Revitalizing Stewart Creek: Reconnecting More than Floodplains Stewart Creek, Mecklenburg County
Jake Maschoff, PE
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water identified a 3.5-mile section of Stewart Creek in need of improvements as part of a county-wide effort to increase water quality. Stewart Creek is within a highly urbanized area of Charlotte and bisects several historically significant African-American and racially integrated neighborhoods. The stream is highly degraded and actively eroding, which has led to poor water quality, lack of a vegetated buffer, and failure of nearby infrastructure.
Through years of public outreach, numerous public meetings, and strategic partnerships, Mecklenburg County was able to acquire 80 easements to complete this three-phase project. The project design utilized various natural channel design techniques, in-stream structures, and riparian vegetation to meet Mecklenburg County’s goal of reducing erosion and improving water quality – all while working around the various constraints within the project corridor, including major road and railroad crossings that did not allow for typical access points. This project not only allowed for reconnection of the floodplain, but also reconnected residents to nature in their own backyards and community greenways. This presentation will outline the project history, how our team navigated various design and construction constraints, and project outcomes.
About Jake Maschoff, PE
Jake Maschoff is a professional engineer and project manager with Kimley-Horn and Associates who is actively involved in the geomorphic assessments, detailed hydrologic and hydraulic models, and design for natural channel design projects. He has over 10-years’ experience managing stream restoration projects from initial assessments through construction and monitoring.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-maschoff-p-e-3b373953/