Marsh Creek Rain Garden Wins Engineering Award

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — The American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia recognized the city of Sandy Springs’ Marsh Creek Rain Garden with its 2018 ACEC Georgia Engineering Excellence State Award in the stormwater project category.

The rain garden is an environmental park that uses plants to filter pollutants from stormwater along with natural aeration to additionally treat the water before it flows into Marsh Creek, the tributary leading into the Chattahoochee River.

This passive park is an aesthetically pleasing bio-retention pond that in addition to the cleaning process, also reduces flooding and stream bank erosion. The park also features a walking path, benches, fountain and boardwalk overlook, providing a sanctuary-like experience that also offers an educational component.

“The project is an example of what is possible when you step out of the norm in looking at how to solve problems,” said Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul. “We had a water quality issue to address in the contributing watershed. With the assistance from our consulting partner, WK Dickson & Co., Inc., we were able to not only address the issue but create an amenity and learning environment our residents will benefit from ongoing.”

Marsh Creek is located in an urban area, where the contributing watershed to the facility is 65 percent impervious surface. Streams within the city limits are listed by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division as impaired and do not meet water quality standards due to high levels of fecal coliform bacteria.

In addition to addressing water quality and flooding issues, the city used the project as a catalyst to redevelop the area into a recreational destination and passive park – a place where residents and local workers can relax and enjoy the sanctuary-like experience. Special emphasis was given to help educate the public as to the facility’s function and benefits. Educational signs are included in areas throughout the project explaining the various techniques used to improve water quality and reduce the severity of stormwater events.

The Marsh Creek project was completed in December 2016 and satisfies the need for both form and function. The project was awarded the maximum funding of nearly $400,000 through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Provisions of Section 319(h) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended.

The project was conducted in cooperation with the state of Georgia, Environmental Protection Division and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4. The total project construction cost was a little over 2 million dollars.

Photo: Representing the city are (from left to right) Assistant City Manager Doug Edwards, Sandy Springs Stormwater Services Unit Manager Dane Hanson and Project Manager Sharon Izzo. Representing WK Dickson & Co are David Braswell, Phil Cannon, David Ashley and Scott Whalen.