Little Pipe Creek Restoration

Little Pipe Creek Restoration
	A 1,800 linear foot reach of Little Pipe Creek within the town of Union Bridge in Carroll County was restored in 2000 using historical aerial photographs, geomorphic principles, and natural stability concepts. The project objectives included restoring the stream’s historic meander pattern and channel geometry, increasing sinuosity, reducing bank erosion potential, enhancing aquatic and riparian habitat, and the implementation of innovative, low-cost streambank stabilization methods.
Native sod mats and willow transplants were relocated from the adjacent floodplain to provide immediate vegetative protection of the streambanks. Boulder vanes and coarse woody debris were used in conjunction with the vegetative transplants to provide extensive channel roughness and surface protection along the outer meanders of the new channel, and to reduce accelerated velocities along the stream-streambank interface. Cross-sections, in-stream profiles, and low flow velocity isovels measured two years after completion of construction indicate the channel is stable and provides excellent in-stream and bank cover for fisheries. The restored streambanks exhibit low bank erosion potential, based on measurements of bank-side rooting depth, percent root coverage, bank height/bankfull height, surface protection, and bank angle.

Existing streambanks were vertical with high bank erosion potential, 1999. In one degraded reach, the channel was relocated to restore a more sinuous meander pattern, 1999.

The relocated channel was stabilized on concave banks. The relocated channel was constructed off-line.

Sod was transplanted along the banks to provide immediate vegetative stability. Willow transplants were used to provide immediate rooted vegetation.

Little Pipe Creek in 2002, two year after construction, showing the relocated portion of the project. Channel in 2002, two years after construction.

Survey of the relocated channel, 2002 The channel is well vegetated with low bank erosion potential.

Looking downstream at cross vane weir, 2002. Restored streambank at upper reach of stream two years after completion of construction.