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Springhouse Run Stream Restoration Project

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Location: US National Arboretum  

Project Status: The Springhouse Run stream restoration project was completed in 2018. 

Project Overview

Springhouse Run is a tributary of Hickey Run, which feeds into the Anacostia River and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. Springhouse Run is located in the US National Arboretum but drains an area much larger, approximately 100 acres, much of which is north of Route 50. Most of this stream was highly altered decades ago when cement and large rocks were used to stabilize the stream. These changes resulted in the loss of the benefits that a stream provides. It was no longer a thriving ecosystem for our wildlife friends. 

DOEE coordinated the design and construction of this stream and habitat restoration and partnered with the U.S. National Arboretum (USNA) which is a part of the Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA). The stream was reconnected to its historic floodplain and was reshaped to mimic the original, natural state of the stream.  The project measures approximately 1,800 feet in length and lies entirely within the U.S. National Arboretum.   

In addition, a number of stormwater retrofits were installed around the Arboretum grounds and parking lots. The installation of these green infrastructure practices has reduced the volume of stormwater runoff and its associated pollutants to Hickey Run and the Anacostia River. 

Project Objectives

The purpose of the Springhouse Run project is to reduce stormwater runoff and prevent erosion in the Hickey Run watershed, to reduce stormwater pollution, to restore natural hydrology (stream flow), and to increase natural habitat. A successful restoration project moves the District closer to its overall goal of improving water quality in the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers for the benefit of District residents, visitors, wildlife, and the environment. 

Since the completion of this restoration project a few residents have moved in to take the restoration a step further! The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) has returned to Springhouse Run, creating new wetlands within the restoration area. Beavers are a keystone ecological species, meaning they are essential for maintaining biodiversity and are the original environmental engineers.

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