The Intermunicipal Stormwater Committee has proposed its biggest project in terms of cost and sediment reduction — one that would bring the committee past its requirement to reduce the amount of sediment that flows into area streams by the end of 2025.

The $3.1 million floodplain restoration on the Beaverdam Branch of the Juniata River between Plank Road and Allegheny Street in Hollidaysburg would keep between 700,000 and 1.2 million pounds of sediment from going into the river annually, according to committee officials.

The nine-municipality council of governments is currently 600,000 pounds per year short of its seven-year “permit” requirement to reduce sediment runoff by 1.4 million pounds annually, compared to a 2018 baseline.

The committee’s engineers plan to review a preliminary modeling of the project that was presented to the owners of land along the stretch of river in November.

That modeling by LandStudies of Lititz shows how workers could return the river and its floodplain to its condition before Europeans settled the area hundreds of years ago.

Benefits of the proposed project include increased storage of floodwaters; infiltration of those floodwaters into the ground; reduction of stream volume during storms; prevention of bank erosion; trapping of sediment and processing of nutrients; moderation of stream temperature; creation of land and water habitat for plants and animals; and recreational opportunities, according to the LandStudies presentation.

Property owners who attended the presentation were generally receptive, although a couple have additional questions, according to Brian Smith of Keller Engineers and committee stormwater coordinator Chelsey Weyant.

“There wasn’t really any negative feedback,” Weyant said.

There will eventually be a need for easements from at least some of the owners to allow access for workers.

There are perhaps 20 or 25 property owners in total.

One of the key properties is Legion Park, officials said.

Most of the area involved with the project is wooded, and there should be minimal disruptions of backyards, according to Smith.

The riverbanks are now as high as 15 feet above normal water level, so the river is inaccessible to property owners, who are pleased the project would create access for fishing and other recreational activities, Weyant said.

Because obtaining permits for such work takes considerable time, there will be plenty of opportunities to seek grants to pay for the work, according to Weyant.

Even if the committee fails to obtain grants, it should have enough money by the end of 2023 to pay for the project, along with other essential activities, Weyant said.

One longer-term question may be paying for post-project maintenance.

The floodplain restoration project “popped out” from a list of potential projects, said engineer Tom Levine, a committee member.

The committee’s biggest project so far has been the dredging of the pond at Lakemont Park.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.