Restoration of Lake Marion
Severn, Md.
Merit Award
Sent by: BayLand Consultants & Designers Inc.
Owner: Provinces Civic Association
Road design and engineering company: BayLand Consultants & Designers Inc.
General contractor: pay dirt
Non-profit donors: Seven River Association and Arundel Rivers Foundation
Subcontractors: Ashton Manor Environmental; Xylem US Inc; AB Consultants Inc.
The project culminated a 20-year community-led effort to restore the 3-acre detention pond that had maintained a diminished ecological function. Removal of accumulated sediments restored the lake to its historic depth and re-established a permanent pool up to 8 feet deep. Forebays were constructed at primary entry points to capture sediment and reduce long-term maintenance requirements. A 20- to 30-foot-wide aquatic bank constructed around the perimeter of the lake and planted with native vegetation provides shallow-water habitat, promotes nutrient uptake and transformation, stabilizes slopes, and improves overall ecological diversity. The bank also acts as a buffer to intercept sediment and pollutants before they enter the main pool.
Reconstruction of the embankment required the installation of a 14-foot-deep cutting trench compacted to 95% to meet dam safety requirements. A temporary groundwater control system reduced inflow to normal levels, allowing for proper placement and compaction of materials while maintaining construction progress.
