HomeMy WebLinkAbout5_SMCP Restoration Description & PhotojournalSTORY MILL ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION
PHASE I CONSTRUCTION PHOTO JOURNAL SUMMARY
BOZEMAN, MONTANA
prepared for
111 South Grand Ave
Bozeman, Montana 59715
January 2015
This photo journal provides a summary of pre- and post-construction photos of the Story Mill
Ecological Restoration Project. Unless otherwise noted, these photos were taken by RESPEC
staff. The photo progression is organized by location, corresponding to the time when
construction activities occurred. This summary document is a condensed version of the full
photo journal. The photograph numbers correspond to the jpg file names that accompany this
photo log. The pre-construction photos presented herein represent select Phase I construction
sites throughout the project area and not an all-inclusive catalog of the pre-construction
condition of the entire site. This Phase I construction photo journal is intended to be updated
once Phase II construction is complete.
Bozeman Creek
Backwater Slough
Pond Naturalization
Ditch Filling and
Wetland Restoration Restoration
Fill Repository
Bioengineered Bank
Stabilization
Floodplain Restoration
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Photo 7_7 – October 8, 2014 Description: Oblique aerial view north – during construction (photo by Kestral Aerial Services, Inc.) Location: Entire Project Area Bozeman Creek Backwater Slough Pond Naturalization Ditch Filling and Wetland Restoration Fill Repository Floodplain Restoration Bioengineered Bank Stabilization
Bozeman Creek Backwater Slough
Bozeman Creek has a history of encroachment and the South Parcel presents an opportunity to
interface with Bozeman Creek. The Bozeman Creek Backwater Slough was designed and
constructed to provide flood storage for Bozeman Creek, restore wetland area and native plant
and habitat diversity, and improve water quality by filtering nutrients through wetlands and
reducing velocities allowing suspended sediment to settle.
Construction of the slough consisted of several activities including:
- topsoil stripping throughout the slough footprint,
- utilization of that topsoil for creation of a temporary access road to reduce ground
disturbance and wetland impacts,
- excavation of the slough using a bulldozer and two excavators,
- transportation of the excavated subgrade material with haul trucks to the North
Property Fill Repository,
- replacement of topsoil,
- seeding with native wetland and riparian seed mixes, and
- establishment of Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as silt fence, erosion control
fabric, and coir logs to reduce temporary construction impacts into Bozeman Creek.
The following photographs summarize construction of the Bozeman Creek Backwater Slough.
Photo 1_0 – September 9, 2014 Description: Oblique north west aerial view – during construction (photo by Kestral Aerial Services, Inc.) Location: South Parcel – Bozeman Creek Backwater Slough Pond (before construction) Bozeman Creek Backwater Slough Temporary Access Road
Photo 1_4 – August 26, 2014
Description: South east view from north perimeter – after construction
Location: South Parcel – Bozeman Creek Backwater Slough
Photo 1_5 – October 25, 2014
Description: South east view from north perimeter highlighting groundwater table at surface – after
construction
Location: South Parcel – Bozeman Creek Backwater Slough
Photo 1_7 – October 25, 2014
Description: South view of inlet – after construction
Location: South Parcel – Bozeman Creek Backwater Slough
South Parcel Pond Naturalization and Wetland Restoration
The interior portion of the South Parcel was a combination of low quality wetlands and
historically filled areas. A rectangular shaped pond and ditch network acted as a drain for the
site to lower groundwater and facilitate agriculture. The pond naturalization and wetland
restoration activities on the South Parcel were designed and constructed to restore wetland area
and native plant and habitat diversity, improve visual aesthetics of the pond to a more natural
configuration, and to raise local groundwater to support establishment of additional wetland
and riparian areas throughout the interior of the site.
Construction within the interior of the South Parcel consisted of several activities including:
- demolition of old farmhouse buildings,
- topsoil stripping for proposed excavation areas,
- filling and recontouring of the pond area to raise local groundwater table and provide
controlled water flow out of the pond during flooding,
- excavation of areas surrounding the old farm houses to be closer to groundwater levels
for wetland restoration,
- filling and grading of the drainage ditch that traverses the site from the pond to the East
Gallatin River to raise local groundwater table,
- transport of excavated material with haul trucks to the North Property Fill Repository,
- replacement of topsoil,
- seeding with native wetland, riparian, and upland seed mixes, and
- establishment of Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as silt fence and straw
wattles to reduce temporary construction impacts into adjacent surface water.
The following photographs summarize construction within the interior of the South Parcel.
Photo 2_1 – July 8, 2013
Description: South view from north perimeter – before construction
Location: South Parcel – Pond
Photo 2_3 – September 26, 2014 Description: South – west panoramic view from north east perimeter – after construction Location: South Parcel – Pond Photo 2_4 – October 26, 2014 Description: South – west panoramic view from north east perimeter illustrating flooded pond – after construction Location: South Parcel – Pond
Photo 3_1 – August 26, 2014
Description: South east view from driveway – before construction
Location: South Parcel – North Wetland
Photo 3_2 – September 25, 2014
Description: South east view from driveway – after construction
Location: South Parcel – North Wetland
East Gallatin River Bank Reconstruction
The East Gallatin River Bank Reconstruction prior to design and construction consisted of
abundant broken concrete slab pieces along the bank and in the channel that did not provide
intended erosion protection and in some locations exacerbated bank erosion and produced a
split channel. The foreign debris was removed and the bank reconstructed to restore the East
Gallatin River to a more natural and functional ecological condition.
Bank reconstruction activities along the East Gallatin River consisted of:
- removal of all concrete from the banks and channel,
- removal of mid-channel bar and filling of split channel, and
- establishment of new bioengineered bank consisting of fabric encapsulated soil lifts and
willow cuttings.
The following photographs summarize bank reconstruction activities along the East Gallatin
River.
Photo 4_1 – July 26, 2013 Description: Upstream view illustrating failed concrete bank protection – before construction Location: East Gallatin River – Wake Up, LLC reach
Photo 4_2 – October 14, 2014 Description: Upstream view illustrating narrowing of channel – during construction Location: East Gallatin River – Wake Up, LLC reach
Photo 4_3 – October 16, 2014 Description: Upstream view of narrowed channel and bioengineered bank – during construction Location: East Gallatin River – Wake Up, LLC reach
Photo 4_4 – October 31, 2014 Description: Upstream view of narrowed channel and bioengineered bank – after construction Location: East Gallatin River – Wake Up, LLC reach
Triangle Parcel Floodplain Restoration
The Triangle Parcel contained several design elements to restore floodplains and provide a
bioengineered streambank to replace approximately 200’ of concrete slab pieces lining the bank.
Immediately adjacent to the concrete slab lined bank was a large car park structure. The
stream was deeply incised and had no floodplain because of historic filling activities. Hydraulic
modeling confirmed the East Gallatin River 100yr flood event was completely contained within
the banks at this location. Restoration on the Triangle Parcel included removal of foreign debris
lining the streambank, excavation of floodplain areas to provide flood attenuation and water
quality improvements, provide a stable but deformable streambank, and to restore wetland area
and native plant and habitat diversity.
Floodplain restoration and bank reconstruction along the East Gallatin River on the Triangle
Parcel consisted of several construction activities including:
- removal of all concrete and other foreign debris from the channel and banks,
- installation of a temporary access bridge to facilitate excavation of the west floodplain
area,
- excavation and grading and foreign debris removal of the west floodplain area,
- establishment of the east bank consisting of fabric encapsulated soil lifts and willow
cuttings,
- excavation and grading and foreign debris removal of the east floodplain area,
- excavation of former gravel parking areas,
- covering of excavated areas with topsoil,
- seeding excavated areas with wetland, riparian, and upland seed mixes,
- installation of erosion control fabric on all disturbed surfaces, and
- willow stake plantings throughout the west floodplain area.
The following photographs summarize floodplain restoration and bank reconstruction along the
East Gallatin River on the Triangle Parcel.
Photo 5_8 – April 25, 2014
Description: North east view from south – before construction illustrating car garage and concrete lined bank
Location: Triangle Parcel – West and East Floodplain Restorations
Photo 5_11 – November 7, 2014
Description: North east view from south – after construction illustrating removal of car garage, debris,
bioengineered streambank, and restored floodplains
Location: Triangle Parcel – West and East Floodplain Restoration
Photo 5_14 – April 25, 2014
Description: South east view from north illustrating high bank and poor vegetation quality – before
construction
Location: Triangle Parcel – West Floodplain Restoration
Photo 5_16 – November 7, 2014 Description: South east view from north perimeter illustrating finished surface covered with erosion control fabric – after construction Location: Triangle Parcel – West Floodplain Restoration
Photo 5_34 – July 17, 2013
Description: Downstream view illustrating building, channel encroachment and concrete bank protection –
before construction
Location: Triangle Parcel – East Floodplain Restoration and Bioengineered Bank
Photo 5_36 – November 7, 2014 Description: Downstream view illustrating floodplain excavation, fabric encapsulated soil lifts, and erosion control fabric, – after construction Location: Triangle Parcel – East Floodplain Restoration and Bioengineered Bank
Photo 5_37 – November 7, 2014 Description: North west view from south east perimeter illustrating floodplain excavation and erosion control fabric – after construction Location: Triangle Parcel – Floodplain Restoration
Photo 5_40 – October 16, 2014
Description: Excavated steel debris storage before transport to recycling illustrating old car body – during
construction
Location: Triangle Parcel – Floodplain Restoration
East Gallatin River Riprap and Trash Removal
The East Gallatin River contained sidewalk rubble, old machinery and trash embedded in the
channel and streambanks along its 2,460 ft reach through the project area. These foreign
objects were excavated from the channel, banks, and floodplain areas to restore the natural
fluvial processes, important for keeping the stream in a functional balance with its
environmental conditions. By restoring these natural processes, the stream will once again be
able to scour pools and create spawning and rearing habitat.
Cleaning the bed and banks along the East Gallatin River resulted in removal of a variety of
debris including:
- concrete from the banks and channel
- riprap historically placed to lock the river in place
- foreign materials such as car bodies, old boilers, and other random metal objects.
The following photographs summarize debris removal along the East Gallatin River.
Photo 6_1 – July 27, 2013
Description: Upstream view of riprap, concrete, and foreign debris – before construction
Location: South Parcel – East Gallatin River downstream of Story Mill Spur Trail Bridge
Photo 6_2 – October 31, 2014
Description: Upstream view of riprap, concrete, and foreign debris removal – after construction
Location: South Parcel – East Gallatin River downstream of Story Mill Spur Trail Bridge
Photo 6_10 – October 10, 2014 Description: Right bank view concrete debris removal – during construction Location: South Parcel – East Gallatin River Wake Up, LLC reach
Photo 6_15 – October 6, 2014
Description: Right bank view of concrete and foreign debris – before construction
Location: South Parcel – East Gallatin River upstream of East Griffin Drive
Photo 6_16 – October 6, 2014
Description: Right bank view of concrete and foreign debris removal illustrating first old steel boiler – during
construction
Location: South Parcel – East Gallatin River upstream of East Griffin Drive
Photo 6_31 – November 19, 2014
Description: Right bank view of concrete and riprap debris removal illustrating large concrete slab – during
construction
Location: North Parcel – East Gallatin River
Photo 6_33 – November 19, 2014
Description: Right bank view of concrete and riprap debris removal – after construction
Location: North Parcel – East Gallatin River
North Parcel Fill Repository
All excess excavated material was transported and stored at the North Parcel Fill Repository. It
was estimated that approximately 11,000 cubic yards of material was transported to the fill
repository during Phase I construction, with an additional 4,500 cubic yards of material to be
excavated during Phase II. Once all the fill from Phase I was transported to the site, the pile
was graded to a gentle slope and concrete debris was stacked and fenced off. Additionally, all
concrete debris removed from the stream is temporarily being stored until Phase II when it will
transported offsite. All metal was hauled offsite and recycled.
Photo 7_1 – October 25, 2014
Description: Concrete rubble storage until 2015 transport off-site– during construction
Location: North Parcel – Fill Repository
Photo 7_4 – October 8, 2014 Description: Wetland and floodplain excavated fill material and concrete rubble removed from East Gallatin River – during construction Location: North Parcel – Fill Repository