St. Charles, Missouri
Client:
Millstone-Bangert Properties
Terra Technologies assisted the Fountain Lakes Commerce Center in obtaining the necessary permits to develop this area. Relocation of Cole Creek was necessary to make the site commercially viable though the regulatory agencies were initially opposed to any relocation. Terra Technologies performed a biological, horticultural, and geomorphologic assessment of Cole Creek. The results of these studies indicated that a more diverse ecosystem could be implemented if the channel were realigned. This assessment removed objections to the realignment and allowed the project to receive the necessary permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Approximately 3,920 linear feet of an existing portion of Cole Creek was replaced with 5,030 feet of relocated channel through the development in 2000.
The design included planned installation of over 13,000 square yards of rolled erosion control products with different seeding blends specified for the newly constructed channel slopes, benches, levees, and hard- and soft-pedestrian trails designed throughout the development. The design included areas of riprap for creek bend scour protection and areas of lunkers for fish habitat.
The stream channel relocation portion of the Fountain Lakes project required a comprehensive revegetation plan which incorporated seeding of native grasses and forbs, planting of container-grown trees, and harvest and planting of cuttings. Approximately 4,000 cuttings were taken from several species of trees located on the development property based on two criteria: their probable success in propagation through this method, and their presence in the existing stream corridor community.
The Fountain Lakes Nature Wildlife Park is part of the Fountain Lakes Commerce Center and the total development of the parkland involves 145 acres including lakes, trails and wetlands. Diverse aquatic and terrestrial plant communities using indigenous plant species were bioengineered by Terra Technologies to create a natural habitat. The park includes a large 40-acre lake and two 20-acre lakes. The park provides quality habitat for wildlife and provides good opportunities for education, fishing, hiking, and nature viewing or for general relaxation.
The park has a wetland designed to support hydrophytic vegetation. The bottom profile is open to Cole Creek and is broad and flat with numerous irregular shaped depressions along the perimeter. This will assure that water in varying duration is present part of the time to create various soil conditions. The wetland marsh is unique in that it represents an ecological system between the totally terrestrial and the totally aquatic hydrologic condition. The value of wetlands to cleanse waters, prevent floods and to recharge aquifers is well recognized and their protection is important.
The storm water from the Commerce Center enters a system of grass-lined swales and ponds that act as a filter system to clean the water before entering the lakes. The lakes are sized to handle the storm water from the Fountain Lakes Commerce Center without entering Cole Creek. |
