Leawood, Kansas
Client:City of Leawood
The City of Leawood retained the engineering team of Terra Technologies and the Larkin Group to design and oversee construction of design improvements to an upstream tributary to Dyke’s branch. The presence of deeply incised, laterally encroached steepened stream banks required the construction of several hundred feet of a traditional reinforced concrete box with a turf reinforced overswale.
Upon exit from the reinforced concrete box, a fluvial accumulation pool and associated cellular confinement retaining wall serve to dissipate hydraulic forces prior to discharge through the remaining several thousand feet stretch of bioengineered channel. Significant scientific investigation determined feasible alternatives for the removal of exotic alien species including japanese honeysuckle, winter berry euonomus, and garlic mustard. Ecological restoration of the riparian corridor resulted in the re-establishment of 80 species of native grasses, wildflowers, wetland plants, shrubs, and trees. The project served to demonstrate that greater than 80% of upper story trees could be preserved in the midst of constructed streambank improvements.
The project completed construction in fall of 2002 and has been nominated for several national restoration awards.
|
|
