Dubuque Receives 2018 River Action Eddy Award for Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project

CONTACT:
Kristin Hill
Communications Specialist
563.690.6068
khill@cityofdubuque.org
www.cityofdubuque.org

April 24, 2018 -- For Immediate Release

DUBUQUE, Iowa — The City of Dubuque’s Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project was recently awarded a 2018 Eddy Award for design from River Action.
 
The annual Eddy Awards are presented to those who have made the Mississippi River a cleaner, safer, more vibrant, and integral part of the community. Awards are presented in the categories of art, design, revitalization, river activity, education, and stewardship. City of Dubuque Civil Engineer and Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project Manager Deron Muehring accepted the award at River Action’s annual Fish & Fire Fundraiser on Friday, April 20, at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport.
 
River Action launched the Eddy Awards Program in 2000 to recognize high quality work of varied kinds to encourage all those who strive for well-designed undertakings, environmental programs with far reaching effects on the health of the river, and cultural programs that celebrate either the industry, history, or art of the Mississippi River. The award was named “Eddy” in order to recognize especially courageous efforts that “went against the current” to get things done.
 
The Bee Branch Creek Restoration phase of the flood mitigation project involved converting 4,500 feet of buried storm sewer back into an expanded open channel. The restored creek and floodplain has increased the area’s capacity for stormwater by tenfold. What was once an 8’ x 12’ storm sewer is now an 8’ x 120’ waterway. It accommodates a range of hydrologic conditions while also providing biological integrity. Permeable pavement, bioswales, and native plants were strategically used along the creek to promote the infiltration and filtration of stormwater. The space also serves as a linear park with several amenities including a multi-use trail system, a play area with slides, an urban orchard, and an outdoor amphitheater.
 
To learn more about the Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/beebranch.

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As the only regional organization specifically focused on issues related to the Mississippi River, River Action works to foster environmental, economic, and cultural vitality of the river and its shared riverfront. This includes encouraging greater access to the riverfront, building and expanding riverfront recreation trails, protecting endangered habitat, and improving water quality. To learn more about River Action, visit www.riveraction.org.