CONTACT:
Amy Lambert, CPSM
alambert@kci.com
410.303.0795
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HUNT VALLEY, MD, May 22, 2007—The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Fish Passage Program, completed by Maryland-based consulting firm KCI Technologies, has been selected for one local and two national awards. On May 9, the Maryland Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers recognized the program with an Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement award in the small project category. On May 8, the American Council of Engineering Companies selected the project as a national finalist in their Engineering Excellence Awards competition, and on April 24 the National Association of Environmental Professionals honored it with an Environmental Excellence Award in Environmental Stewardship.
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Fish Passage Program opened 26 miles of historic spawning habitat through 23 separate projects, allowing the Chesapeake Bay’s migratory fish to reach spawning grounds that have been closed off by man-made barriers for more than 100 years. The program was part of the environmental mitigation program developed for the $2.4 billion Woodrow Wilson Bridge replacement project.
The Maryland State Highway Administration partnered with KCI to conduct national and international research to identify and adapt existing natural fish passage techniques to accommodate varying urban stream flows. KCI’s innovative designs required the precise placement of rocks and boulders to create ramps and pools, allowing fish to cross specific sections of stream. Fish passage projects were completed in five streams—Rock Creek, Northwest Branch, Sligo Creek, Indian Creek, and Little Paint Branch, each located in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The designs are intended to correct stream alterations caused over time by a mix of active and abandoned utility lines, concrete fords, dams, and grade control structures, which blocked fish from swimming upstream for spawning.
Never before has a fish passage project of this size, scale and type been attempted in an urban setting. To date, all 23 projects have been constructed and are being monitored to verify success. Many sites are now in their second or third year of monitoring and are exceeding expectations with respect to aesthetics and improvements in biodiversity. The project will serve as a guidepost for fish passage efforts in urban streams throughout the nation.
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KCI Technologies Inc. With sales of approximately $123 million in 2006, KCI Technologies is ranked 83 on the Engineering News-Record’s list of the top 500 engineering firms in the country. KCI employs roughly 1,000 people operating out of 25 offices in 10 states—Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia—and the District of Columbia. It is the largest employee-owned engineering firm based in Maryland. For more information, visit www.kci.com.
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