Walnut Creek Gravel Wetland

Stormwater

Walnut Creek Gravel Wetland

Green Stormwater Infrastructure

We installed a gravel wetland at Walnut Creek Wetland Park. The wetland includes:

  • An underground gravel reservoir that'll hold and filter stormwater runoff;
  • Plant roots that will soak up and clean the water; and, 
  • Slowing down the flow of stormwater before it reaches Walnut Creek.

GSI Address: 1005 Peterson St, Raleigh, NC 27610

Project Details

 
Type:
Stormwater
Budget:
$350,000 (design & construction)
Project Lead:
Stormwater Management
Contractors:
Hazen and Sawyer (Design); Lanier Construction Company (Contractor)

Contact

 

Heather Dutra
Water Quality Supervisor
heather.dutra@raleighnc.gov
919-996-4012

Lead Department:
Engineering Services
Participating Department:
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources
Service Unit:
Stormwater

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Complete

Crews finished this green stormwater infrastructure project. Work for the gravel wetland included: 

  • Installing the pipes and drainage system; 
  • Excavating the area; 
  • Adding gravel to the wetland; and, 
  • Seeding and adding a fence to the area.
Lead Department:
Engineering Services

Gravel Wetland Educational Display

Walnut Creek Gravel Wetland Educational Display

Healing Continuum

The Healing Continuum sculpture serves as educational art that informs and engages the community about the Walnut Creek Gravel Wetland. The gravel wetland slows down and captures runoff coming from Peterson Street and other nearby streets, sidewalks, and buildings, and removes pollutants before it enters Watson Branch, which then drains into Walnut Creek. In addition to its water quality benefits, the gravel wetland is planted with native plants to provide habitat and food sources for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.

On the side of the sculpture facing the creek, visitors will find a diagram of the wetland and its components, a built-in window for viewing the wetland, and a description of how it functions. 

Schedule

Date Activity
Fall 2018 Project design began
Winter 2020 Project design complete
Spring - Fall 2020 Construction bid process
Winter 2021 Project construction phase begins
Fall 2021 Project construction complete

Background

The 5,300-square-foot wetland will capture stormwater runoff coming from Peterson Street and other nearby streets, sidewalks, and buildings (about one acre of impervious surface). Wetlands are a very effective way to treat stormwater runoff. The area is expected to prevent approximately 8 pounds of excess nitrogen and 135 pounds of suspended solids from polluting waterways each year.

Learn more about green stormwater infrastructure.

This project was partly funded by a grant from the NC Department of Environmental Quality. The grant covered some construction costs and educational art at the gravel wetland.