River Bend Stream & Outfall Restoration Project

Project Progress: April 2024

Photo of Riverbend Stream Restoration Project

Progress continues on Loudoun County's River Bend Stream and Outfall Restoration Project.

As of later April 2024, nearly 600 linear feet of stream restoration have been completed and River Bend’s banks are stabilized with a temporary seeding mixture. Some planting is scheduled to be done in the fall of 2024.  

Photo of Riverbend Stream Restoration Project

The River Bend Stream and Outfall Restoration Project continues to make progress, having nearly completed the first of five planned outfalls, which are key components to the success of stream restoration projects. 

Outfalls are typically drainage ditches that connect stormwater features, such as ponds, to rivers and streams. Over time, the water draining through the outfall causes erosion and results in sediment entering the streams. Stabilizing or restoring the outfalls enables the water to flow without carrying sediment into the stream.

Photo of Riverbend Stream Restoration Project

Tree stumps are buried in the stream and anchored in place to replicate natural stream conditions where trees and other woody material help connect the stream channel to its floodplain. Woody debris helps to slow the water down by forcing the water to flow over and around it, reducing water velocity and erosion. Floodplain woody debris also provides animal habitat and fosters new woody vegetation growth. 

About the Project 

The stream restoration project in the CountrySide area of Loudoun County is intended to increase animal habitat, improve local water quality and reduce pollutants and sediments into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The stream, a Potomac River tributary, flows between River Bend Middle and Potomac Falls High schools through property owned by the CountrySide Proprietary. The restoration project area is on the north side of Algonkian Parkway. 

Work began in October 2023. The two-year project will require the closure of the pedestrian path north of Algonkian Parkway between Rutherford Circle and Cedarhurst Drive. A detour will guide pedestrians to and from an alternate route on the south side of Algonkian Parkway.

Project Details

The work will restore 3,125 linear feet of the stream and reintroduce native species, resulting in the planting of approximately: 

  • 600 trees. 
  • 6,000 live stakes. Live stakes are stem cuttings inserted directly into the stream bank; the developing root networks help reduce soil loss. 
  • 5,000 sage and rush grass plugs.  

Riparian and upland seeding along and above the banks of the stream also will be included. 

The project supports state and federal requirements to reduce pollutants into the Chesapeake Bay from local streams and is estimated to:

  • Eliminate more than 200 pounds of phosphorus per year. 
  • Eliminate more than 500 pounds of nitrogen per year. 
  • Prevent more than 130,000 pounds of total suspended solids, such as sediment or particles that do not dissolve in water, from reaching the Potomac. 

View larger version of project area (PDF)

CR_revised river bend stream restoration potomac falls

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