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Fairfax County Stream Assessment
Fairfax County, Virginia

Showcases:
Founder's Bridge
Fairfax County Stream Assessment
Greenbrier Sporting Club

Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc. (WEG) was selected to assist CH2MHill on a county-wide stream habitat assessment for Fairfax County, Virginia. WEG utilized The Fairfax County Stream Assessment Protocol, which was developed based on work completed by Barbour and Stribling (1995) and procedures recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Slight modifications were made during protocol development and testing to capture information desired by the County. WEG applied the riffle-run or glide-pool assessment based on streamflow and stream gradient conditions. Metrics including instream cover, epifaunal substrate, embeddedness, channel alteration, sediment deposition, channel flow status, bank stability, and riparian buffer conditions were measured in each identified stream reach.

An infrastructure inventory was completed during the habitat surveys. Items documented included pipes, ditches, dump sites, head cuts, utility lines, channel obstructions, deficient buffer vegetation, erosional areas, and stream crossings.

Stream geomorphology data was collected in support of identifying stream stability. Field measurements including bankfull and channel widths and depths, flood prone widths, and water depths were taken at representative sections within the designated stream reach.

As part of the main study, WEG completed close to 440 miles of stream habitat assessment and resource inventory work. WEG worked closely with CH2MHILL staff to ensure quality assurance among the assessment teams. Overall, the final product will help guide Fairfax County in their efforts to regionalize watershed management and stormwater planning, as well as provide the foundation for future site-specific stream restoration and riparian corridor enhancement activities.

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