AACo Picks Three Firms To Restore River Shorelines, Wetlands

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Anne Arundel County announced Tuesday that it will award $5.4 million to three firms to restore 6,700 feet (more than 1.25 miles) of local streams and shorelines. The county's Department of Public Works (DPW) chose the three companies to share the restoration work under a water quality improvement contract, the county said in a statement.

"The restoration projects, detailed below, will help keep our waterways healthy by protecting the shoreline from erosion, providing habitat for fish and wildlife, and reducing pollution from stormwater runoff," the county said. The DPW contract covers three separate projects:

• BayLand Consultants & Designers Inc. (Hanover) won $2.81 million to design and construct 3,625 linear feet of living shoreline in the South River watershed.
• Underwood & Associates (Annapolis) won more than $363,000 to design and construct 911 linear feet of living shoreline in the Severn River watershed.
• Restoration Systems LLC (Raleigh, N.C.) won $2.25 million for the restoration of about 1,775 linear feet of stream and wetlands feeding the upper South River watershed, as well as 480 linear feet of shoreline near the mouth of the river.

Launched in 2016, the DPW's water quality contract "is structured to help Anne Arundel meet its federal pollution reduction permits and goals by partnering with the private sector," the county said.

“Reducing pollution and cleaning up our waterways requires all hands on deck: public hands, private hands and volunteer hands,” County Executive Steuart Pittman said in the statement.

“I’m pleased to see that our waterway cleanup effort is engaging local contractors who not only keep our money in the county, but also benefit from the results of their work,” he added.

The full contract awards will only be paid to each firm upon completion of the projects and verification of their benefits, the county said.