The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Nature getting back on course
City seeking bids for Springbrook Park stream restoration project, wetland work complete
Mentor leaders are gearing up for part two of an eco-friendly project at Springbrook Gardens Park.
Phase 1 involved wetland restoration and was completed last year with the help of multiple agencies and some outside funding. Now the city is seeking bids for Phase 2, to complete the mission of improving water quality and habitat.
Prior to construction, the site had a deep, channelized stream with no floodplain access and limited wildlife habitat.
“Now the park is home to a biologically diverse natural stream and wetland ecosystem,” said Ante Logarusic, Mentor community relations administrator.
To accomplish the wetland restoration, the city widened the existing stream channel and installed sand seepage berms. Similar in concept to beaver dams, the berms are mounds made of sandy soil mixed with wood chips that help spread stormwater into the floodplain and filter pollutants.
The existing sandy soil at the site made the berms an ideal approach for this project, officials said. Native plants were installed along the streambank and throughout the wetland area.
The restoration will now allow sediment and
other pollutants to be filtered from the water before entering Marsh Creek, slow stormwater flows and help alleviate downstream flooding while improving aquatic habitat. The creek is connected to Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve.
“It was not uncommon for farmers to ditch streams to keep their fields from flooding or to put the water where they needed it,” said Logarusic, alluding to the former nursery property’s use. “It was about utility, not aesthetics. A ditch will
move water quickly and efficiently, but it won’t filter it. In addition to the visual improvement, this will improve the water quality as storm runoff makes its way to Lake Erie.”
The city, in partnership with Chagrin River Watershed Partners and Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District, was awarded $264,136 in funding from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Mentor provided a $176,091 match for Phase 1.
The city contracted with Biohabitats, Inc. and Meadville Land Service, Inc., a design-build team of environmental scientists, engineers and contractors.
Through this project, 2.75 acres of native riparian and wetland plant species were planted, and 2.25 acres of
wetland were reconnected to the stream.
“It will take several years for that canopy to develop,” Logarusic noted. “In 20 years, It will look like a treecovered ravine.”
Walking paths were installed throughout the wetland to provide public engagement and education opportunities for students.
Phase 2 involves restoring the 600-foot stream section between Heisley Road and the start of Phase 1 (at the first bridge in the park). Some earthwork and plantings will give it a more natural, meandering looking.
“The restoration of this stream bed is just another step in fulfilling the vision the city has for Springbrook Park,” Logarusic said. “What was once a flat, sandy field is already
attracting native and migratory species, and nature lovers are starting to take notice.”
Mentor received a $258,450 grant from the Ohio EPA for Phase 2.
In October, the city was awarded more than $70,500 through the USDA Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to purchase of 200, 1.5-inch caliper trees to be planted at the park and another 25 at the Civic Center campus.
This project will intercept rainfall and reduce stormwater runoff with a selection of trees that maximize filtration and infiltration.
The city acquired the 53acre property, at 6842 Heisley Road, from the Schultz family for $2.5 million in 2014.