed a detailed watershed analysis, then developed concept design plans and met with the Town in the first of several collaborative design meetings.  Next, WSSI developed detailed grading and profile plans, and assessed the proposed restoration’s impacts on the 100-year floodplain using pre- and post-construction floodplain models.  The Town awarded WSSI a separate contract for construction phase services including permit renewal, assistance with bid package preparation/review, easement support, and construction oversight.  WSSI coordinated with the contractor and Town staff to review and approve submittals, track construction progress, handle field adjustments, and review as-built information.

The Towne Branch stream restoration was completed in 2018, and educational signage from WSSI highlights the unique features of the project and surrounding historic resources.  The project has already exhibited structural and ecological integrity in weathering several large tropical storm events.    

WSSI provided these services under the Stormwater and Environmental Engineering Term Services Agreement with the Town.  This project was funded by a state Stormwater Local Assistance Fund grant.