Project Overview
This project addresses threats to the military mission at Lawson Army Airfield from an increasing number of floods (and resulting erosion) of Laundry Creek. Researchers determined that by restoring the historic flow path, removing the creek from the Clear Zone, and infilling the current channel at the end of the runway, the project will improve safety and operation concerns while laying the groundwork for long-term ecological and infrastructural resilience. This project also underscores the importance of combining military requirements with environmental sustainability, setting the stage for future nature-based solutions across Lawson Army Airfield and Fort Moore.
Meet the Team
The engineering expertise for this project was led by the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems, with input from departments and institutes across the University of Georgia. Key IRIS leads include:
Brian Bledsoe, Ph.D. Director of IRIS, College of Engineering
bbledsoe@uga.edu
Will Mattison, Ph.D.
Water Resources Engineer and Research Manager, IRIS
wmattison@uga.edu
Jon Calabria, Ph.D.
Professor, College of Environment and Design
jcalabr@uga.edu
Matthew Schudtz, Ph.D.
Law and Policy Fellow, IRIS
mshudtz@uga.edu
Kevin Samples
Geographic Information System Specialist, IRIS
ksamples@uga.edu
Aditya Gupta
Research Associate, College of Engineering
Haley Selsor
Research Professional, College of Engineering
haley.selsor@uga.edu
Project elements
The GOAL
This project analyzed the feasibility of an Engineering with Nature® (EWN) project that would restore Laundry Creek to its historic valley and floodplain outside of the fence line of Lawson AAF. It included filling the incised channelized reach to meet the safety requirement for maximum longitudinal grade change. Natural processes and stream restoration techniques will be used to restore Laundry Creek and reconnect it to the surrounding floodplain to provide flood risk reduction, water quality, and ecological benefits.
the FINDINGS
This report and study indicate that the restoration of Laundry Creek is a feasible alternative that can potentially deliver flood risk reduction and net environmental benefits under future climate and land use change scenarios at a reduced cost versus conventional, gray infrastructure approaches.
The preliminary concept design, informed by in depth hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, demonstrates that the EWN solution includes:
- Flood mitigation
- Reduced airfield and training downtime
- Enhancement of ecological function
- Water quality improvement
By integrating natural and engineered solutions, the project offers enhanced sustainability and resilience against the increasing number of high precipitation events. Moreover, the project demonstrates an innovative approach in military infrastructure development by ensuring operational
readiness and fostering environmental stewardship.
Additional Resources to Explore
Full report coming soon!
