West Branch Indian Creek Stream Restoration and Infrastructure Protection

Overview

Completed in 2014, Project #40640 West Branch Indian Creek Stream Restoration and Infrastructure Protection restored the West Branch of the Indian Creek in Philadelphia’s Overbrook neighborhood. The project included repairs and upgrades to critical stormwater infrastructure to reduce the amount of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in and around the creek.

In the combined sewer area, a single pipe carries both stormwater and wastewater from houses and businesses to a wastewater treatment plant where it is made clean before being released into the river. During wet weather, like when there is a lot of rain or snow melting, the system may be overwhelmed and overflow directly into our rivers and streams.

This project upgraded a combined sewer outfall with a new storage culvert to store excess wastewater during wet weather events. These upgrades reduce overflows by an estimated 2 million gallons per year, marking an 87% reduction in CSOs at this location.

The project restored around 1,200 feet of stream channel through a combination of new stream construction and stream bank stabilization using rocks and creating flood plain areas. Hundreds of new trees and meadow areas were planted with the help of volunteer groups.

This project was supported by federal funding through the Water Resources Development Act and in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

This work:

• Protects and restores the West Branch of the Indian Creek
• Repairs and replaces critical sewer infrastructure
• Reconnects the floodplain to promote stable and diverse habitat
• Improves our City’s parks and community spaces

To learn more about Ecological Restoration projects, visit water.phila.gov/sustainability/ecorestoration.