The existing stream channel exhibited G4 stream type characteristics, with high bank erodibility and an unstable bed.  The banks were 15 feet or more in height and the stream had virtually no floodplain whatsoever.  Toward the downstream end of the project reach, a 60 foot vertical slope failure was contributing extreme amounts of sediment to the channel.  Assuming a conservative one foot of erosion per year of the slope, the 600 feet of bank was inputting 2,000 tons of sediment per year into Porter Run, a USE III natural reproducing brook trout stream.

Mr. Roger Thomas with the Natural Resource Conservation Service developed the design for the project. The design entailed elevating the bed of the channel from 5 to 15 feet by filling in the existing channel, creating a step pool profile with a 5 percent slope, and restoring access to the historic floodplain.  Ecotone was asked to complete all work by October 15, leaving only 6 weeks to complete construction, so a compressed work schedule was developed to meet the needs of the County.  Ecotone utilized two excavators, a Cat 953 loader, as well as a Komatsu CD110 crawler (track truck) to accomplish the grading and rock work onsite.  A pump around system was employed to divert clean base flow around the work area.  Imbricated rock, square shaped rock which places and stacks easily, was utilized to construct the step pools and to build the rock wall.  Live stakes of willow and dogwood were inserted along the streambanks to establish riparian vegetation.

		The project was completed on-time and under budget in October of 2009.  The step-pool configuration has been maintained as intended and the pools have deepened to provide high quality habitat for brook trout. The installed live stakes have rooted and riparian vegetation has become well established.  The imbricated rock wall has successfully stabilized the vertical slope failure, preventing over 2,000 tons of sediment per year from entering the stream.