Lawrence, Kansas
Client:City of
Lawrence
Dial Realty Company desired to develop a small portion of a 160-acre tract of land in the City of Lawrence. City officials desired to have the property developed in a comprehensive fashion rather than piecemeal. Therefore, a benefit district was formed to develop the entire 160-acre tract of land incorporating residential and commercial development with the existing riparian corridor and proposed pedestrian trail system. Terra Technologies was retained to bring together the infrastructure design needs with riparian corridor preservation and/or restoration needs.
A primary and tributary stream traversed the 160-acre tract. The City desired to retain as much of the riparian corridor as possible, but also required that minimum design standards be maintained to account for potential flooding. A geomorphic analysis revealed that the two streams were currently experiencing a transition caused by development within the upper watersheds. Much of the riparian corridor for the primary stream was to be disrupted to account for potential flood concerns, but a majority of the tributary stream riparian corridor could remain intact. The stream type transition, caused by development within the watershed, would ultimately cause significant alteration to the existing riparian corridors.
Terra Technologies provided a design that restored the impacted portions of the riparian corridor and limited natural impacts to areas of the riparian corridor that were left undisturbed. The bank full stream alignment is to be maintained and only limited grading was performed within the actual stream. Several stone riffle structures were designed to act as streambed grade control and to provide enhanced aquatic habitat. Where stream flooding was a concern, additional conveyance capacity was obtained by providing a larger floodplain area within the natural stream corridor alignment. Complete re-vegetation was performed within the disturbed areas to produce a healthy and mature riparian system as quickly as possible. The goal of the design was to provide a final successional stage riparian corridor in 10 years or less. Limited use of pioneering vegetation expedited this goal. Wetland plant species were included in the seed blends to jump-start the successional process in these areas, as well as provide a food source for waterfowl and other wildlife.
The designed improvements in detention in conjunction with the biotechnically engineered wetlands will result in an improvement to water quality within the subbasin drainage area. The project alleviates flooding and provides a naturalized area embraced by residents and businesses in the area. |
