A Watershed Approach to Environmental Restoration in

Mecklenburg County

David A. Woodie, PE, CPSWQMecklenburg County

Land Use & Environmental Services Agency

Special Thanks to: Emily G. Reinicker, PE, CFM Jason Claudio-Diaz, PE, CFM Wildlands Engineering, Inc. Kimley-Horn and Assoc., Inc.

WATERSHED / BASINS• 330± miles of FEMA streams

• 32 watersheds

• All water in Mecklenburg County (except Catawba River) originates in Mecklenburg County

Presentation Overview• Early Planning Process

• Funding Partners and Stakeholders• Overview Map

• Project Reaches

• Monitoring Program• Mecklenburg County Water Quality• Making a difference

Early Planning Process• Master Plan

• Set in Motion after flooding in 1997; FEMA Buyouts 2000• Little Sugar Creek Master Plan adopted by BOCC 2004

• Stakeholders• Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services•

• Funding Partners• FEMA Buyout Grants• Clean Water Management Trust Fund• NCDOT Ped Grants• NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program • NC Division of Water Resources• Charlotte DOT

WATERSHED / BASINS Little Sugar Creek

Watershed

• Collects East side of Greater• “Uptown” Charlotte.

• Over 43% impervious

Little Sugar Creek WatershedOverview Map

Nine Projects in the Ground over Twelve Years.

Little Sugar Creek WatershedProject Reaches

• Hidden Valley Ecological Park • Cullman Avenue Water Quality Enhancement Project• 7th Street Reach at Central Piedmont Community College• Elizabeth Reach of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway • Midtown Reach of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway• Kings Drive Reach of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway• Liz Hair Nature Trail• Freedom Park Mitigation Project • Westfield Environmental Restoration

Little Sugar CreekHidden Valley Ecological Park

• Project Overview• Drainage area 1.5 sq miles • 3,500 LF and12 BMP cells• Floodplain buyout 17 homes

• Project Goals• Improve WQ• Habitat Restoration

• Primary Sponsor: CMSWS with CWMTF

• Design date 2001-2002• Construction date 2003-2004• Construction Cost $3.1M

Little Sugar CreekHidden Valley Ecological Park

Site photos

Little Sugar CreekHidden Valley Ecological Park

Site photos

Little Sugar CreekHidden Valley Ecological Park

Little Sugar CreekHidden Valley Ecological Park

Site photos

Little Sugar CreekCullman Avenue

• Project Overview• Drainage area 3.4 sq mi• 1,100 LF and Bioretention BMP

• Project Goals• Water Quality Enhancement• Habitat Restoration

• Primary Sponsor: CMSWS• Design 2010-2011• Construction 2011-2012• Construction Cost $260K

Little Sugar CreekCullman Avenue

Little Sugar CreekCullman Avenue

Little Sugar CreekCullman Avenue

Little Sugar Creek GreenwayUrban Reaches

ELIZABETH REACH

MIDTOWN REACH

KINGS DRIVE REACH

Little Sugar CreekGreenway: Elizabeth Reach

• Project Overview• Drainage area 10.2 sq mi• 3,500 LF and BMP Pond

• Project Goals• Habitat Restoration• Water Quality

• Primary Sponsor: CMSWS• Design 2007-2010• Construction 2010-2012• Construction Cost $450K

Site photos

Little Sugar CreekGreenway: Elizabeth Reach

Little Sugar CreekGreenway: Midtown Reach

• Project Overview• Drainage area 10.6 sq mi• 3,500 LF and BMP Pond

• Project Goals• Habitat Restoration• Water Quality

• Primary Sponsor: CMSWS• Design 2005-2007• Construction 2007-2008• Construction Cost $130K

Little Sugar CreekGreenway: Midtown Reach

Before Demolition1999 Aerial

Little Sugar CreekGreenway: Midtown Reach

Little Sugar CreekGreenway: Midtown Reach

Little Sugar CreekGreenway: Kings Drive Reach

• Project Overview• Drainage area 11.5 sq miles• 2,000 LF and Wetland BMPs

• Project Goals• Habitat Restoration• Water Quality• Greemway

• Primary Sponsor: CMSWS• Design 2006-2007• Construction 2008-2010• Construction Cost $1.35M

Site photos

Little Sugar CreekGreenway: Kings Drive Reach

1999 Aerial 2005 Aerial

Site photos

Little Sugar CreekGreenway: Kings Drive Reach

Little Sugar CreekGreenway: Kings Drive Reach

Little Sugar CreekLiz Hair Nature Trail

• Project Overview• Drainage area 12.0 sq mi• 3,400 LF

• Project Goals• Habitat Restoration

• Primary Sponsor: CMSWS• Design 2003• Construction 2004• Construction Cost $130K

Little Sugar CreekLiz Hair Nature Trail

Little Sugar CreekFreedom Park Mitigation Project

• Project Overview• Drainage area 13.6 sq mi• 4,400 LF

• Project Goals• Mitigation Credit

• Primary Sponsor: NC EEP• Design 2002• Construction 2003• Construction Cost $1.8M

Little Sugar CreekFreedom Park Mitigation Project

Little Sugar CreekFreedom Park Mitigation Project

Little Sugar CreekFreedom Park Mitigation Project

Little Sugar CreekWestfield Environmental Restoration

• Project Overview• Drainage area 15.0 sq mi• 5,200 LF and 7 BMP cells

• Project Goals• Habitat Restoration• Water Quality• Greenway

• Primary Sponsors

CMSWS, Park & Rec• Design 2003• Construction 2004• Construction Cost $2.49M

Site photos

Little Sugar CreekWestfield Environmental Restoration

Site photos

Little Sugar CreekWestfield Environmental Restoration