Four Mile Run Park Wetland

, Site History , In response to a history of flooding affecting adjacent communities, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers partnered with the City of Alexandria and Arlington County during the 1970s and early 1980s to build a flood control channel in the lower portion of Four Mile Run. The flood control channel has safely conveyed the high storm flows through the two jurisdictions. When the Corps conceived the channelization project in the 1960s, the sole objective of the project was flood protection and, in this respect, the project has been a success; no floods have breached the banks along the 2.3-mile channel since its construction. Although successful in flood control, the channelized portion of Four Mile Run left much to be desired in terms of ecology and aesthetics., With the vision of Four Mile Run becoming a community amenity, the City of Alexandria and Arlington County worked closely with a Joint Task Force of community members to develop the Four Mile Run Restoration Master Plan in 2006. Through the support of Congressman James Moran, Congress appropriated funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a feasibility study for the entire Four Mile Run Watershed and for State and Tribal Assistance Grants to improve the Watershed ecology, including Wetland and stream bank restoration, completed in Spring 2016., Tidal Wetlands , A major objective of the Master Plan was to reestablish the vegetation that once lined the stream and existed in Wetlands areas but had since disappeared or been overwhelmed by invasive species. The Four Mile Run Wetland Restoration, completed in 2016, plays a prominent role in regional efforts to protect the Potomac River and the endangered Chesapeake Bay by restoring the diverse habitat and natural cycles that support life in and along these waterways., The Restoration project restored the historic 2-acre tidal wetlands where the water levels fluctuate with the daily tidal cycle along Four Mile Run. Wetlands were once common along all the tidal tributaries and protected shorelines of the Potomac River, but many tidal wetlands have been lost to urban and suburban shoreline development. The upland trail serves as a buffer between the tidal wetlands and the existing forested wetland., Wetlands are important to both wildlife and humans, and provide a connection between aquatic and terrestrial habitats that are important to fish and aquatic organisms as well as many birds and terrestrial animals. Tidal wetlands are important nurseries and foraging areas for fish, waterfowl and other birds, reptiles and mammals. Wetlands also benefit humans by improving water quality and storing floodwaters., Tidal wetlands can be divided into different plant zones based on fluctuating water depths. This restored wetland includes a low marsh zone and is surrounded by an upland meadow.,