Stream restoration has been widely embraced by natural resource managers in efforts to improve ecosystem function. Restoring impaired streams not only improves potential habitat at the reach scale, it can potentially address regional challenges such as green space planning, wetland loss mitigation, and nutrient management. However, when successful restoration strategies from non-urban landscapes are applied to urban systems, particular attention must be paid to impacts arising from human infrastructure and to the complexities of a complicated stake holder environment. A retrospective assessment of the restoration of the lower Nine Mile Run, one of the few reaches remaining unburied in Pittsburgh (PA, USA), coupled with ongoing data collection, provides important lessons in urban stream restoration. This presentation will use the Nine Mile Run restoration to demonstrate and emphasize these lessons. In particular, how can data from small, volunteer organizations, be reliably incorporated into restoration efforts driven by large federal agencies? Further, what are the trade-offs between improving physical habitat quality and chemical water quality?
Results/Conclusions
The Nine Mile Run restoration is effective in that local stakeholders have played an important role in planning and implementation. For example, the local watershed association is currently piloting projects evaluating the effectiveness of lot scale storm water management practices. However, the larger stream “restoration” remains predominantly focused on stabilizing the stream channel, despite clear impacts from sewer systems acknowledged throughout the planning process. And while water quality impacts continue to be documented, subsequent channel structure modifications emphasize fish habitat, with minimal attention to concerns documented by the local watershed association. If water quality remains impaired, how effective are habitat improvements? Integrating water quality information into restoration planning is essential for strategic management of urban systems. Further, catchment wide strategies allowing effective prioritization are essential for continued success in restoration of Nine Mile Run and all urban stream systems.
