Water Resources

2011-2012 Blanchard Beach WQ Project

 

2011 - 2012 Blanchard Beach Wetland Restoration and Water Quality Improvement Project (Completed) 

This project goals were to evaluate the sources of pollutants in the watershed for the small "Oakledge" tributary that drains to the south section of Blanchard Beach (map), to restore the small wetland that is at the mouth of the tributary's outfall, and to make overall water quality improvements which improve water quality in the wetland area and at Blanchard Beach.

Based on the feasibility study, City staff and our consultants, Lakeside Environmental Group, selected a number of water quality improvements and developed a restoration plan for a section of the wetland.  The water quality improvements involve the stabilization of the eroding swale along the east side of the Oakledge entrance, the installation of a swirl separator, which will remove sediment and other sediment bound pollutants (oils, bacteria, nutrients) from the runoff coming from the paved surfaces in Oakledge and for much of the lower section of Flynn Avenue.  Portions of the wetland were restored by removing some of the accumulated material that has been deposited over the years and creating small micro-pools with wetland plantings (see Blanchard Beach Project Plans).  Like natural wetlands, we anticipate that this restored wetland will have increased water quality mitigation functions compared to the degraded system that currently exists, further improving the water quality at Blanchard Beach.

This project was funded, in part, by grants from the Lake Champlain Basin Program ($25K) and VT Dept. of Environmental Conservation Ecosystem Restoration Program ($45K). Its total cost, including design, materials, construction and construction oversight was $142K.

Final Documents