Stream restoration planned for Bren Mar Park
The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is planning a major stream restoration project at Turkeycock Run in Bren Mar Park.
The design is expected to be completed in late summer or early fall of 2025.
“Excessive widening of the channel has resulted in significant erosion of the stream banks, leading to loss of trees,” DPWES states. “The eroding banks also threaten the integrity of an existing sanitary sewer system that runs parallel to and crosses the stream.”
In addition, the deteriorating condition of the stream has resulted in a lack of diversity of aquatic life.
Bren Mar Park is located at 5415 Colliers Lane in the Bren Mar Park area of Mason District.
The project will start downstream of the culvert below I-395 and will end at the Bren Mar Recreation Association property.
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The project “will consist of various restoration and stabilization practices meant to mimic natural processes and evolution of a stream channel, with the goals of protecting existing trails and infrastructure, such as sanitary sewer and waterlines, from damage due to continuing erosion of the stream banks and bed,” DPWES states.
It will use “natural channel design” to create a framework for stream restoration emulating natural processes by incorporating rock, wood, and native vegetation. The project will also improve water quality by improving the flow of sediment through the system.
DPWES has identified 72 trees greater than 12 inches in diameter that will be removed to create access to the stream and to provide space for the improvements. Additional invasive plants will be replaced with native plants.
After the design phase is completed, the project will move into the permitting and bid phase. A date hasn’t been determined for the start of construction. Construction is expected to take up to two years.
Funding comes from the Stormwater Service District tax. The design phase has been funded at $805,000. Construction funding is dependent on future budget availability and allocations.
Turkeycock Run is part of the Cameron Run watershed. After the stream exits Bren Mar Park, it goes under Edsall Road and flows next to the site of a proposed data center at Plaza 500 and then joins Backlick Run
