In 2005, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) sought out bidders with specialized construction experience to implement a stream restoration project in Howard County, Maryland. Ecotone was awarded the contract based upon its specialized experience in stream restoration and its price proposal. The project involved the restoration construction of 1,700 linear feet of Hammonds Branch adjacent to a newly constructed state road.

Ecotone, Inc. acting as the prime contractor, utilized a specialized pump system to divert base flow around the work area during construction. Numerous high water events during the construction period created extremely challenging working conditions and required supplemental pump systems to keep the project on schedule and within budget. The design called for the incorporation of numerous log and j-vanes, integrated with various bioengineering techniques, to deflect high velocity vectors away from the streambanks. The design also included a 400 foot imbricated rock wall. The project was constructed in the fall of 2005 and into early 2006.

Construction was completed in February of 2006. During construction, construction specialists from Ecotone’s construction staff alerted SHA and designer that existing conditions had changed dramatically from what had been depicted on the plans, and if the design were constructed as designed, a existing sanitary sewer running parallel to the stream would be exposed. Working with the project designers, Ecotone constructed the red line revisions to the plans resulting in the realignment of the ultimate stream channel. An additional rock vane and soil lifts were constructed at the base of the sanitary sewer to provide additional protection to the streambank.