Army Corps, Philly Water Department to celebrate ecosystem restoration

Published April 21, 2014

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Philadelphia District and the Philadelphia Water Department partnered to complete a transformative restoration of the West Branch of Indian Creek as part of the Cobbs Creek Habitat Restoration project.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour will be held on Friday, April 25 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Charles Papa Playground, at 6839 Lansdowne Avenue in Philadelphia. The restoration work, consisting of 750 feet of newly constructed and 1,300 feet of reconfigured stream channel, will allow the West Bank of Indian Creek to flow naturally for the first time since 1928.

During the rapid expansion of the early 20th century, the creek bed was diverted underground and integrated into the City’s sewer network. The now daylighted creek is available for the community to enjoy. As a result of these efforts an estimated eleven combined sewer overflows will be avoided annually, a reduction of 1.7 million gallons of stormwater.

This undertaking, a collaboration between PWD, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, is part of PWD’s Green City, Clean Waters program - a highly cost-effective way of managing stormwater pollution that also provides triple-bottom line benefits for our community, our environment and our economy.

Funding for the Indian Creek Restoration, provided by Congress, through the Southeastern Pennsylvania Environmental Improvement Program (Section 566 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996), allowed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to partner with PWD and turn the City’s conceptual plan into reality. A team comprised of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and PWD staff led the design and construction effort through a total project cost-sharing partnership of 75% Federal and 25% non-Federal.

About the Philadelphia Water Department

The Philadelphia Water Department serves the Greater Philadelphia region by providing integrated water, wastewater, and stormwater services. The utility’s primary mission is to plan for, operate, and maintain both the infrastructure and the organization necessary to purvey high quality drinking water, to provide an adequate and reliable water supply for all household, commercial and community needs, and to sustain and enhance the region’s watersheds and quality of life by managing wastewater and stormwater effectively.


Contact
Stephen Rochette
215-656-6432
or
Chris Anderson
215-240-0243

Release no. 14-030