Old Courthouse Spring Branch at Ashgrove Historic Park Stream Restoration
Project Number: SD-000031-236
Project Update: June 5, 2023
Received the final plan submission and anticipate approval in July 2023. Construction is scheduled to being in Winter 2023.
Project Background
Old Courthouse Spring Branch existing conditions
This project was identified in the Difficult Run Watershed Management Plan for stream restoration and stabilization activities. It was placed in the county's Fiscal Year 2019 work plan as a result of severe erosion and maintenance issues related to a downstream stormwater management basin.
Project Description
The project will restore about 2,000 linear feet of natural stream channel, replace the culvert under Ashgrove Lane and repair the trail. The stream channel exhibits severely eroded and over-widened banks, and the potential for further bed and bank instability. This project is part of larger efforts to restore many of Fairfax County’s degraded streams while improving overall water quality and the condition of the Chesapeake Bay.
The primary goals of the restoration are:
Stabilize the channel and prevent future erosion and degradation along the stream
Improve water quality through the removal of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) and sediment
Protect the high-quality forest upstream of the Ashgrove Lane Trail
Replace the culvert under the Ashgrove Lane Trail and repair the trail. If the culvert fails, there will be massive erosion and tree loss in the upstream forested area
Create a healthy ecosystem by restoring the channel and planting native trees and herbaceous plants
Project Location
The project is located on public land and within stormwater easements south of the Dulles Access Road, extending downstream through Old Courthouse Spring Branch Stream Valley Park to Ashgrove Lane.
Final plan approval is anticipated in July 2023. Construction is scheduled to begin in Winter 2023.
Project Benefits
The environmental benefits of the project are:
Improved watershed conditions
Reduced downstream impacts by controlling velocity, reducing erosion, protecting infrastructure
Improved buffer quality
Project Cost and Funding Source
Design of the Old Courthouse Spring Branch at Ashgrove Historic Park stream restoration project is funded for $900,000. Construction funding is dependent upon future budget availability and allocations. Stormwater projects are funded through the county Stormwater Service District.
Contact
For more information please email Project Manager Shannon Bell, Stormwater Planning Division, Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, or call 703-324-5802, TTY 711.