The Jabez Stream Restoration: Goals, Methods, and Preliminary Monitoring Results of a Restored Coldwater Trout Stream on the Atlantic Coastal Plain
Keith Binsted
Camille Calure
Underwood & Associates
Millersville, Maryland
Authors: Binsted, K. and Calure, C.
Jabez Branch is located within the Severn Run Watershed, and is unique as it is the only stream within the Coastal Plain of Maryland that historically supported a native Brook Trout population. Unfortunately, rapid development of the Jabez Branch watershed and the construction of two large highways near the stream caused rapid functional and ecological degradation due to extreme erosive runoff, thermal pollution, and excessive sediment – all of which have caused a decline of the Brook Trout population. In the spring of 2024, the most degraded tributary to this stream – Tributary 3 – was restored using the Regenerative Stream Conveyance (RSC) method, in which the severely incised channel was infilled with woodchips, sand, and gravel. The main purpose of the restoration was to raise the streambed to reconnect it with the floodplain, and to slow erosive energies with constructed riffles and pools. The RSC method of restoration promotes infiltration and reconnection of surface and subsurface flows, with one of the goals being to reduce stream temperature and potentially provide suitable pool habitat for Brook Trout. The restoration continues to be the subject of ongoing monitoring efforts in order to characterize what effects RSC restoration may have on the area’s environmental condition. The monitoring effort is a collaboration between state, county, non-profit, and private parties. Metrics like structural stability, groundwater level, water quality and temperature, vegetation, and biota are being tracked as the restoration continues to mature; this data is also being evaluated for trends and qualitative results. In this presentation, we will describe the history of Jabez Tributary 3 and its context within the wider watershed, and explain our restoration methods and objectives. We will also show the preliminary results of this investigation into the environmental effects of restoration, including effects on groundwater, water quality, and stability. We will discuss the implications of these findings so far on restoration in general and as it may relate to improving ecological function and conditions.
About Keith Binsted
Coming Soon
About Camille Calure
Coming Soon