Monday, July 22, 2019

Prince William County Wins APWA Award

Prince William County Environmental Services Division has received the Project of the Year Award from the American Public Works Association (APWA)  for the restoration of a section of Dewey's Creek along Possum Point Road.

The Dewey's Creek project used sustainable techniques to stabilize the creek, reduce bank erosion, provide protection to the road and other infrastructure, enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitat, and prevent flooding at Possum Point Road and nearby properties. The project restored 1,380-linear-feet of Dewey’s Creek.

Stream restoration includes directing the flow of water to the center of the stream channel to prevent bank erosion, introducing riffles that add oxygen into the water, adding riffle-pool structures to provide wildlife habitat and establishing vegetation along the stream. Stream restoration is time consuming and meticulous work taking into consideration, natural terrain and existing infrastructure.

Marc Aveni, Prince William County Environmental Services Chief, said that once restoration projects are done, everyone is happy. "The environmental community likes it because we're restoring the stream, and the public likes it because it looks like a park when we're done and it can increase property values."

In all, the county's Department of Public Works has completed 11 projects since 2013, for a total of $6.3 million, with at least half of that paid in state grants. According to Mr. Aveni, "It reduces the burden on our taxpayers… if we get millions from the state, we don't have to raise the fees on the homeowners who pay the stormwater management fee."

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