RESPEC Project

The Dead Run Stream flows from headwaters near the highly developed Tyson’s Corner area of Fairfax County, Virginia, and is a tributary to the Potomac River. In many areas, significant channel degradation has occurred as a result of high volumes of stormwater runoff. Aquatic habitat quality within Dead Run is classified as very poor.

RESPEC assisted Fairfax County, Virginia, with assessing channel conditions in Dead Run Stream and designing stream improvements for 4,200 feet of channel through McLean Central and Dead Run Stream Valley Parks in McLean, Virginia. The overarching goal of this project was to increase channel and bank stability by applying restoration techniques that have a minimal impact on the existing riparian vegetation, including large trees and native shrubs, brush, and ground cover.

Because of the sensitive nature of the existing riparian corridor and the goal of minimizing soil disturbance and preserving existing trees to the extent possible, the design strategy for channel and streambank restoration included using bioengineering techniques to minimize impacts to the stream system and maximize ecological function; identifying stormwater outfall locations and providing recommendations for treatment; and creating wetlands in select floodplain areas to provide retention of stormwater discharges and channel overbank flows.