Rutland Road Fish Passage Wins Sustainability Award.
MdQI awarded WRA with the 2019 Green/Sustainability/Environmental Award for the Rutland Road Fish Passage.
On January 31, 2019, the Maryland Quality Initiative (MDQI) recognized WRA as the Lead Design Firm for the Rutland Road Fish Passage Project which was named the winner of the 2019 Green/Sustainability/Environmental Award of Excellence. WRA, under contract with Anne Arundel County, MD, completed all design, permitting and construction-related support for the project, the primary goal of which was the restoration of historical migration of white and yellow perch to approximately six miles of the North River, a tributary of the South River. The preexisting crossing of the North River and Rutland Road consisted of triple-cell, 48-inch corrugated metal pipe (CMP) culverts which presented an obstacle to passage of the semi-anadromous target species from tidal areas of the Chesapeake Bay to the freshwater spawning habitat of the North River. The pipe culverts had also deteriorated, resulting in frequent roadway overtopping and continued destabilization.
WRA completed the final design using extensive flow monitoring data, statistical analyses, natural channel design techniques and innovative bridge engineering to achieve a suite of environmental goals while upgrading transportation infrastructure to minimize roadway overtopping and future
maintenance. The stream restoration design relied upon two (2) rock ramp riffle structures designed for flow rates/flow depths compatible with target species burst and sustained swim speeds. The constructed riffles were also raised above the preexisting stream channel bottom to provide floodplain
re-connection to a downstream wetland complex, thereby ensuring a low-stress, sustainable system with defined water quality benefits. WRA oversaw successful construction of the project during the rainiest year on record in 2018 and provided expedited construction support to minimize impacts to the traveling public and the natural environment.
