(June 2, 2015) – As part of its commitment to help enhance water quality, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) will restore 475 linear feet of a tributary to the Severn Run. The project, which will begin late spring, is located west of I-97 near Najoles Road in Millersville, Anne Arundel County. This tributary, as well as Severn Run feed into the Severn River, a major tributary to the Chesapeake Bay.

Work on the $613,000 project includes stabilizing the stream banks and installing step pools, cascades and other natural rock structures in the steam to reduce the energy of the water, particularly during heavy rainfall and snow melt.  Slower energy reduces stream bank erosion and the amount of sediment and nutrients from entering the bay. Crews will plant native trees and seed native vegetation in the project area to further reduce pollution from entering downstream waterways.

 

 

SHA is also upgrading the stream outfall that is adjacent to the right shoulder of southbound I-97.

Downstream instability, heavy rainfall and the hard nature of the area that drains to this outfall have contributed to the damage of the outfall, stream channel and road slope. The new outfall and stream channel will encourage absorption of water and reduce bank erosion.

There will be no traffic impacts to I-97 during the project and major stream work can occur after the June 15th Yellow Perch spawning protection season.  SHA’s contractor for the Severn Run stream restoration project is Meadville Land Service, Inc. of Cochranton, Pa.

###
​