The Holton Arms School was planning an expansion of its infrastructure in 2001. The school retained Ecotone, Inc. to develop a conceptual stream restoration plan for 1,500 linear feet of Booze Creek, which bisected the school’s property. The restoration plan was required by the Maryland National Capitol Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC) as part of the development plan approval process. Booze Creek drains the City of Bethesda and is characterized by an extremely flashy flow regime. Streambanks along the project reach exhibited high to extremely high bank erosion potential.

Ecotone developed a conceptual restoration plan for Booze Creek on the school’s property which was presented to adjacent landowners and the regulatory agencies. Final plans were ultimately approved by the MNCPPC, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Ecotone’s restoration plan increased the width depth ratio of the active channel, provided low profile bank protection, and reestablished a natural riffle pool sequence for enhance energy dissipation during high flows.

The project was successfully constructed by Ecotone in the winter of 2006. The increased capacity of the stream provided by the restoration design has resulted in decreased shear stress along streambank areas. The project held up well after experiencing several flow events exceeding the bankfull discharge shortly after construction was complete.