Gravel Wetland Project Makes Excellent Progress
We are seeing lots of activity and progress on the gravel wetland installation in South Portland. The gravel wetland will act as a filter for the stormwater runoff that flows through the surrounding impervious surfaces at the Maine Mall and Philbrook Avenue. Crews are currently focused on excavating down to the lowest elevation point. Then they will start backfilling with fresh stone, which forms the bed of the gravel wetland. Eventually vegetation will be planted into the gravel bed to help filter the stormwater.
This gravel wetland will help treat runoff from 48-acres of pavement to address a variety of water quality concerns including temperature, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, metals, and moderating runoff volume. In addition to the gravel wetland, smaller modular wetland systems will be built to treat a smaller subcatchment area and large areas of invasive plants will be replanted with native species
