(Lawrenceville, Ga., Oct. 6, 2009) - The banks of Bankston Creek and one its tributaries will be restored to reduce erosion and protect water quality after commissioners approved a $676,597 contract on Tuesday. The 1,300 feet of waterways lie within Ronald Reagan Park on Five Forks Trickum Road between Lilburn and Snellville.

"The need for this work was identified in our Yellow River Watershed Improvement Plan that is part of the County's Watershed Protection Plan," said Steve Leo, manager of the County's Stormwater Utility. "We manage these projects under requirements of the state and federal permits that allow us to discharge treated wastewater into public waters."

The eroding streambanks are raising sediment levels in the stream and threatening a sanitary sewer, the right-of-way for Ronald Reagan Parkway, and land within the park. Acting Water Resources Director Lynn Smarr said, "This project will stabilize the streambanks and help protect the water quality in this tributary and the Yellow River for years to come. The project also includes building three small bioretention structures to slow the runoff going into our creeks."

Construction will take about four months. The design firm is Brown and Caldwell and the contractor will be Site Engineering, Inc.