The project included the creation, preservation and enhancement of wetlands in the Potomac watershed.

nnection

provide an ecological benefit by creating, restoring and preserving the natural environment,” said Jonathan Jacobsen, executive project manager for Potomac Crossing Consultants.

Wetlands restoration

Wetlands have been created,

preserved and enhanced over a large portion of the Potomac Watershed, from Prince Georges County, Md., south to Stafford County, Va. Restoration included the creation of about 60 acres of tidal and non-tidal systems along Potomac tributaries in rural and urban settings.

For example, existing tidal wetlands within the important but heavily polluted Anacostia River system increased by 20 percent during an $8 million mitigation project. “Wetlands preserved as part of this project serve to sustain the ecologic functions they provide, such as aquatic habitat for wildlife, water-quality improvements, flood control and

green

FACTS

Wetlands acreage increased 170 percent between 1996 and 2008, creating nearly three acres of wetlands for

every acre impacted.

Source: White House Council on Environmental Quality, 2008

aesthetics,” Jacobsen said.

Wildlife protection

Construction was habitat- sensitive.

Nearly two dozen bald eagles nested within the project area. Because of their endangered status at the time, the team consulted with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to determine how to best protect these birds during construction.

The construction partners created an 84- acre wildlife sanctuary to preserve the bald-eagle habitat within the bridge area, more than eight times larger than required by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

“Through detailed monitoring and contractor coordination during the nesting activities, nearly 20 eaglets have been raised adjacent to active

construction on and near the wildlife sanctuary on Rosalie Island,” Jacobsen said.

The project strives to protect the water quality of the Potomac River. Readings were recorded every 15 minutes at six monitoring stations throughout the project area, including the Potomac River and Cameron Run, a major tributary that flows through the Virginia interchanges. The team has collected more than 5 million readings, including pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and temperature data.

More benefits

Safe fish passage was accomplished using natural-looking stone structures designed to mimic classic stream features. It was the first time a fish- passage project of this size, scale and type had been accomplished in an urban setting.

Jacobsen said public outreach has been an integral factor in the success of all the environmental mitigation efforts, including regular meetings with local communities to provide updates on construction and issues that affect the regional environment. An annual Earth Day clean-up sponsored by the project has allowed project staff and the community to together remove trash from local wetlands while teaching participants how to lighten their ecological

footprint. g&c

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