Chapel Point State Park,
Charles County, MD
L/KLA led a multi-disciplined project team to assist Charles County in making improvements to Chapel Point State Park with the primary objective being to facilitate maintenance and enhanced use of access roads, parking areas, and waterfront recreation areas in accordance with a strategic master plan prepared by Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). That strategic plan resulted in a lease agreement between the County and DNR that spells out the requirements and benefits for both parties. DNR’s interest includes finding ways to work with local government to help manage visitor use and maintenance that they could not do on their own.
From the County’s perspective, Chapel Point is part of a series of sites along the Port Tobacco River, which the County is working with its various partners, including DNR, to increase public access and conservation and visitor interest.
The scope of work included a master concept plan, an early action plan to provide disabled hunter access to the park and construction drawings for improvements as spelled out in the master plan agreement.
Significant natural and cultural resources are found within Chapel Point State Park along the Port Tobacco River (top left).. L/KLA designed improvements to highly eroded access (above,top) for shoreline areas to address ongoing maintenance and environmental protection issues associated with increased park usage, restoring the crown with reinforced geotextile (middle above) and inserting microbasins to address stormwater management
Additionally, a Stormwater Concept Report was prepared by subconsultant DCI and approved by Charles County addressing the following unified sizing criteria:
1. Water Quality Volume (WQv)
2. Recharge Volume (Rev)
3. Overbank Flood Protection (Qp)
4. Extreme Flood Volume (Qf)
This report provides a comprehensive design strategy for maintaining pre-development runoff characteristics and protecting natural resources. This strategy, known as Environmental Site Design or “ESD,” relies on integrating site design, natural hydrology, and smaller controls to capture and treat runoff. This project achieves ESD goals by using only the BMP practices in Chapter 5 to address the Unified sizing criteria.