Note: This page is currently under construction. The main body of the concept plan is complete, but many of the appendices are still missing. We hope to have available downloadable files very soon, and apologize in the meantime for any inconvenience. If you have any questions regarding this, please don't hesitate to contact us.
A Concept Plan
for the
Ecological Restoration of Northwest Creek
May 18, 2008
Prepared by the Alliance for the Restoration of Northwest Creek
a 501c3 Organization
With major support by
The Terrapin Institute and Research Consortium, Inc.
Marguerite Whilden, Director
and the
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Restoration Services
Kevin M. Smith, Chief
The goal of this effort is to restore and maintain the wildlife sanctuary and ecology
of Northwest Creek.
Objectives for restoration include:
1. Reestablish the tidal interface at or near the historic opening;
2. Restore or enhance three miles of tidal shoreline;
3. Improve water quality in 100 acres of shallow water; and
4. Establish a marine sanctuary for a wide range of species.
Introduction
Northwest Creek, a 100-acre tidal creek on the southern end of Kent Island in Queen Anne’s County, experienced a major decline in water quality and a nearly total loss of water quantity in July and August 2007. In July 2007, in response to numerous reports of fish kills and health concerns from the residents, personnel from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Environment and the Queen Anne’s County Department of Health visited the creek to assess the problem and confirmed that the residents had cause for concern. This was not the first time state agency personnel had responded to fish kill reports on Northwest Creek. From 1986 to 2003, eleven fish kill incidents were investigated as shown in Appendix 2.
On August 22, 2007, before a joint evaluation meeting of State and federal agency personnel, residents of Northwest Creek presented a request to modify and structurally stabilize the tidal interface between Northwest Creek and the Bay. The position of the Department of Environment was provided in a letter from the Secretary of the MDE. (Appendix 1), endorsing the residents’ plan to restore depth to the creek and a permanent tidal interface to the Chesapeake Bay, including structural stabilization of the opening.
A group of residents formed the Alliance to Restore Northwest Creek, a 501c3 organization, with the goal of ecological and wildlife/fisheries habitat restoration. The Alliance entered into an agreement with the Terrapin Institute to help prepare a concept plan. From October 2007 to February 2008 the Terrapin Institute and the residents gathered information and documentation and prepared vital input to this Concept Plan. The Department of Natural Resources provided topographic data, soil analysis, and graphics, also vital elements of this Plan.
In order to create a sustainable environment, the Concept Plan includes a number of different components depicted in Figure 1.
• A permanent, stabilized tidal entrance to the Bay
• Creek and stream dredging
• Living shorelines creation
• Riparian forest buffers
Unrestricted tidal exchange between Northwest Creek and the Chesapeake Bay is required for the creation of living shorelines and enabling the free entry and exit of aquatic species. The restoration will create ideal spawning grounds and the planned submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) will provide safe havens for the young species to mature.
Despite the current lack of public access to Northwest Creek, the restoration effort will be an important contribution to Maryland's initiative for Chesapeake Bay recovery. The fact that surrounding land is held privately will help ensure the success of this effort over the long term as property owners take on more stewardship responsibilities. As the human population increases, land held in public ownership is used for a wider range of purposes. From an ecological perspective, restoration of private lands is proving to be the better public investment.
History of Northwest Creek
Northwest Creek was once known as Chews Creek and until the 1960s, was surrounded largely by farms. Northwest Creek, the largest tidal creek on Kent Island, comprises approximately 100 acres of water surface and nearly three miles of shoreline.
A review of maps dating back to 1887 indicates a stable body of water essentially the same in configuration, area and length of shoreline. Unlike other tidal creeks nearby which support larger proportions of tidal or tidal/fresh wetlands, Northwest Creek has retained its open water character and until the 1960s, a connection to the Chesapeake Bay. The most notable difference between the early depictions and present day is in the land at or along the tidal interface (Figures 2 and 3).
Nineteenth century map makers depicted an island land mass surrounded by a fringe of tidal wetlands. There were two outfalls between the Creek and the Bay. According to maps from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other sources, the land on the creek side appears to have eroded or retreated significantly sometime in the 1960s. Based on recent topographic data and current natural features, the configuration of fast land closest to the Bay appears to have remained relatively constant over the last 100 years.
Other cartographic and photographic evidence would further suggest a continuous tidal influence in Northwest Creek. After the 1960s, the capacity of the outfall has been severely compromised and during heavy rains, storm conditions or extreme tides, the outfall has been significantly and abruptly breached. The beach strand at the outfall path is restored by accreting sands and the stream follows a consistent course.
Anecdotal accounts from lifelong residents suggest that prior to the subdivision, Northwest Creek was utilized by local residents for waterfowl hunting, muskrat trapping, white perch seine net fishing, and boating (Figure 4). Passive and respectful passage over privately owned lands was commonplace and permitted by land owners. Maryland State law declares that the "waters of the State" and all lands lying below such waters are in the public domain. The loss of the Bay opening and decrease of the creek level diminished public use of the creek. Due to its location on the mid-Atlantic Flyway Northwest Creek has historically been a refuge for hundreds of migrating water fowl.
The lands on the northern shore of Northwest Creek were subdivided in the late 1950s and the first residential units were constructed in 1968. A lifelong resident who worked with the original land developer in 1968 alleges significant manmade alterations to the beach area and in the creek which reportedly closed off the creek from the Bay (Figure 5). None of these modifications were structurally stabilized. The same resident reports that four years later in 1972 the alterations were reversed and the opening to the Bay was restored. These activities may have contributed to the shift in landmass.
Current Conditions
The most influential factor on Northwest Creek during 2007 was the drought. The water level in Northwest Creek had dropped in previous years, but no one can recollect the near total loss of water experienced in 2007. Onsite, real-time precipitation data is available from www.wunderground.com. While rainfall during the late Autumn 2007 through Spring 2008 has returned some water to the Creek, its shallowness and the minimal tidal interface to the Bay leave Northwest Creek extremely fragile and subject to a return to the dry, cracked creek bed experienced in the Summer of 2007 (Figure 6).
Substrate
The depth of Northwest Creek once facilitated a more thorough hydrologic exchange with the Bay, but the depth has been reduced by sediment deposits caused by wind driven erosion of the shorelines. The overall volume of Northwest Creek has been reduced by displaced land based soils. The vertical elevation in the outer most reaches of the creek is at or above mean low water, so there is not sufficient depth to facilitate adequate tidal exchange without lowering the elevation of the Creek bed. The Creek bed is nearly flat with little relief except for the submerged area adjacent to the tidal interface. Based on the soil samples, there is as much as three feet of silt in the creek bed (Figure 7). Tidal flushing will significantly reduce the amount of re-silting once the Creek is dredged.
Hydrology
The current hydrology of Northwest Creek relies almost completely on fresh water input, i.e. rainfall/runoff with very infrequent natural tidal inflow, typically from storm tides. The ability of the Creek to contain water has been reduced significantly by sedimentation. Water depths are so shallow that peak summer water temperatures are no longer compatible with native fish species. Turbidity has increased and submerged aquatic vegetation has been completely lost.
Tidal Interface
The current tidal interface between the Bay and Northwest Creek is a meandering stream. The direction of sand transport, accumulation or littoral drift is along shore, both northerly and southerly. A major sand source appears to exist just off shore in a parallel shoal and may be present along the entire stretch of shoreline. Although unconsolidated and unstable, there appears to be a continual source and transport of sand along the subject beach area and tidal outfall point.
Shorelines
The majority of the creek's shoreline remains in a natural vegetated condition. Due to erosion, there are separate stone revetments placed along approximately one third of the shoreline by private property owners. Natural riparian buffers remain on many private properties and community common areas. There are no accounts of previous dredging or major structural measures.
Public Access
Currently there are no public lands adjoining Northwest Creek. Recreational activities on the creek are limited to community use. There are no general public access or boat ramps on the Creek and no passable waterway between the Bay and the Creek. Community owned parcels provides property owners in both Tower Gardens and Crosswinds communities access to the beach and the Creek.
Fauna
Northwest Creek has historically been the home to a large number of aquatic, wild fowl and marsh and field species. A total loss of the aquatic species was suffered in the drought of 2007 (Figure 6). Such a dramatic fish kill has also caused a reduction in the numbers of some of the marsh and field wildlife including muskrats, herons, ospreys, eagles, etc.
While much, if not all, of the aquatic species and some of the wildlife has been lost, the ARNC is committed to making Northwest Creek and the surrounding wetlands and fields capable of once again supporting a wide variety of fauna.
• Fish: Perch, Shad, Menhaden, Catfish, Carp, Minnow, Sunfish, Alewife, Gar, Shiner
• Amphibians & Invertebrates: Turtles, Terrapins, Peepers, Frogs, Toads, Snakes, Blue Crabs, Snails, Beetles, Worms
• Birds: Herons, Egrets, Hawks, Eagles, Osprey, Owls, Swan, Geese, Ducks, Kingfisher, Terns, Swallows, Martins, Beverhite, Quail, Sea Gulls, Cormorant, Great Horned Owl, Buffleheads, Ruddy Ducks, Merganser, Scamps, Wood Duck, Mallard, Loons, Killdeer, Swans, and Snowgeese.
• Mammals: Marsh rabbits, Muskrats, Beavers, Otters, Foxes, Deer, Raccoon, Opossum, White tailed deer
Proposed Steps for Ecological Recovery
Based on suggestions from the Joint Evaluation Committee at their August 22, 2007 meeting and the October 12, 2007 letter from the Secretary of the MDE (Appendix 1), this plan provides the selected remedies and strategies which all residents of the Northwest Creek watershed can support, implement and sustain. This plan is compatible with state and federal policies, most of which require authorization from either State or federal authorities.
Restoration of Northwest Creek is designed in three phases.
• Shallow Water Enhancement
• Shoreline and Riparian Enhancement
• Maintenance and Sustenance.
Local residents will take ownership of this effort and provide stewardship to secure the success of the recovery program.
Shallow Water Enhancement
Channel Clearance and Maintenance at the Tidal Interface
The area proposed to be cleared and maintained is depicted on the Northwest Creek Restoration Concept (Figure 1). It includes clearing the roughly 800 feet of channel leading to the tidal outfall and stabilizing the area around the outfall. Specific methods and parameters for the opening of the channel and its stabilization will be determined during the Engineering Study, which is the next phase of this project.
Stabilizing the tidal outfall can be accomplished through the use of stone jetties. Dredging the outfall through the stream and around the creek bed is necessary to increase water depths within the Creek. In order for Northwest Creek to be restored as a tidal cove, most of the Creek bed would have to be dredged. As a result of the man-made closure of the outfall, the presently vertical sand elevations at the outfall are among the highest in the Northwest Creek watershed.
Dredging and Spoil Disposal
A large part of the success of this project is the restoration of the creek's hydrologic capacity or volume.
As depicted on the Northwest Creek Restoration Concept (Figure 1), most of the creek bed will be dredged to a depth of 2-3 feet. The area around and within the Creek offers opportunities to utilize the dredged materials to create additional wildlife sanctuaries, reclaim lost land from eroded shorelines or build up common area buffers. Vertical elevations are greatest in the area nearest the Bay (Figure 7) that may render this segment of the creek particularly suited to the placement of contained dredge spoil. Spartina marshes are also a possibility to create additional wildlife sanctuaries. Proposed methods include using GeoTubes or Geo Logs to enclose the spoil disposal area within the submerged portion and a dredging process that would reduce the number of steps between sediment removal and land reclamation.
Based on the soils analysis, the dredged material may also be used as core fill after it's been dewatered and cured. Other potential spoil sites include upland areas on the community properties. If all dredge materials can be used to build back the land mass adjacent to the tidal interface, use of these inland areas will not be necessary.
Shoreline and Riparian Enhancement
Beach Strand Habitat Enhancement
Northwest Creek provides many opportunities for beach strand habitat enhancement. The areas of proposed placements (Figure 1) were strategically selected to make the most of the configuration of the creek in relation to the Bay and wind patterns. More importantly, restoration efforts will replicate the natural resource and landscape in which it is being recovered, i.e. beach strand will be restored to areas where beach strand previously existed. The existing natural beach along the Bay at the entrance to Northwest Creek is one of the most stable beach and dune systems in the area.
Riparian Forest Buffer
Along the south shore of Northwest Creek are some very mature trees. Also the land mass closest to the tidal stream contains a stand of mature hardwoods. Trees in the area of the outfall are younger; most have grown up after the opening was closed in the 1960s. Figure 1 shows areas on which riparian buffers are proposed.
Living Shoreline Enhancements
Areas proposed for shoreline enhancement are broadly identified in Figure 1. Living Shorelines will be comprised of appropriate local flora and will be designed to both protect the shoreline and provide habitat for fish and crabs. The success of living shorelines is critically dependent on daily tidal changes.
Maintenance and Sustenance
The Northwest Creek watershed residents are committed to ensuring that our recovery efforts are not lost due to inattention. Examples of steps that will be taken in conjunction with the recovery are presented below.
Phragmites Control
Areas where major stands of phragmites are present are depicted on Figure 1. Although the State has a standard procedure for controlling this noxious weed, any control efforts utilized within Northwest Creek will include removal of any stalks and an immediate plan for replanting with appropriate native plant species. Phragmites are difficult to eradicate and many control efforts fail because there is no long-term follow up, maintenance and replanting effort. When control areas are left barren, rhizomes and seeds may simply reestablish if left in place. However, with proper handling of all phragmites components and prolonged attention, it may be possible to restore these effected areas completely with native species. Residents have already participated in efforts to control phragmites in the area of the Creek, and will actively work with state and local officials in this effort.
Improving Water Quality
Residents of the Northwest Creek watershed are involved in a series of programs to address the long term health of the Creek and the Chesapeake Bay. Although no specific data identify any contamination within Northwest Creek, the ARNC, in conjunction with the Tower Gardens and Crosswinds community associations, are being proactive in educating residents on steps each household can take to help improve Bay water quality.
One such program is the Maryland Department of Environment’s Bay Restoration Fund that provides grants to individual property owners to upgrade septic systems to reduce nitrogen discharges. All residents of the Northwest Creek watershed have individual onsite sewage disposal systems. Excess loading of nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, from septic systems are reported to contribute to degraded water quality, negatively impacting the ecology of the Bay and its tributaries. Although priority is given to failing systems in the Critical Areas, our residents are being educated on and encouraged to participate in the program and have attended seminars on upgraded nitrogen removal systems. To date, several residents have taken steps to upgrade their septic systems. The ARNC is advising all residents to attend the seminars and recommending they participate in the MDE upgrade grant program.
Another program being sponsored in the community is the Baywise program which teaches residents how to create and maintain lawns and landscapes in a more Bay and Creek friendly manner. This program includes presentations from Master Gardeners on recommended techniques for mowing, mulching, fertilizing, etc.
APPENDIX 1
APPENDIX 2
FIGURE 2: 1937 PHOTOGRAPH
FIGURE 3: 1964 Aerial Photograph