EVALUATING URBAN STREAM RESTORATION PROJECTS: A CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF THE WEST BRANCH OF INDIAN CREEK

The EPA 2008-2009 National Rivers and Stream Assessment indicates that 55% of the nation’s rivers and small streams are in poor condition and unable to support healthy populations of aquatic life and/or exhibit pollution. In particular, urban streams can exhibit poor condition because of excessive stormwater discharge, contamination risks from wastewater, and streambed incision. Hisotrically, small urban streams were often converted into sewer pipelines, such as the West Branch of Indian Creek in Philadelphia. In April 2014, the Philadelphia Water Department “daylighted” the buried section of West Branch with the construction of a new streambed channel in an effort to improve stormwater management, flood mitigation, and stream health--the first stream daylighting project in the city. This study assesses the condition of West Branch one year after the restoration project (no reports on the daylighting project have been published) using the in-stream components of the Mid-Atlantic Stream-Wetland-Riparian (SWR) Index, a rapid field assessment method. The SWR Index records and measures stream incision ratio, stream habitat parameters, and stream stressors. The data are converted to scores on scale of 0-1 corresponding to a condition category. The overall condition of West Branch scored in the optimal condition category (score = 0.77). This result reflects the success of the daylighting project. Further assessment opportunities include a total suspended sediment (TSS) analysis and investigation of the economic and social impacts of the project over time.