Prior to construction in 2015, the World Garden Commons stormwater basin had a concrete channel. It was removed as an experiment of The Fargo Project to answer many questions including, can stormwater basins be green spaces within an urban area that feature streams which mimic those found in nature?
Under Natural Resources Management Professor Jack Norland, PhD, and with advice from Justin Klabo, PE, a Water Resources Project Manager for The Fargo Project, undergraduate NDSU student Aaron Green, devised several baffles to induce the old channel to meander like a normal stream.
Aaron and 6 other NDSU volunteers started with two rock baffles, and will install two more that will use willows and rocks. The willows will be installed later once the willows drop their leaves. As time goes on the different baffles will be compared for their effectiveness in creating stream meanders and inducing the stream to act more naturally.
NDSU undergrad Aaron Green devised baffles to induce meander
NDSU student volunteers place rocks to induce meander in the old channel bed